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Fragmentary water jar (hydria) with Herakles and Kerberos
Greek
Late Archaic Period
505–500 B.C.
Place of Manufacture: Greece, Attica, Athens
Medium/Technique
Ceramic, Red Figure
Dimensions
Length: 15 cm (5 7/8 in.); depth: 17.3 cm (6 13/16 in.)
Credit Line
Bartlett Collection—Museum purchase with funds from the Francis Bartlett Donation of 1900
Accession Number03.838
NOT ON VIEW
CollectionsAncient Greece and Rome
ClassificationsVessels
Catalogue Raisonné
Caskey-Beazley, Attic Vase Paintings (MFA), no. 122.
DescriptionSharply defined shoulder with double row of palmette and lotus. On body: Herakles, with Athena and Hermes, bringing the three-headed hell-hound Kerberos from Hades. As in most of his deeds, Herakles was assisted by Athena who stands at the left holding her helmet. At the right, with only his right hand and round sun-hat (petasos) remaining, is Hermes, who conducted the souls of the dead to the Underworld. For a number of reasons, fragments from the same vase often become separated and end up in different collections. The small fragment with a part of Cerberus's body entered the museum long after the larger one.
ProvenanceBy 1903: sold by Paul Hartwig (b. 1859 – d. 1919), Rome, to Edward Perry Warren (b. 1860 –d. 1928), London (according to Warren’s records, this was bought in Rome, from Hartwig); March 24, 1903, sold by Warren to the MFA.