Hydria: Hephaestus’ Return to Mount Olympus

The three-handled water vessel (hydria) belongs to a small group of vases that rank among the most original forms of Greek ceramic art and thus have special significance. They are referred to as Caeretan hydriae, after the main site where they were found, the Etruscan city of Caere. The vases were created in the late 6th century BC in an Ionian eastern-Greek workshop that had moved to Etruria. The theme of Hephaestus’ return to Mount Olympus is depicted in a humorous and colourful painting style on the present hydria: Hephaestus is not portrayed as the bearded god of fire and metal-working but as a beardless youth on a mule. His crippled feet – the reason why Hera threw him from Olympus after his birth – are clearly visible. Hephaestus enters the heaven of the gods accompanied by Dionysus and his boisterous entourage, a Maenad with a large snake and a flute-playing Satyr. Dionysus is clad in a white chiton and red mantle,with a panther skin thrown across his shoulders; he holds a kantharos and a panther in his hands. Other creatures from the entourage of the wine-god, which are depicted on the back of the vessel, seem too busy to join the procession: in the orgiastic bustle, Maenads are raped by lecherous Satyrs. The foot, top and bottom of the belly, the base of the handles as well as the shoulder and mouth of the vessel are decorated with abstract ornaments (tongue shapes, lotus-flowers,palmettes). © Kurt Gschwantler, Alfred Bernhard-Walcher, Manuela Laubenberger, Georg Plattner, Karoline Zhuber-Okrog, Masterpieces in the Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities. A Brief Guide to the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna 2011