The foot of this hydria is decorated with a
reserved band as well as the join of the foot and
the body. The reserved neck is embellished with
vertical black lines that give the illusion of
fluting. The bases of the horizontal handles are
reserved as well and decorated underneath with
a reserved palmette motif and large swirl
patterns highlighted with white. The vertical
pouring handle is reserved on the underside.
Below, a larger palmette motif decorates the
backside of the body. The figural scene depicts a
warrior, possibly a representation of Mars, with
two women at his sides, perhaps maenads. The
male warrior is wearing traditional Southern
Italian costume (wide-belted tunic, greaves, and
plumed helmet) and holds a spear in his left
hand and a wreath in his right. His right arm
rests on his shield as he sits on a rocky
outcropping covered by a white garment. The
woman on the left sits above the warrior and
leans into him, holding a phiale in her left hand
and a ribbon in her other. Her upper body is
bare. The woman on the right is wearing a
belted chiton. She presents another wreath to
the warrior with her right hand and carries a
circular object with a concentric ring pattern and
two triangular handles. Both the women’s hair is
bound in a kekryphalos. White details highlight
the women’s flesh and the plumes of the
warrior’s helmet and his shield. A yellowish-
orange hue is added on the warrior’s helmet,
belt, and greaves and on the objects the women
present as well as their bound hairstyles. This
hydria can be attributed to the CA Painter, an
artist working out of Cumae, one of the centers
of Campanian pottery. This vase exhibits
characteristic of the Cumae A Painter including
the local Oscan dress for the warrior, white paint
for the flesh of the women (one of whom is
typically half-draped), small saplings with leaves
in a herringbone pattern, and the vivid use of
added white and yellow.
- (PF.5541)
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