Terracotta stamnos (jar)

ca. 470 BCE

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 156

Obverse, Peleus wrestles with the sea nymph Thetis while her two companions flee
Reverse, two sea nymphs approach their father, Nereus

Both Zeus and Poseidon desired Thetis; but, after they learned that she was fated to bear a son who would be stronger than his father, she was married off to Peleus, a mortal. As Peleus tried to catch her, she evaded him by changing into many different forms. Here, however, he has finally secured his bride, the future mother of the great hero Achilles.

Artwork Details

Overview

References

Title: Terracotta stamnos (jar)
Artist: Attributed to the Altamura Painter
Period: Classical
Date: ca. 470 BCE
Culture: Greek, Attic
Medium: Terracotta; red-figure
Dimensions: H. 15 3/16 in. (38.5 cm); diameter mouth 9 7/16 in. (24 cm); diameter foot 7 1/4 in. (18.5 cm)
Classification: Vases
Credit Line: Fletcher Fund, 1956
Object Number: 56.171.51
Curatorial Department: Greek and Roman Art

More Artwork

A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.

Terracotta pelike (jar), Altamura Painter, Terracotta, Greek, Attic — Terracotta pelike (jar)
Altamura Painter
ca. 470 BCE

Terracotta fragment of a calyx-krater (bowl for mixing wine and water), Altamura Painter [DvB], Terracotta, Greek, Attic — Terracotta fragment of a calyx-krater (bowl for mixing wine and water)
Altamura Painter
480–470 BCE

Terracotta fragment of a bell-krater (bowl for mixing wine and water), Altamura Painter [DvB], Terracotta, Greek, Attic — Terracotta fragment of a bell-krater (bowl for mixing wine and water)
Altamura Painter
470–460 BCE

Terracotta oinochoe (jug), Terracotta, Greek, Attic — Terracotta oinochoe (jug)
Greek, Attic
mid-4th century BCE

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.