T40.8 THE PURIFICATION OF ORESTES
| Museum Collection | Museum of Fine Arts, Boston |
|---|---|
| Catalogue No. | Boston 1976.144 |
| Beazley Archive No. | N/A |
| Ware | Apulian Red Figure |
| Shape | Krater, Bell |
| Painter | Close to the Judgement Painter |
| Date | ca. 370 - 360 B.C. |
| Period | Late Classical |
DESCRIPTION
Orestes is purified of the crime of matricide at the shrine of Delphi. The hero seeks sanctuary at the holy omphalos stone which sits on a pedestal beneath the skull of an ox. He is flanked by the gods Athena and Apollo. Athena wears a crested helm and aegis cloak, and holds a spear in her hand. Apollo is crowned with laurel and holds a pair of arrows in one hand and a laurel-branch in the other. The Erinyes (Furies) of Clytemnestra recline in restful slumber, stilled by the ritual of the god. They are dressed as huntresses with knee-length skirts, boots and hunting spears.