Psiax

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Seated Dionysus with Kantharos , inside of a black-figure plate, around 520 - 500 BC BC, Louvre
Warriors in armor on a plate attributed to Psiax, around 510 BC BC, found in the Zeus sanctuary in Olympia , Antikensammlung Berlin

Psiax ( ancient Greek Ψίαξ ) was an Attic vase painter from the transition from the black-figure to the red-figure painting technique. His work from 525 to 505 BC Chr. Comprises about 60 traditional vases, two of which bear his signature . Originally he was referred to as the Menon Painter by John D. Beazley . Only later was his identity recognized with the artist who signed as "Psiax".

Psiax worked with the potters Hilinos , Menon , Andokides and Nikosthenes . While he first painted in the black-figure technique, he played an important role in the development of the red-figure style, which was invented in the workshop of Andokides. The black-figure Antimenes painter , who also worked there, is stylistically close to Psiax; John D. Beazley referred to both as "brothers". It is not surprising that Psiax was a master of bilingual vases (black- and red-figure technique combined on the front and back of a vase).

His signature is only known from two red-figure alabastras in Karlsruhe and Odessa, which are also signed by the potter Hilinos. Three of the works painted by him have the signature of the potter Andokides. The painting of kyathoi and the use of the six technique indicate his collaboration with Nikosthenes. The young Epiktetos imitated Psiax, the "pioneers" Euphronios and Phintias were his students.

Psiax primarily painted smaller vessels, which suits his delicate painting style. However, there are also larger vessels such as amphorae , hydria and calyx craters in the artist's work. There, too, his figures are less powerful and vital than sublime and reserved. Although he experimented with the possibilities of the new technology (perspective), he was more concerned with the delicacy and decorative effect of his pictures typical of the late archaic era. He doesn't stop at the black and red figure technique, but also experiments with black figures on a white or coral red background and the six technique .

There is nothing special about the selection of his subjects, but a preference for team scenes and archers can be noticed.

Works (selection)

  • Brescia, Museo
black-figure abdominal amphora
B 120 red-figure alabastron (signed; potter: Hilinos)
1980.10-29.1 (formerly Castle Ashby) black-figure neck amphora (potter: Andokides)
Neck front: Dionysus between two satyrs , back: warriors in frontal chariot between two youths
11008 (L 63) bilingual Bauachamphora (potter: Andokides)
Front: Apollon with Kithara between Artemis , Leto and Ares ; Reverse: Dionysus with Kantharos between satyrs and maenads
  • Malibu, J. Paul Getty Museum
86.AE.278 red-figure bowl
90.AE.122 black-figure mastos
  • New York, Metropolitan Museum
63.11.6 red-figure abdominal amphora with black-figure lip
Front: quarrel about the tripod, back Dionysus with Kantharos between maenad and satyr (lip: Psiax, main images: Andokides painter)
  • Odessa, Archaeological Museum
266602 red-figure alabastron (signed; potter: Hilinos)
5349 red-figure abdominal amphora (potter: Menon)

literature

  • John D. Beazley : Attic Black-figure Vase-painters . Oxford 1956, pp. 292-295. 692.
  • John D. Beazley: Attic Red-Figure Vase-Painters , 2nd Edition, Oxford 1963, pp. 6-9.
  • John D. Beazley: Paralipomena. Additions to Attic black-figure vase-painters and to Attic red-figure vase-painters , Oxford 1971, p.
  • S. Patitucci Uggeri: Kylix di Psiax in una collezione ticinese. In: Numismatica e antichità classiche. Quaderni ticinesi 1 , 1972, pp. 33-60.
  • Beth Cohen : Attic Bilingual Vases and their Painters , New York 1978, pp. 194-239. 276-287.
  • Joan R. Mertens : Some new vases by Psiax. In: Antike Kunst 22, 1979, pp. 22–37.
  • B. Jeske, C. Stein: An early red-figure hydria of the Psiax. In: Booklets of the Archaeological Seminar of the University of Bern 8, 1982, pp. 5–20.
  • S. Bonomi: Un nuovo frammento a figure nere di Psiax del Museo di Adria. In: Kotinos. Festschrift for Erika Simon , Mainz 1992, pp. 162–164.
  • P. Pelletier-Hornby: Deux aspects de Psiax in the Collection Dutuit du Petit Palais (Musée des beaux-arts de la ville de Paris). In: Revue du Louvre 50, 2000, No. 4, pp. 27-37.
  • Beth Cohen : Psiax. In: Rainer Vollkommer (editor): Künstlerlexikon der Antike . Volume 2: L-Z. Addendum A – K. Saur, Munich / Leipzig 2004, ISBN 3-598-11414-1 , pp. 325–326.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ [1]
  2. ↑ [2]
  3. ↑ Beazley Archive Database ( Memento of March 11, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
  4. ↑ [3]
  5. ↑ [4]
  6. ↑ [5]

Web links

Commons : Psiax  - collection of images, videos and audio files
personal data
SURNAME Psiax
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Menon Painter; Ψίαξ (grcS)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Greek vase painter
DATE OF BIRTH 6th century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH 5th century BC Chr.