National Museum: Funny Ceramics

This post will be a hopefully welcome relief from the dead serious posts of last time, at least partly. Some things the ancient Greeks did would be ridiculous or scorned today. For example, Old Comedy had leather penises as props for the theatre, and public religious processions were made with similar objects. Still, some modern art espouses again a more liberal approach to sexuality and other topics, such as a museum I saw in Strasbourg (trailer for my last blog). Also, modern theatre has broken with many traditions and has seen its fair share of scandals. So what are the origins I am talking about?

This vase shows a lusty satyr chasing an obviously displeased woman (look at the brows on her face!) ... a first instance of "rape culture"? You can also see a dog barking after them in the background .

Here you can see a very early work from the Geometrical Period: Warriors on their chariots getting ready for battle. The shapes are comparatively simple ... can they be linked to modern abstract art in a circular fashion?

This fragmented vase from the Classical Period shows Hercules and his friend Iolaos fighting the sea snake Hydra, cutting off her heads one by one.

Oh, again we see satyrs approaching an unsettled woman on this red-figure vase ... this time, it's two of them! The motive seems to be recurring.

This last vase shows a man laying there, preparing to eat an animal that looks like a rabbit that has been given to him by the woman standing behind him while a winged messenger (of pleasure?) approaches him. Around him, there are several decorative motives that look like penises, but they could also be a kind of flower or leaf ... who knows? Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder! ;)

One more post from the museum will follow, more serious next time!

Photo gallery