Terracotta neck-amphora (jar)
Obverse, Poseidon fighting giant
Reverse, Judgement of Paris
The gods of Mount Olympos had to overcome several threats before their primacy was established. One was a great conflict with the giants. Here Poseidon, the god of the sea, overcomes Polybotes with a boulder that is, in fact, a piece of the island of Kos that he has broken off. The Judgement of Paris involved a potential threat as well, because it began a chain of events that led to the Trojan War. The sea nymph Thetis was fated to bear a son who would be greater than his father; she was therefore married to the mortal Peleus to whom she bore Achilles.
Reverse, Judgement of Paris
The gods of Mount Olympos had to overcome several threats before their primacy was established. One was a great conflict with the giants. Here Poseidon, the god of the sea, overcomes Polybotes with a boulder that is, in fact, a piece of the island of Kos that he has broken off. The Judgement of Paris involved a potential threat as well, because it began a chain of events that led to the Trojan War. The sea nymph Thetis was fated to bear a son who would be greater than his father; she was therefore married to the mortal Peleus to whom she bore Achilles.
Artwork Details
- Title: Terracotta neck-amphora (jar)
- Artist: Attributed to the Swing Painter
- Period: Archaic
- Date: ca. 540–530 BCE
- Culture: Greek, Attic
- Medium: Terracotta; black-figure
- Dimensions: H. 14 3/4 in. (37.5 cm)
- Classification: Vases
- Credit Line: Gift of F. W. Rhinelander, 1898
- Object Number: 98.8.11
- Curatorial Department: Greek and Roman Art
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Swing Painter
ca. 540–530 BCE
Swing Painter
ca. 540–530 BCE
Princeton Group
ca. 540–530 BCE
Exekias
ca. 540 BCE
New York Nessos Painter
second quarter of the 7th century BCE
Related Content
Publications
Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.