Second Draw Down

Welcome everyone to Tuesday 28th of November 2008.

You know what I can’t believe… the fact that we are in the middle of our second to last FULL week of school. WHAT?! How did that happen??? It was holidays and then all of a sudden !BANG! It’s almost all over.

You know what else is almost here? NCEA exams. I must say that I’ve started studying MUCH earlier this year than previous years. Here is what I have learnt about Classics Vase Painting:

Euphronios painted Calyx Krater which depicts the victory of Herakles over the giant Antaios (side A) in Red-Figure circa 510-500 BCE. The height is 46cm and Calyx Kraters were used in ancient times for mixing wine and water. It is used in modern times to fill mueseums.
General Description: Side A- Shows Herakles defeating Antaios (Libyan giant who was son of Gaia, the earth, from who he got all of his strength. In order to be killed he had to be lifted off the ground and killed in mid-air. This depiction is different from the traditional one.) in a wrestling match.
On the far left of the vase sit Herakle’s trademark lion skin and club. Then there is a supporter of Herakles, she has her hair tied neatly in a sakkos (hair net) and she points to the middle of the scene where Herakles and Antaios fight. Herakles has neat hair and plucked eyebrows this contrasts with Antaios barbaric looking facial hair. Major muscles of both Herakles and Antaios have been outlined using black slip with the subcanteous muscles being outlined using dilute slip. Herakles’ thigh and calve muscles are clenched to show that he is using lots of his strength and the bulging muscles of Antaios show that he is very strong therefore Herakles must be stronger to defeat him. Antaios’ right leg shows foreshortening. We know he is losing because his eyes are upturned, his mouth is open in agony (last breath) and his right arm lies limp on the ground. To add to this Antaios’ supporters who stand behind him are tearing out their hair in greif at his imminent death. Their clothing zigzags to give the illusion of movement and they look much less tidy than Herakles’ supporter, once again adding to the uncivilised nature of the opponents. This is how the Greeks saw themselves (Herakles) and their enemies (Antaios).
The composition fits a ‘w’ shape with the women on either side sloping out, which compliments the shape of the vase, and their arms pointing in to focus attention to the centre. This shows great skill in the composition.

Ok, I have biology stuff I need to do now! BIOZONE, HERE I COME!!!