Polyphemos Painter

The Polyphemus Painter was a mittelprotoattischer vase painter who worked in Athens or on Aegina. He is considered one of the innovators in the Attic art and has introduced several mythological themes in the Attic art. The artist's works are dated to the period 670-650 BC. Probably he was not only vase painter, but also of the painted pottery vessels from him.

The Polyphemus Painter was probably a pupil of the painter Mesogeia. He received his Notnamen for a picture on a neck-amphora, which was found at Eleusis and had served as Grabvase a child. The neck showing the blinding of Polyphemus, and the belly -portrait with Perseus and the Gorgon among the first interpretable representations of Greek mythology on vase paintings. In the Berlin Collection of Classical Antiquities were two stands, which were decorated by the Polyphemus Painter, one of which was lost with the inventory number A42, in the Second World War. While were shown on both a similar procession of men with spears, one of the characters of the name Menelaus ( Menelaos ) was added inscribed on the lost stator, this is the first known inscription in Attic art. It is written in the Doric dialect, which was atypical of Attica, but was spoken to Aegina. Since all the characters are wearing identical clothing, maybe it is in the group of men around a choir. It has therefore been proposed to understand the inscription as a singing of the choir, as for choir chants the Doric dialect was used. This interpretation was taken up by some researchers, but rejected by others and must be regarded as uncertain.