An artwork on Galleree from Cleveland Museum of Art.
About the artwork
Black-Figure Dinos (Mixing Vessel): Warships (Int.); Heroic Scenes (Top)c. 520–515 BCE
Antimenes Painter
Designed for use at a symposium, or drinking party, this large <em>dinos</em> has a wide mouth allowing easy access to its contents—wine mixed with water (and sometimes other ingredients for flavoring). While drinking, symposiasts would often recite poetry and celebrate the mythological exploits of gods and heroes, perhaps prompted by the images painted on their pottery. Here, the vase-painter clearly anticipated such use; when the vessel was full, the ships painted on the inside of the rim would appear to sail across the “wine-dark sea” (to borrow a phrase found frequently in Homer’s <em>Iliad </em>and <em>Odyssey</em>)<em>.</em> Other heroic scenes, including Herakles wrestling the Nemean lion and Theseus battling the Minotaur, appear on top of the rim, interspersed with chariots and anonymous combats.
Unable to stand on its own, this round-bottomed vessel probably once had a separately made base.
ceramic
Diameter: 50.8 cm (20 in.); Overall: 33.6 cm (13 1/4 in.); Diameter of rim: 34 cm (13 3/8 in.)
John L. Severance Fund
In the dim glow of the symposium chamber, a large vessel sat at the center, waiting in anticipation. This magnificent piece was no ordinary container; it was a **dinos**, crafted deliberately for gatherings where laughter intertwined with the rich aroma of wines mixed with water, and perhaps sprinkled with hints of other flavors. Its wide mouth invited all to partake, making it easy for guests to draw forth their libations.
As night fell, the atmosphere transformed. The symposiasts, a blend of philosophers, poets, and dreamers, encircled the **dinos**, each cup raised high in a toast to the divine. Their voices, rich and resonant, began to weave tales of gods and heroes from the vibrant tapestry captured on the vessel's surface. In this moment, art transcended its physical form, sparking conversations that danced through the air like flickering candlelight.
The vase-painter, a visionary of his craft, had imagined this very scene. When the **dinos** brimmed with wine, the painted ships around the rim seemed to awaken and sail forth across the so-called “wine-dark sea.” The phrase echoed from the ancient verses of Homer—the maritime horizons now vivid in the viewers’ minds as they drank deeply and spoke passionately.
Above, lying in spirited embrace with the swirling wines was a tableau of heroism. Each heroic deed etched into the rim told a story: Herakles, muscles taut, grappling with the fierce Nemean lion, and Theseus, fierce determination shining through, boldly confronting the monstrous Minotaur amidst the shadows. Chariots thundered by, anonymous struggles filled with courage and valor intertwined with the revelry.
Within this space, each sip and verse crafted an intangible connection to the past. The stories spun in twilight echoed the whispers of ancient myths, reminding each soul present that they were part of a lineage stretching back to the very roots of civilization. Each hero, each legend, and each painted stroke on the **dinos** propelled their hearts, igniting the stories they shared, rippling like the soft currents of the sea.
In those moments, as laughter intertwined and poetry painted the air, the **dinos** held far more than wine; it cradled the tales of humanity—our joys, struggles, and triumphant spirit—all waiting to be savored, like the delicious drink filling its ample depths.
About the artist
Creating transformative experiences through art “for the benefit of all the people forever.”The Cleveland Museum of Art is renowned for the quality and breadth of its collection, which includes more than 66,500 artworks and spans 6,000 years of achievement in the arts. The artworks shared on this platform are sourced from the museum's Open Access data under the CC0 license. No endorsement is implied.Address: 11150 East Boulevard, Cleveland, OH, USA 44106
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