the TITANS & early Greek Mythology

[Crystal Thielkien]

T20.1 ATLAS & PROMETHEUS

Museum Collection: Musei Vaticani, Vatican City
Catalogue Number: TBA
Beazley Archive Number: N/A
Ware: Laconian Black Figure
Shape: Amphoriskos
Date: ca 530 BC
Period: Archaic

SUMMARY

The Titan brothers Atlas and Prometheus undergo their torments. Atlas, hounded by the Hesperian serpent, holds the rock of heaven upon his shoulders and Prometheus, tied to a post, has his heart pecked out by the eagle.

[Crystal Thielkien]

T20.2 ATLAS & GAIA

Museum Collection: Dallas Museum of Art, Texas, USA
Catalogue No.: TBA
Beazley Archive No.: N/A
Ware: Apulian Red Figure
Shape: Krater, volute
Painter: Attributed to the Underworld Painter
Date: C4th BC
Period: Late Classical / Early Hellenistic

SUMMARY

Detail of Atlas from a painting depicting the story of Herakles' quest for the golden apples. The Titan is seated on a throne in the guise of a king, holding a royal sceptre. Herakles, accompanied by Hermes, approaches him from the left (not shown). On the right stands Gaia, the goddess earth, along with a Hesperid and the serpent-entwined tree (not shown). The tree was Gaia's weddding gift to Hera. The figures of Atlas and Gaia (Ga) both have name labels.

[Crystal Thielkien]

T18.4 SELENE & ENDYMION

Museum Collection: Dallas Museum of Art, Texas, USA
Catalogue No.: TBA
Beazley Archive No.: N/A
Ware: Apulian Red Figure
Shape: Krater, volute
Painter: Attributed to the Underworld Painter
Date: C4th BC
Period: Late Classical / Early Hellenistic

SUMMARY

The upper panel depicts the shepherd Endymion luring the moon-goddess Selene from the sky with a shining fleece. The goddess rides in a four-horse chariot, and is crowned with a crescent moon and aureole. To her left (see other image) stand Aphrodite and Peitho, the goddesses of love and seduction. To the right of Endymion is Athena and a serpent-entwined tree (not shown) which encompasses both the upper and lower panels. The Endymion, Athena and serpent-tree are probably simultaneously designed to represent the story of Jason and the golden fleece.
The lower panel depicts Herakles in his quest for the golden apples of the Hesperides. The figures from left to right are Hermes, Herakles, Atlas enthroned as a king, Gaia the earth-goddess, and a Hesperid standing before the serpent-entwined tree.
The two or possibly three scenes (assuming Jason and Endymion are represented by the same figure) are almost certainly based on tragedy plays. Only the figures of Atlas, Ge, Aphrodite and Selana are labelled on the vase.
The back of the krater contains a non-mythological funerary scene.

[Crystal Thielkien]

K10.14 APHRODITE & PEITHO

Museum Collection: Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, Texas, USA
Catalogue No.: TBA
Beazley Archive No.: N/A
Ware: Apulian Red Figure
Shape: Krater, volute
Painter: Attributed to the Underworld Painter
Date: C4th BC
Period: Late Classical / Early Hellenistic

SUMMARY

Detail of Aphrodite and her attendant in a painting depicting the story of the love of Endymion and Selene (see other image for these). The figure of Aphrodite, holding a myrtle wreath in her hand, is labelled on the vase. Her companion is probably Peitho (Persuasion), who usually appears beside the goddess in these scenes.

[Crystal Thielkien]

MYTHOLOGY IN POST-CLASSICAL ART
Prometheus & the Eagle by the Flemish painter Pieter Paul Rubens (1577-1640).

[Chronos]

Thanks much for all the work you have put into transfering this piece over, Crystal, it is my favorite of the ones I started at the old forum.