This volute krater from 500-480 BC depicts scenes from the Trojan War painted by the Berlin Painter. On one side is Achilles fighting Memnon watched by their mothers Thetis and Eos. The other side shows Achilles battling Hector, already wounded, as Athena and Apollo look on. The figures are painted in a frozen moment of action. Through names, poses, and gestures the painter narrates these pivotal moments from the epic poems with subtle details that bring the scenes to life.

1. Berlin Painter
Volute krater

2. Basic facts
 Vase shape: volute
krater
 Function: mixing wine
& water
 Potter: unknown
 Painter: Berlin Painter
 Date: 500-480 BC
 Height: 65cm

3. Painter
 never signed his own name
 the name Berlin Painter comes from an amphora
found in Berlin - this volute krater is stylistically
similar to that amphora
 often spotlighted a single figure against a black
background, with no framing panel
 characters often give impression of being frozen in
mid-action – their bodies tensed & poised to move
on
 figures are well-muscled
 details drawn with dilute glaze
 excellent at refinement & delicacy

4. Innovations
 spotlighting a single figure against a black
background with no framing panel; in this way they
appear light & graceful, as if floating on the vase

5. Subject – side A
 Achilles & Memnon (Trojan hero from Ethiopia)
 a ‘frozen’ action scene from battle
 watched by their mothers, Thetis & Eos

6. Subject – side B
 Achilles & Hector
 ‘frozen’ battle scene
 watched by their respective divine patrons – Athena
& Apollo
 Achilles has already wounded Hector

7. Composition - overall
 simple decoration - typical of the
Berlin Painter
 only the neck & handles are
decorated
 this is a reversal of the major
artistic trend – no decoration on
the body except for a coating of
shiny black glaze, and a band of
stylised rays at the base of the
belly
 this draws attention to the shape
of the vase & also the main frieze
 complex mirrored lotus & palmette
chain on the lip (above the frieze)
 below the scene is a tongue
pattern

8. Composition - scenes
 no overlapping
 single groundline
 two central figures are framed by their supporters
 scenes are symmetrical
 ¾ view of Achilles is mirrored on both sides
 positioning of shields helps to give a three-dimensional effect
 figures are in a ‘W’ composition which mimics the wide mouth
and narrow base of the vase (the supporters are the ‘wings’ of
the ‘w’ whilst the warriors are in the interior inverted ‘v’)
 the clashing of the spears on side B adds to the ‘W’
composition

9. Figurative Details – side A
Achilles
 twisted in ¾ pose
 carefully mirrors taut back view of Memnon

10. Figurative Details – side A cont
Memnon
 holds up his shield to block Achilles’ spear
 prepares to lunge forward with his sword
 position of his legs indicate movement – the heels of his
feet are raised off the ground
 he looks like he’s moving forward about to lunge with his
sword

11. Figurative Details – side A cont
Thetis
 mother of Achilles
 stands behind Achilles
 her hands are raised as if
urging him on to defeat
Memnon

12. Figurative Details – side A cont
Eos
 mother of Memnon
 Eos means Dawn
 stretches out her right arm (mirrors
Thetis) but her pose is one of
anguish, knowing that her son is
about to be defeated
 mirror-like symmetry of the two
women
 her drapery flows to show
movement & suggests she is
moving away from the scene
 zigzag folds in her drapery

13. Figurative Details – side B
Achilles
 his legs are moving forward
showing that he is ready to attack
 he is preparing to make the last
fatal blow to the already wounded
Hector
 can see the interior of his shield –
it highlights the figure of Achilles
(Hector is contrasted and looks
deliberately weak)
 this shows that Achilles will be the
victor
 both warriors are slender, agile &
well-muscled
 both warriors are nude as was
typical of Greek heroes

14. Figurative Details – side B cont.
Hector
 depicted totally unprotected –
his shield is twisted behind him!
 blood is spurting from wounds
in his thigh and chest
 one knee is bent – almost looks
as if he is stumbling backwards
from the curve of his body
 his body is painted in the ¾
pose
 both warriors are slender, agile
& well-muscled
 both warriors are nude as was
typical of Greek heroes

15. Figurative Details – side B cont.
Athena
 stands behind Achilles
 one arm is outstretched behind
him – encouraging her favourite
hero
 she holds a spear in her hand
 she wears her snake covered
aegis and a helmet

16. Figurative Details – side B cont.
Apollo
 stands behind Hector
 appears to be waving goodbye
to the ‘doomed’ Hector
 is carrying an arrow; maybe a
hint at the fate that awaits
Achilles

17. Non-figurative details
 complex mirrored
lotus & palmette
chain on the lip
(above the frieze)
 below the scene is a
tongue pattern
 band of stylised rays
at the base of the
body

18. Inscriptions
 the figures have their names painted beside them in
dilute glaze

19. Painting Technique - overall
 red-figure
 figures are first painted with a relief line; the
background was then painted in with black slip; extra
details such as eyes were then added with black slip
 figures have their names painted beside them in
dilute glaze
 major muscles are painted with slip – this provides
more detail

20. Painting Technique – side B
 Achilles arm (holding the spear) is foreshortened
 dilute slip has been used on Achilles hair
 dilute slip is used for the blood flowing from Hector’s
thigh & chest
 dilute slip also used for the details on the shields

21. Narrative Technique
The ways a story can be communicated or told:
 names (sometimes symbolic, e.g. Peitho
(persuasion) on Makron’s vase to emphasise
seduction)
 actions
 poses
 hand gestures

22. Narrative Technique – this vase
Overall
 all figures are named
 drapery flaring shows movement (particularly the
supporters walking away)
 hand gestures – such as pulling hair (suggest grief)
Side A
 Achilles raised arm shows he’s about to strike
 his raised heel suggests movement
 Eos pulling her hair suggesting she is in grief about
Memnon’s imminent death
Side B
 Apollo looks back at the defeated Hector as he walks
away (heel raised)