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Pelike

Attributed to the Plousios Painter
ca. 520 BCE
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 155
On loan to The Met
This work of art is currently on loan to the museum.
Introduced by red-figure artists, the pelike was adopted as well by their black-figure counterparts. The subject here is a further modification of the theme of Ajax and Achilles gaming (compare hydria 56.171.29). Two men sit at a three-legged table playing a board game, as indicated by their gestures. A flute case and a lyre hanging on the wall above them suggest that the men are professional musicians taking a break. The implied comparison with the Homeric heroes is amusing.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Pelike
  • Artist: Attributed to the Plousios Painter
  • Period: Archaic
  • Date: ca. 520 BCE
  • Culture: Greek, Attic
  • Medium: Terracotta
  • Dimensions: (Cp 12647): 3 9/16 x 9 3/16 in. (9 x 23.3 cm)
    Other (Cp11990 (7 joining) L.68.121)): 5 3/8 x 7 7/8 in. (13.7 x 20 cm)
  • Classification: Vases
  • Credit Line: Lent by Musée du Louvre
  • Object Number: L.1980.34.1
  • Curatorial Department: Greek and Roman Art