Death of Orpheus, Red-Figure Neck Amphora

Orpheus flees right, looking toward the woman chasing him. He holds his lyre in his left hand and reaches back, pleadingly, with his right. He is nude except for a himation around his shoulders. He has been stabbed through the right back/side by a staff or spit and is bleeding from the entrance and exit wounds. The woman holds a spear pulled back in her right hand; her left arm is raised with her mantle wrapped around it. A ladder-like design is painted on her right arm, neck, and feet.

Attic red-figure neck amphora depicting the killing of Orpheus by a Maenad/Thracian woman. Discovered in Capua, Italy.

Online Resources
British Museum 1873,0820.363
Subjects
Orpheus
Maenad
Thracian woman
License
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
Agent
The Oionokles Painter
Date
ca. 470 BCE
Culture
Greek
Medium
terracotta
Dimensions
h. 33.02 cm; diameter 19 cm
Inscription
Two inscriptions, one each above the Maenad and Orpheus, but both are nonsense.
Location
British Museum
Image Credit
© Trustees of the British Museum.

Death of Orpheus, Red-Figure Amphora

Orpheus (right) flees a Maenad (left). He turns back to look at the Maenad, raising his lyre with his left hand as if to swing it at the Maenad. He is nude except for a himation wrapped around his left shoulder and around his hips. The Maenad strides toward Orpheus, left foot forward. In her right hand she holds a sword, her left reaches forward as if to grab Orpheus. She wears a peplos and has several V-shaped designs painted on her bare arms. Her hair is loose and curly.

Attic red-figure amphora depicting a Maenad attacking Orpheus. Discovered in Nola, Italy. © GrandPalaisRmn (musée du Louvre) / Hervé Lewandowski.

Online Resources
Musée du Louvre MNB 1702
Subjects
Orpheus
Maenad
Type
Image
Agent
The Phiale Painter
Date
ca. 445/440 BCE
Culture
Greek
Medium
terracotta
Dimensions
h. 32.5 cm; w. 18 cm; diameter 17.4 cm
Location
Musée du Louvre
Image Credit
© GrandPalaisRmn, Musée du Louvre, Hervé Lewandowski

Orpheus and the Maenads Red-Figure Stamnos

Orpheus (center right) has fallen backward, his weight resting on his left hand. He raises his lyre with his right as if to defend himself. He is nude except for a wrapped around his left arm and shoulder and right hip. He looks up at a Maenad (center left) he is jabbing him in the chance with the end of a staff. She is holding Orpheus down by standing on his right thigh with her left foot. Flanking the pair on either side are two more Maenads raising rocks to throw at Orpheus.

Attic red-figure stamnos (two-handled jar) depicting Orpheus being attacked by Maenads. Discovered in central Italy. © 1994 GrandPalaisRmn (musée du Louvre) / Hervé Lewandowski

Online Resources
Musée du Louvre Cp 965
Subjects
Orpheus
Maenad
Type
Image
Agent
Hermonax
Date
ca. 470 BCE
Culture
Greek
Medium
terracotta
Dimensions
h. 31.2 cm; w. 32.7 cm; diameter 26.5 cm
Location
Musée du Louvre
Image Credit
© 1994 GrandPalaisRmn, Musée du Louvre, Hervé Lewandowski
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