Greek Myth and Vase Painting

4.0 credits · Undergraduate

This course offers an introduction to Greek mythology and its representation in Greek art, specifically vase-painting. It covers material from the late Geometric (8th c. BCE) to the Classical period (4th c. BCE) and beyond. We will examine how Greek myths were adapted and transformed across different contexts, and the ways in which textual and visual representations of myth diverged. Along with a focus on stories, styles, and iconographies, the class will explore issues surrounding Greek vase-painting and the material and techniques of production. Alternating between a chronological investigation and mythological subject matter, the lectures will explore representations of Greek athletics, rituals, the prevalent symposiastic culture, women, and death in light of socio-historical, cultural, and political contexts. Students will also be introduced to overarching themes: dynamics of trade, theories of viewership, pictorial narrative, status of the artist, gender, and historiographical concerns of connoisseurship and collecting.