515–510 BC
(Greek, Attic)
Ceramic
Overall: 39.8 cm (15 11/16 in.); Diameter: 29 cm (11 7/16 in.)
Andrew R. and Martha Holden Jennings Fund 1970.16
After Herakles strangled the Nemean lion, he wore its pelt as a protective trophy.
The neck-amphora, one of the most popular vase shapes in Archaic Athens, provided painters with ample space for both figural and ornamental decoration. Herakles, the greatest of Greek heroes, performs his most famous deed on the obverse, wrestling the Nemean lion. His patron goddess Athena, together with his nephew Iolaos, holding the hero’s club, stand by. On the other side is an unrelated scene, showing the wine god Dionysos with dancing maenads and satyrs. Abundant ornament covers other areas: stylized lotus blossom and palmette chains on the neck; intricately linked palmettes and lotuses beneath each handle; and a key pattern, linked lotus buds, and rays on the lower body.
The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@clevelandart.org.
To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.
All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, a detail image, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.