Design (6) – Abduction in Bronze

This large bronze vessel (Met) is thought to date back to the fourth century BCE, and it shows how, by the time of Aristotle and Alexander, the Greeks had developed a quite distinct style in depicting the human body. The scene is thought to depict the abduction of Ariadne by Dionysos, but what strikes me is the detailed quality of the decoration, which is not something you encounter in earlier periods. While the body of this hydria was hammered to shape, the decorations were made in molds and then fixed to the vessel. You can read more about how these vessels were made here.

Miko Flohr, 20/12/2018