The images painted on the shoulders of this amphora summarize two crucial moments of the Trojan War handed down by the epic poem Aithiopis: the battle between Achilles and Penthesileia, side A, and the battle of Achilles against Memnon, side B. On the shoulder nonsense inscriptions
This is the only known picture inspired to the combat between Penthesileia and Achilles on a "Tyrrhenian" vase. The central part of the painting shows a warrior with Corinthian helmet and greaves, half hidden behind his shield decorated by a white eagle. His spear pierces an Amazon; she is mortally injured and her knees are bent. A bearded man in himation, unmoved, is watching the scene. The Amazon wears a tunic, beautifully decorated with a vertical strip. A high crested Attic helmet, the greaves, a spear and a shield are her combat equipment.
According to the scene painted on the shoulder of the amphora side B, the two central characters on this side could be identified as Achilles and Penthesileia, the queen of Amazons. Some scholars, indeed, point out that the fight between the Ethiopian king Memnon and Achilles is depicted on side B. Therefore, on the basis on similarity criteria, it could be supposed that this image describes the combat between Achilles and Penthesileia. D. von Bothmer (Amazons in Greek Art – 1957) and J. D. Beazley were the first ones to introduce this argument.
While behind Achilles the battle between Greeks and Trojans is raging, on the left corner, two Trojan warriors are coming to support Penthesileia, queen of Amazons, their allies. They are protected by shields, and rush towards the battlefield raising their spears. Three friezes of real and fantastic beasts complete the decoration of the amphora.
Beazley attributed this amphora to the so-called “Guglielmi Painter”, who was active late in the second quarter of the sixth century.
Lieve Mahieu: “Amazones – Op Attische zwart- en roodfigurige vazen uit de zesde en vijfde eeuw v. C.”
CARC /CAVI www.beazley.ox.ac.uk/record/1AEB4CB7-2ECF-4448-B003-23F21…
Black figured Tyrrhenian Amphora
Attributed to the "Guglielmi Painter” by Beazley
Ca. 560-550BC
From Vulci, Lazio
Rome, Vatican Museums, Museo Gregoriano Etrusco
Inv. No. 34526
Posted by Egisto Sani on 2017-03-10 18:56:16
Tagged: , Anfora , Attica , Citta del Vaticano , Figure nere , G Tirrenico , Musei Vaticani , Museo Gregoriano Etrusco , P di Guglielmi , Roma , Vasi , Achille , Achilles , Memnon , Mennone , Penthesileia , Pentesilea , Penthesilea , “Tyrrhenian , Amphora” , “Anfora , tirrenica” , “Gugliemi , painter” , “pittore , di , Gugliemi” , “black , figure” , “figure , nere” , pottery , ceramica , ceramics , art , “Vatican , City , State” , “Città , del , Vaticano” , Rome , “Musei , Vaticani” , Museums” , “Museo , Gregoriano , Etrusco , “No , 34526” , “Num , 34526
