Two-handled jar (amphora) with Dionysos in a vineyard

Dionysos appears here as the god of wine, associated not only with feasting and revelry but also with the cultivation of grapes, which ancient Greeks saw as a hallmark of civilization. The god sips from a high-handled cup, or kantharos, and sits surrounded by a vine and rustic baskets. He is not alone: the foliage is populated by twelve tiny satyrs, mythological goat-men who were lusty members of the god's traditional entourage. They frolic among ripe bunches of grapes that not only create an intricate decorative pattern but also evoke the sense of excitement surrounding the harvest. The diminutive size of the satyrs underscores the central importance of Dionysos, who was also the god of theater and was associated with rebirth.This amphora, a storage vessel that probably once held wine, is painted in the black-figure technique. The artist added white to Dionysos's garment and stool and dabs of red to highlight the grapes and the rims of the baskets, perhaps stained from the harvest. Although wine-making satyrs and the seated Dionysos were popular motifs in Greek vase painting, this particular composition combines them creatively-a sign of the artist's innovation. The expansive patterns created by the twisting vines, dancing satyrs, and ripe grapes push the picture all the way to its borders in the style of the famed Athenian black-figure painter Exekias. However, the thin rays at the bottom and certain other details differ from vases signed by the master, suggesting that the image may have been painted by a member of his workshop or an admirer of his style.