The Getty cup: Embassy to Achilles

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to examine a fragmentary red-figured wine cup at the Getty Villa in Malibu, signed by Douris as painter and Kleophrades as potter. The tondo scene portrays the mission of Odysseus to Achilles's tent after Briseis, who was given to Achilles as a war prize by his soldiers, was taken from him by Agamemnon. The two exterior scenes depict Herakles competing with the sons of Eurytos in an archery contest and an everyday scene of athletic training. How was the embassy to Achilles represented in ancient Greek vases by other contemporary Greek vase painters will be discussed. Furthermore, why was this a popular subject with Athenian red-figure vase painters in the early fifth-century BC.