Terracotta oinochoe (jug)
Archer, probably Odysseus
In the Odyssey, Homer recounted the homecoming of the Greek hero Odysseus after years of wandering at the end of the Trojan War. He found his house filled with suitors for the hand of his wife, Penelope, and managed single-handedly to kill them with his powerful bow and arrows. The archer on this vase probably can be identified as Odysseus, because of his obviously unkempt hair, an indication of the vicissitudes the hero had undergone. Moreover, a similar figure appears on several more complete ancient representations of the scene.
In the Odyssey, Homer recounted the homecoming of the Greek hero Odysseus after years of wandering at the end of the Trojan War. He found his house filled with suitors for the hand of his wife, Penelope, and managed single-handedly to kill them with his powerful bow and arrows. The archer on this vase probably can be identified as Odysseus, because of his obviously unkempt hair, an indication of the vicissitudes the hero had undergone. Moreover, a similar figure appears on several more complete ancient representations of the scene.
Artwork Details
- Title: Terracotta oinochoe (jug)
- Artist: Attributed to the Disney Painter
- Period: Classical
- Date: ca. 430–420 BCE
- Culture: Greek, Attic
- Medium: Terracotta; red-figure
- Dimensions: 5 3/8in. (13.6cm)
Other: 3 7/16in. (8.8cm) - Classification: Vases
- Credit Line: Fletcher Fund, 1924
- Object Number: 24.97.24
- Curatorial Department: Greek and Roman Art
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Greek, Attic
late 10th–early 9th century BCE
Greek, Attic
mid-4th century BCE
Greek, South Italian, Campanian
4th century BCE
Greek, Attic
late 6th century BCE
Princeton Group
ca. 540–530 BCE
Related Content
Publications
Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.
Free to download
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.