Arkesilas Painter
Encyclopedia
The Arkesilas Painter was a Laconia
n vase painter
; his works are dated to about 560 BC. He is considered one of the five great vase painters of Sparta
.
His conventional name is derived from his name vase
, the so-called Arkesilas Cup
, a kylix
now on display at the Cabinet des médailles
of the Bibliothèque nationale de France
in Paris
. The vessel, found at Vulci, depicts Arkesilaos II
, King of Cyrene
, watching his subjects packing and weighing trade goods. It is a singular motif in ancient Greek art, and one of very few vase painting depicting recognisable historical figures. Along with a further painting by the artist which depicts the nymph
Kyrene
wrestling a lion, it led to the original suggestion that the artist was active in North Africa
, but later excavations in laconia proved that notion to be false. Another of his vases depicts women, their skin indicated by white paint. This technique, typical of Corinthian and Attic vase painting, is not otherwise known from Laconian workshops. A similar image shows Herakles, apparently fighting two amazons. Their faces are white, their legs not visible.
The Arkesilas Painter primarily painted cups. He mainly painted symposion scenes and images from Greek mythology
. The latter are dominated by depictions of Herakles, the amazons
, Atlas
and Prometheus
. The latter two figures occur together on a single vase. Apart from figural painting, he also ascribed vases bearing merely ornamental decoration. His drawing style is precise and lively. He was identified, as one of the first known Laconian vase painters, in 1934, by Eugene Numa Lane. His early work was originally falsely attributed to the then so-called Hephaistos Painter, now known as the Boreades Painter.
Laconia
Laconia , also known as Lacedaemonia, is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Peloponnese. It is situated in the southeastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. Its administrative capital is Sparti...
n vase painter
Laconian vase painting
Laconian vase painting is a regional style of Greek vase painting, produced in Laconia, the region of Sparta in the 7th century BC.The first pottery with ornamental decoration produced in Laconia belongs to the Geomteric period. It was rather lifeless and appears provinvial in comparison to more...
; his works are dated to about 560 BC. He is considered one of the five great vase painters of Sparta
Sparta
Sparta or Lacedaemon, was a prominent city-state in ancient Greece, situated on the banks of the River Eurotas in Laconia, in south-eastern Peloponnese. It emerged as a political entity around the 10th century BC, when the invading Dorians subjugated the local, non-Dorian population. From c...
.
His conventional name is derived from his name vase
Name vase
In classical archaeology, a name vase is a specific "vase" whose painter's name is unknown but whose workshop style has been identified. The painter is conventionally named after the selected "name vase" that embodies his characteristic style, or for one of its distinctive painted subjects, or for...
, the so-called Arkesilas Cup
Arkesilas Cup
The Arkesilas Cup is a kylix by the Laconian vase painter known as the Arkesilas Painter, whose name vase it is. It depicts, and is thus named after, Arkesilaos II, king of Kyrene and is dated to about 565/560 BC. Chr....
, a kylix
Kylix (drinking cup)
A kylix is a type of wine-drinking glass with a broad relatively shallow body raised on a stem from a foot and usually with two horizontal handles disposed symmetrically...
now on display at the Cabinet des médailles
Cabinet des Médailles
The Cabinet des Médailles, more formally known as Département des Monnaies, Médailles et Antiques de la Bibliothèque nationale de France, is a department of the Bibliothèque nationale de France in Paris, France, housed in its former premises in Rue de Richelieu.The Cabinet des Médailles is a museum...
of the Bibliothèque nationale de France
Bibliothèque nationale de France
The is the National Library of France, located in Paris. It is intended to be the repository of all that is published in France. The current president of the library is Bruno Racine.-History:...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. The vessel, found at Vulci, depicts Arkesilaos II
Arcesilaus II of Cyrene
Arcesilaus II of Cyrene or Arcesilaus II also known as Arcesilaus II The Oppressor, The Tough, The Severe or The Harsh. Arcesilaus was the fourth Greek Cyrenaean King and was a member of the Battiad dynasty...
, King of Cyrene
Cyrene, Libya
Cyrene was an ancient Greek colony and then a Roman city in present-day Shahhat, Libya, the oldest and most important of the five Greek cities in the region. It gave eastern Libya the classical name Cyrenaica that it has retained to modern times.Cyrene lies in a lush valley in the Jebel Akhdar...
, watching his subjects packing and weighing trade goods. It is a singular motif in ancient Greek art, and one of very few vase painting depicting recognisable historical figures. Along with a further painting by the artist which depicts the nymph
Nymph
A nymph in Greek mythology is a female minor nature deity typically associated with a particular location or landform. Different from gods, nymphs are generally regarded as divine spirits who animate nature, and are usually depicted as beautiful, young nubile maidens who love to dance and sing;...
Kyrene
Cyrene (mythology)
In Greek mythology, as recorded in Pindar's 9th Pythian ode, Cyrene was the daughter of Hypseus, King of the Lapiths. When a lion attacked her father's sheep, Cyrene wrestled with the lion. Apollo, who was present, immediately fell in love with her and kidnapped her. He took her to North...
wrestling a lion, it led to the original suggestion that the artist was active in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
, but later excavations in laconia proved that notion to be false. Another of his vases depicts women, their skin indicated by white paint. This technique, typical of Corinthian and Attic vase painting, is not otherwise known from Laconian workshops. A similar image shows Herakles, apparently fighting two amazons. Their faces are white, their legs not visible.
The Arkesilas Painter primarily painted cups. He mainly painted symposion scenes and images from Greek mythology
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
. The latter are dominated by depictions of Herakles, the amazons
Amazons
The Amazons are a nation of all-female warriors in Greek mythology and Classical antiquity. Herodotus placed them in a region bordering Scythia in Sarmatia...
, Atlas
Atlas (mythology)
In Greek mythology, Atlas was the primordial Titan who supported the heavens. Although associated with various places, he became commonly identified with the Atlas Mountains in north-west Africa...
and Prometheus
Prometheus
In Greek mythology, Prometheus is a Titan, the son of Iapetus and Themis, and brother to Atlas, Epimetheus and Menoetius. He was a champion of mankind, known for his wily intelligence, who stole fire from Zeus and gave it to mortals...
. The latter two figures occur together on a single vase. Apart from figural painting, he also ascribed vases bearing merely ornamental decoration. His drawing style is precise and lively. He was identified, as one of the first known Laconian vase painters, in 1934, by Eugene Numa Lane. His early work was originally falsely attributed to the then so-called Hephaistos Painter, now known as the Boreades Painter.