Baltimore, Hopkins AIA B1
Fragment from Kylix by Oltos
ca. 520 B.C.
B 1. Baltimore Society AIA, formerly Hartwig Collection. Max ht, 5
cm; max 1, 7.7 cm. Part of exterior decoration of kylix with upper edge
belonging to original rim.
Maenad moves to her right; torso frontal, head in left profile. She
wears chiton, himation fastened over right shoulder, and panther skin knotted at
throat. Her left elbow is bent, with a pine branch in left hand. Her hair is
drawn behind the ears, bent up at nape, and fastened to back of head with
fillet. Disc earrings, bracelet on left wrist. Behind her are the extended
fingers of a right hand.
Relief contour throughout. Dilute glaze for mouth and inner line of
ear. Added purple for fillet, leaves, bracelet. Hairline incised.
This fragment arrived at the university as part of the restored
sections of the kylix by the Pistoxenos Painter (
Baltimore, Hopkins AIA B12). Subsequently, Beazley recognized the
Hopkins piece to be part of the exterior of a kylix to which fragments in
Florence, Heidelberg, Braunschweig, Bowdoin, and the Villa Giulia also belong
(see
above, Beazley pl. X; and
Bowdoin 1913.14).
1 The maenad on our segment formed part of a procession of satyrs and
maenads whose counterparts on the opposite side are a fleeing girl and two men.
In the tondo was a representation of Pegasus, together with the signature of
Kachrylion, the prominent Attic potter for whom Phintias (see
Baltimore, Hopkins AIA B4) and the Kiss Painter (see
Baltimore, Hopkins AIA B5) may also have
worked.
2
Oltos was one of the most skilled early artists of red-figure
vasepainting.
3 He signed two cups and is accredited with over one hundred fifty vessels
in all. Although he primarily painted kylixes, he also worked on amphorae,
psykters, stamnoi, and a kyathos. He was employed by the best potters of his
age, including Kachrylion, Nikosthenes, Pamphaios, and Hischylos.
4
The artist's distinctive style can be recognized in the stumpy bodies
and the square heads with long noses and narrow, elongated eyes. Also
characteristic is the patterning of the extended figures. Oltos's use of relief
line was extensive and particularly skilled.
Bibliography
Philippart 1928, 50;
D. M. Robinson, AJA 21 (1917): 167, fig. 7;
Beazley 1918, 7, 12, no. 51;
Hoppin 1919, vol. II, 261, no. 47c;
Beazley 1925, 17, no. 70;
Beazley 1933a, pl. X;
CVA, USA fasc. 6, Robinson fasc. 2, 11, pl.
I.1;
ARV2, 59, no.
55.
