T35.6 KIRKE & ODYSSEUS

Museum Collection: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Catalogue Number: Boston 99.518
Beazley Archive Number: 302569
Ware: Attic Black Figure
Shape: Kylix
Painter: Name vase of the Painter of the Boston Polyphemos
Date: ca 560 - 550 BC
Period: Archaic

SUMMARY

Side A: The witch Kirke turns Odysseus' men into beasts. They are shown partially transformed, with heads, forelegs and tails of animals: two are boars, one is a ram, another a dog and a lion. The witch herself stands stirring her potion with a wand with a dog at her feet. Eurylokhos, on the far right, flees to report the happening to Odysseus. In an overlapping story scene, Odysseus then approaches Kirke with sword drawn from the left.
Side B: Odysseus & the Kyklops Polyphemos (section damaged, not shown here)

NOTEThis image is a montage of a number of photos of the vase.

ARTICLESKirke