PVS - mock

Question 1

What is the origin date of the Pentheus Cup

Answer 1

480BC

Question 2

What is the origin date of the Maenad Vase

Answer 2

430-420BC

Question 3

Where was the Pentheus Cup made

Answer 3

Athens

Question 4

Where was the Maenad Vase made

Answer 4

Athens

Question 5

What does the Pentheus Cup tell us

Answer 5

• depicts the moment where Pentheus is torn apart by his mother & aunt
• a satyr overseas events, reminding us this is all under Dionysus’ watch

Question 6

What is the Pentheus Cup useful for

Answer 6

• dismembered in grisly detail
• the vase predates the Bacchae by 75 years, so reminds us Euripides was only one among various artists to be inspired by this myth

Question 7

What are the limitations of the Pentheus Cup

Answer 7

came 75 years before the Bacchae

Question 8

What does the Maenad Vase tell us

Answer 8

• a portrayal of a Dionysiac ritual
• women dance around a statue of Dionysus
• some maenads carry a thyrsus, another a tambourine,& another ladles wine from a drinking vessel & are sat behind a table holding 2 large stamnoi

Question 9

Why is the Maenad Vase useful as evidence

Answer 9

• shows the possible variations in worship & assembly of rituals
• drinking vessel reminds us that Dionysus’ function as god of wine is central to his rituals

Question 10

What are the limitations of the Maenad Vase

Answer 10

• drinking parties play little role in the Bacchism described in Thebes (not representative)
• not a real image, likely an artistic depiction of a festival
• does not depict other forms of Bacchic worship such a dance/art

Question 11

What is the origin date of the Medea’s escape vase

Answer 11

400BC

Question 12

What is the origin date of the Choregos vase

Answer 12

• 400-380BC

Question 13

What is the origin date of the Cheiron vase

Answer 13

• 380BC

Question 14

Where was the Medea’s Escape Vase made

Answer 14

Magna Graecia - Southern Italy

Question 15

Where was the Choregos Vase made

Answer 15

Magna Graecia - Southern Italy

Question 16

Where was the Cheiron Vase made

Answer 16

• Puliga, Italy

Question 17

What does Medea’s escape vase tells us

Answer 17

• focus is on Medea, who flies above the human scene on a chariot drawn by dragons, which is circled by a figure of the sun (final scene)
• 2 hideous winged figures (furies maybe) look down on the scene, where the murdered sons are slumped on what seems to be the wheel platform decked out to be an altar
• far right - tutor & nurse, identifiable as an old woman by her white hair, mourn

Question 18

Why is Medea’s escape vase useful as evidence

Answer 18

• Made in Southern Italy displaying the spread of Athenian culture
• Intensity of the scene by having Jason & Medea locks eyes with one another, depicting hatred & an intense form of emotion
• Stage craft - suggests that the mechane (crane) & tombs of the boys uses the eccyclema
• Structure is a krater, utilized for mixing wine & water, unmixed wine is a halfway to madness

Question 19

What are the limitations of Medea’s Escape Vase
-Differs from the play

Answer 19

• there are no furies or dragons in the play,
• also Medea takes her sons with her so she can deprive Jason of the chance to bury them, so not factually accurate

Question 20

What does the Choregos vase tell us

Answer 20

• the scene is of a comedy, depiction of a comedic competition between Aegisthus & Pyrrhus
• 4 figures on a low stage
• Aegisthus is depicted, a major character in the myth of Clytemnestra & Agamemnon
• 3 other figures wearing grotesque masks
• 1 member of choregos clearly much older

Question 21

What makes the Choregos Vase useful as evidence
-chorus & choregos

Answer 21

• suggests the choregos would be apart of the chorus,
• which was perhaps divided into 2,
• with older semi-chorus supporting tragedy, & young semi-chorus supporting comedy

Question 22

What are the limitations of the Choregos Vase

Answer 22

• uncertain what is happening in this scene
• the divided chorus only holds weight as evidence is the painter has used artistic license to place the 2 chorus members on stage
• 2 chorus members on stage is unconventional

