P28.3 PERSEUS & THE KETOS

Museum Collection: The J Paul Getty Museum, Malibu, California, USA
Catalogue No.: Malibu 84.AE.996
Beazley Archive No.: N/A
Ware: Apulian Red Figure
Shape: Amphora, Barrel-bodied
Painter: Attr. to the Metope Group
Date: ca 325 BC
Period: Late Classical / Early Hellenic

SUMMARY

King Kepheus stands beside his daughter Andromeda who is chained to the rocks as a sacrifice to the sea-monster. Perseus (below) battles the creature. The hero is armed with a harpe (sickle shaped short sword) and wears the winged helm and boots of Hermes. The ketos is here depicted as a dragon-like beast with serpentine fish-tale, crocodilian snout, horns and a webbed mane. The winged god of love Eros is seated on its back.

ARTICLESPerseus, Ketos Aithiopios, Eros