Amphora from Vulci (British Museum B 228)
The approx. 42 cm high black-figured neck amphora from Vulci (now in London, British Museum , Cat. Vases B 228, inv. 1843.11-3.23) is painted with two mythological images from the life of Heracles . It is attributed to a painter from the Leagros group .
The picture on the front is surrounded by rich leaf ornaments. It depicts the battle between Heracles and the river god Acheloos . Heracles carries the sword on his side, his weapons (bow, quiver and club) hang over his back. He charges his fleeing rival from the left with his left leg raised, grabbed his horn and beard and brought him to his knees. In front of the conquered Acheloos there is a tree, the branches of which extend far across the picture. Behind Heracles stands the god Hermes . He is depicted as a bearded man with chlamys , boots, petasos and kerykeion . He looks around for the fight as he is about to leave, seeing the fight as already decided.
On the back of the amphora, Heracles is shown playing on a seven-stringed lyre. In front of him Poseidon sits on a folding chair, behind this a warrior, possibly Ares in a helmet with two spears. Pallas Athene stands behind Heracles .
literature
- Maximilian Lehnerdt: Herakles and Acheloos . In: Archäologische Zeitung . Volume 43, 1843, Col. 105-120 .
- John D. Beazley : Attic Black-figure Vase-painters . Oxford 1956, p. 370 no.122