BacchanliaANCIENT_AmasisPainter

Amasis Painter, Athenian black-figure neck amphora, depicting on "Side B" Dionysos and two maenads, one offering a hare to the god, ca. 540 B.C., Attic (Athens); Paris, Louvre, Cabinet des Médailles, De Ridder 222 (=Luynes 678), Beazley, ABV1 152.25, 687, Paralipomena 63, Addenda (2) 43; CVA France 7, III H e, pl. 36, 1-7 & pl. 7; CAVI 6090.

This fine black-figure ceramic vessel depicts rather standard iconography of bacchanalia: revelers honor the wine-god with an offering of a woodland creature, which he welcomes. The god seems to be bestowing a vessel of wine in return for the offering. The maenads are clothed in raiment of animal skins, entwining their arms round each other in dance; each maenad holds an ivy frond that spins with their dance. The Greek caption written above the figures says "Dionysos: Amasis painted me. (ΔΙΟΝΥΣΟΣ ΑΜΑΣΙΣ Μ’ ΕΠΟΙΕΣΕΝ)".