Obverse, phlyax (comic actor) Reverse, vine
Phlyax vases are characterized by the representation of a rustic comic figure wearing a short garment padded in front and behind, a large phallos, and tights. Phlyax plays parodied tragic drama or the Greek gods and heroes, or they focused on ridiculous aspects of daily life. The emphasis on color in Gnathian vases heightens the jollity of the actor here, who wears the mask of a slave and brandishes a torch.
