History of Ancient Pottery: Greek, Etruscan, and Roman. Volume 2 (of 2)Walters, H. B. (Henry Beauchamp)
History
History of Ancient Pottery: Greek, Etruscan, and Roman. Volume 2 (of 2)
Walters, H. B. (Henry Beauchamp)
Mythology, Classical, in art; Pottery, Ancient; Pottery, Etruscan; Pottery, Greek; Pottery, Roman
The next event is the =Judgment of Paris=, perhaps of all the scenes
from the story of the Trojan War the most popular with the
vase-painters of all periods. The story of the forsaken Oenone, in the
telling of which Tennyson has familiarised us with the scene of the
Judgment, did not appeal to the unromantic Greeks in the same way. We
only find one vase on which she is possibly represented.[1352]
Curiously enough, the vase-paintings seldom show the central act of the
story—the award of the golden apple. In fact, in the earlier examples
Paris is omitted altogether, and we only see the three goddesses led in
procession by Hermes. One vase, again, represents the preparations of
the goddesses for the trial, Athena washing at a fountain and Aphrodite
performing her toilet with the assistance of Eros.[1353] The rest may
be classified as follows (the order adopted showing a rough
chronological development of the type[1354]):
[Illustration:
From _Wiener Vorlegeblätter_
FIG. 129. THE JUDGMENT OF PARIS (CUP BY HIERON IN BERLIN).
]
(1) Hermes leads the three goddesses, Athena alone being
characterised; Paris absent. Only on B.F. vases.[1355]
(2) Procession-type preserved, but Paris is present, standing. Type
modified on R.F. vases.[1356]
(3) Procession-type; Paris seated; landscape introduced (see Fig.
129).[1357]
(4) Procession-type abandoned; goddesses picturesquely grouped,
with attendant figures. Only on R.F. and later vases.[1358] In
one instance two stages seem to be represented: first, the
goddesses grouped for the Judgment, accompanied by Apollo,
Helios, and Selene; secondly, the victorious Aphrodite crowned by
Eros.[1359]
Parodied renderings of the subject also occur.[1360]
The reward of Paris for his judgment was, as we know, “the fairest wife
in Greece.” Accordingly we next find him arrived at Sparta and carrying
off the fair Helen as his bride. The vases (all of the R.F. and late
periods) depict him on his arrival at Menelaos’ palace introduced to
Helen,[1361] or else we see Helen at her toilet making preparations for
her new consort[1362]; next, Paris leads away Helen or carries her off
in his chariot,[1363] and finally introduces her to his father Priam on
his return home.[1364]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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