Archaeological Museum of Bologna

This cup illustrates some of the enterprises carried out by the hero Theseus. In the central round, inside, Theseus fight with the Minotaur, an half man and half bull monster, the guardian of the Minos labyrinth in Crete.

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Depicted on the exterior are four of the hero’s other feats, skilfully arranged and alternated in order to create a balanced composition along the entire wall of the vase. The popularity of Theseus in red-figure pottery is directly tied to the political events of Athens, which promoted a uniquely Attic hero, the leading figure in a series of undertakings that were often used as a paradigm for the city’s role in the history of Greece.

Provenance: Probably from the Chiusi area. Palagi Collection
Datation: 480–475 BC, Kleophrades Painter
Material: clay
Dimensions: height cm 11,3; diam cm 27,4
Inventory #: G 818 (PU 270)