Question 23

What does the Cheiron Vase tell us

Answer 23

• Parody of the myth of the Centaur Cheiron, who has been hurt by Heracles, who is then hurt by Apollo
• Xanthias is at the top of the stage, & he helps Cheiron, wise teacher & healer
• behind him is an actor playing the rear of a centaur
• to the right of him is a young man, maybe Achilles, who was tutored by Cheiron

Question 24

What makes the Cheiron Vase useful as evidence
-nymphs

Answer 24

• the presence of the nympths perhaps reflects that Cheiron bathed in a stream sacred to a group of Nympths after his wounding

Question 25

What are the limitations of the Cheiron Vase

Answer 25

• unknown comedy - artist interpretation of different characters you may meet in Greek theatre

Question 26

What are the limitations of Medea’s Escape Vase

Answer 26

• It is unclear if it is on top of a stage
• Jason is on the left bare chested like a hero, in contrast to the conventions of Tragic costume
• Medea was performed in 431BC, a few decades prior

Question 27

What are the limitations of Medea’s Escape Vase
-explanations for 4 actors on stage

Answer 27

• we can speculate for the reasons for these differences:
• either the artist’s own developed interpretation of Euripides’ play,
• or perhaps he knew a different version of the myth or play,
• which reminds us that we should not assume parallel scenes of the Athenian stage are not a truly accurate representation, as it usually offers a more enriching description, for clientele

Question 28

What makes the Choregos Vase useful as evidence
-costume

Answer 28

• depiction of a tragic actor with ornate or stylized clothing
• good representation of Tragedy regardless of interpretation: allows for a direct comparison between the costumes of tragic & comic actors

Question 29

What does the Cheiron Vase tell us
-less significant features

Answer 29

• On the left is a theatre set up, steps to a stage, representing the entrance to the temple of Apollo at Delphi
• top right, a separate scene shows 2 nymphs conversing

Question 30

What makes the Cheiron Vase useful as evidence
-comedy

Answer 30

• it illustrates the role that slapstick played -in the myth, Cheiron was terribly wounded by the arrows of Heracles & this is perhaps a feature of the plot in the play

Question 31

What makes the Cheiron Vase useful as evidence
-costume

Answer 31

• pot clearly depicts comedy through costume → Xanthias wears a clealy visible phallus & heavily padded midruff
• his mask is indicated by the snub nose & large mouth, suggesting the importance of expressions on masks
• Cheiron’s costume & mask is similar but with different features, white hair & closed eyes (blindness)

Question 32

When was the Pronomos Vase made

Answer 32

400 BC

Question 33

When was the Tragic Actors dressing made

Answer 33

450 BC

Question 34

Where was the Pronomos Vase made

Answer 34

Athens

Question 35

Where was the tragic actors dressing made

Answer 35

Athens

Question 36

What does the pronomos vase tell us

Answer 36

• Shows a depiction of actors preparing for a satyr-play
• There is an aulus player in the centre of the scene

Question 37

What does the tragic actors dressing tell us

Answer 37

• You can see two tragic actors or chorus members who are getting into costume, including his masks which is indicated by the gasping mouth
• The actor on the right puts on his high boots, while his life-like mask lies on the floor beside him

Question 38

Why is the Pronomos Vase useful

Answer 38

• Shows chorus members offstage but still in costume
• Shows the masks
• Many of the actors have their real life names inscribed beside them
• Shows how there were females in roles in the play (but men in masks)
• Picture of Dionysus – shows how gods were in the play

Question 39

What are the limitations of the tragic actors dressing

Answer 39

• Only shows two actors/chorus members

Question 40

What are the limitations of the Pronomos Vase

Answer 40

• Only a vase – does not show very much colour (not as much as there would have been)

Question 41

Why is the tragic actors dressing useful

Answer 41

• The boots of tragic actors had thin soles and turned up toes that allowed them to move around easily
• Show what happened backstage