The deeds of Theseus and the Minotaur
Within a circle of pattern consisting of sets of three maeanders separated by chequer squares, Theseus slaying the Minotaur. Theseus, with drawn sword in right, moves to left, looking back, and dragging with his left hand the Minotaur by the left horn out of a building. The Minotaur has apparently fallen forward, dying: only his head, right arm, and body to waist are visible, the rest being concealed behind the building: the surface of his bull's head and human body are covered with brown strokes, indicating hair. The building is represented by a Doric fluted column with entablature and triglyphs, forming a porch to the main building, which is itself represented by a broad vertical stripe of pattern, consisting of alternate labyrinth (?) patterns and chequer squares; this is partly cut off by the border of the design. In this, as in all the other scenes, Theseus is beardless and wears a fillet and a sword-belt with scabbard.
Round the central design is a frieze composed of a series of groups representing six more of the Labours of Theseus in the following order, starting from the left handle and proceeding from left to right:
(i) The sow of Crommyon.
(ii) Theseus vs Kerkyon
(iii) Theseus vs Procrustes
(iv) Theseus vs Skiron
(v) Thesus taming the Marathonian bull
(vi) Theseus vs Sinis Pityocamptes.
Museum No. 1850,0302.3
CARC @ www.beazley.ox.ac.uk
Attic red-figured kylix
(Height 12,7 cm; diameter 33,2 cm)
Attributed to The Codrus Painter by Hauser
About 440 – 430 BC
From Vulci Viterbo
London, The British Museum
The deeds of Theseus and the Minotaur
Within a circle of pattern consisting of sets of three maeanders separated by chequer squares, Theseus slaying the Minotaur. Theseus, with drawn sword in right, moves to left, looking back, and dragging with his left hand the Minotaur by the left horn out of a building. The Minotaur has apparently fallen forward, dying: only his head, right arm, and body to waist are visible, the rest being concealed behind the building: the surface of his bull's head and human body are covered with brown strokes, indicating hair. The building is represented by a Doric fluted column with entablature and triglyphs, forming a porch to the main building, which is itself represented by a broad vertical stripe of pattern, consisting of alternate labyrinth (?) patterns and chequer squares; this is partly cut off by the border of the design. In this, as in all the other scenes, Theseus is beardless and wears a fillet and a sword-belt with scabbard.
Round the central design is a frieze composed of a series of groups representing six more of the Labours of Theseus in the following order, starting from the left handle and proceeding from left to right:
(i) The sow of Crommyon.
(ii) Theseus vs Kerkyon
(iii) Theseus vs Procrustes
(iv) Theseus vs Skiron
(v) Thesus taming the Marathonian bull
(vi) Theseus vs Sinis Pityocamptes.
Museum No. 1850,0302.3
CARC @ www.beazley.ox.ac.uk
Attic red-figured kylix
(Height 12,7 cm; diameter 33,2 cm)
Attributed to The Codrus Painter by Hauser
About 440 – 430 BC
From Vulci Viterbo
London, The British Museum