Makron Skyphos Drinking CupJSE

8/14/2019 Makron Skyphos Drinking CupJSE

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MAKRON Skyphos

White text: p.47-48

Black text: p.51-55


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MAKRON Skyphos

MakronMakron was one of the mostimportant, and probably the mostprolific of all the Red-Figure artists.Over 600 vases have been attributedto him in his career during the 480s-470s BC. He most often paintedKylikes and Skyphoi. He worked with

Hieron on over 30 vases.

Makron is significant because of the

effort he took to make his drapery


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Potter: HieronTechnique: Red-Figure

Date: 490-480 BC

Shape: Skyphos , a deepdrinking cup

Function: Drinking wine

Painter: Makron


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Dimensions

Height: 21cm


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Decoration Overview This vase shows a step towardsnaturalism. Makron was very interested inshowing as much detail as possible, andwas particularly good at showing folds inwomens drapery.Also, Makron borders his frieze with aregular meander border.


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Side AThe Abduction of Helen


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The MythHelen was the daughter of Zeusand Queen Leda of Sparta. Shewas said to be the most beautiful

woman alive and most of theprinces of Greece wanted tomarry her.

Her stepfather, King Tyndareusof Sparta, was worried thatquarrels between the suitors

would lead to war. Odysseus


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Tyndareus made all the suitorsswear that they would protectHelens marriage, whoever it waswith. Thus satisfied, he gave herto Menelaus, who became thenext King of Sparta.

Helen and Menelaus had at leastone child together until, one day,Paris of Troy arrived in Sparta.


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Paris (also known as Alexander)

was the youngest son of Priamand Hecuba of Troy. Just beforehis birth, Hecuba had a dream in

which her new son turned into afirebrand which caught hold anddestroyed the city.

Another of Priams sons, whocould interpret dreams, said thatthis new baby was born for the

ruin of Troy and should be left to


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Priam gave his son to a shepherd,who left him to die, but a she-bearfound him and suckled him. Theshepherd came back to find the childstill alive and decided to bring him

up. Years later, Paris visited Troy andwas recognised by his sister

Cassandra, before being welcomedback into the family by his father,Priam.

One day, while Paris was watching


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Hermes brought three the goddessesHera, Athena and Aphrodite. Theywere contesting for possession of anapple, inscribed For the fairest,which had been thrown among the

guests at the wedding of Thetis andPeleus.Eris (Strife) had not been invited and

the resulting argument was too trickyfor Zeus to get involved with. Pariswas chosen as the man to make the

decision.


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The three jealous goddesses wereanxious to win the prize, and alloffered Paris bribes to win his favour: Hera promised him sovereignty over all

men.

Athena promised victory in war andwisdom.

Aphrodite promised him the hand of themost beautiful woman in the world.

Paris gave the apple to Aphrodite, andset sail for Sparta, where Helen livedwith her new husband, Menelaus.


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Menelaus welcomed Paris andentertained him for 9 days, but whenhe was absent in Crete on the 10th,Paris abducted Helen and took herback to Troy.

This is the origin of the Trojan War,which began when Menelausreminded the Greek kings about their

oath to protect the marriage of Helen, and raised a huge Greek armyto attack Troy in order to win her

back.


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Paris companion, Aeneas .He is armed with a spear andshield, and leads the party,looking back over hisshoulder.

The Boys

Aservantstandsunder onehandle.

Pariss legs are wide apart, suggestingmovement. He too is looking back over his shoulder, as if he might be beingpursued, and he leads Helen by thewrist not the hand. He wears a

Corinthian helmet, but not as it wouldbe worn in battle


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The Girls Helen is the centralfigure, being led by Paris Helen is accompaniedby two maidservants

The first maidservant isAphrodite, Goddess of Love,who is putting a cloak over

Helens head to disguise her.

The second maidservant iscalled Peitho (persuasion). She

stands, watching the abduction,holding flowers in her hand.


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Finally:

Eros, son of Aphrodite, is alsopresent. This reinforces the notionthat Helen is going with Paris due toseduction not abduction.


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Composition 1

The important figures arepainted in the centre of the frieze.

Aeneas andPeitho framethe central

trio

Aeneas andPeitho framethe central

trio


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Composition 2

The female figures are staticThe male figures are moving


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Composition 3

The narrative moves right to left


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Overlapping

All the figures shown on the vase are overlapping. Since they are so close together and the drapery is so similar, Makron has a difficult job to make each figure distinct,

but he succeeds. This creates a sense of depth.

Single groundline


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The MythAfter eleven years of war, Troy wasdefeated.Paris and Hector were killed in the10 th year of the war.

The Greeks used a huge woodenhorse to get inside the city, and Troywas destroyed while its people werekilled or taken captive. Only Aeneasand Antenor escaped.


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The Boys

Kriseus, anold man witha realisticwhite beard

The elderly Priam sitson an elaboratethrone underneaththe handle. He isbalding and a light-coloured slipsuggests grey hair

Menelaus, King of Sparta, isportrayed fully armed. He is drawing

his sword, about to attack hisunfaithful wife.


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The Girls

Helen flees towards Aphrodite,but looks back over her shoulder at the angry Menelaus

The secondmaidservant,Kriseis, isready to help

Aphrodite, Helensmaidservant, holdsher arms opentowards Helen.


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Composition 1

The important figures arepainted in the centre of the frieze.

Kriseus andKriseis areonlookers

Priam isan

onlooker


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Composition 2

These figures mimic thepose of Aeneas and Paris

on Side A

These figures mimic the poseof the static figures on Side A


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Composition 3

The narrative moves right to left


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Overlapping

Again, all the figures are overlapping. Makros creates a sense of depth by paintingMenelaus behind his shield.

Single groundline


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Height of the figuresAll figures are the same height filling the height of the

vase except two.Priam and the boy both fit neatly underneath the handles

on either side.


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the himation , a cloak, usually of wool

himation was anelegant, everydaygarment worn by menand women

womans version waslighter in size

could be worn drapedaround the body,variety of differentmanners.


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The doric Chiton , a short or long tunic

much lighter, madefrom linen, than thehimation

usually worn next tothe skin

comfortable and easy

to wear, and elegant

fashionable duringred-figure period

Linens transparency allows the artist to show anatomy underneath thematerial


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The ionic chiton

wide rectangular pieceof cloth, worn to theankle

elegant drapes andevenly pleated

had colouredgarments for festiveoccasions, long andwhite worn byrespectable women


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Drapery Makron was particularly skilled atshowing the details of drapery.

His drapery shows amazing detail andaccuracy.

Lines close together indicate finematerial, while heavier material is shownby lines further apart.

He then added depth and texture bypainting another layer of glaze on top tosuggest 3-D.

The drapery swells to suggestmovement.

Material folds end in curving zig-zags, notstraight lines.

Not all material folds end in zig-zags see the cloak between Paris legs on Side


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Makrons artistic skills

all figures close to oneanother and theyoverlap, yet we candistinguish each one

skilled drawing allowsus to distinguishbetween chitons withtheir closely drawnlines & the morewidely spaced lines of the himation

consistent curves atthe end of drapery,swelling of draperyexpresses movement

Anatomy painted inslip under drapery,interest in how thebody moves


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Painting technique Makron uses dilute glaze to adddetails:

Womens hair

The Lion on Aeneas shield Aeneas and Paris sandals

See Black textPlates 11 and 12

Documents

Makron Skyphos Drinking CupJSE