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Various Properties
Lot 47

An Attic red-figure kyathos

1 December 2020, 11:00 GMT
London, New Bond Street

Sold for £3,570 inc. premium

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An Attic red-figure kyathos
Circa 525-475 B.C.
Depicting Heracles stealing the tripod of Delphi, the hero in the centre, running to the right, his club raised above his head, looking back over his shoulder at three gods giving chase, Apollo with his lyre, Artemis with her quiver, and Poseidon with his trident, a chiton-clad woman and draped man standing ahead of the hero, trying to block his path, a pointed knop surmounting the high arched handle, 15.5cm high

Footnotes

Provenance:
with Galerie Arete, Zurich, 1981 (liste 20, no. 28).
Private collection, London, acquired from the above 24 November 1981.
Beazley Archive no. 13550.

The struggle for the Delphic tripod was the result of Herakles' anger at the failure of the Pythian priestess to answer his question regarding an illness he was suffering. Enraged, the hero set about destroying the temple, and decided to steal the tripod and establish an oracle of his own. Apollo, infuriated by this grave offence to his sacred site and flanked by Artemis and Poseidon, pursued Herakles and, after a tussle in which Zeus was forced to intervene, restored the tripod to its rightful home.

Additional information

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