Skythes

Skythes ( Σκύθες, the Scythian ) was an Attic red-figure vase - painters, whose work time is dated to the period 520-505 BC.

Skythes regarded in modern research as a kind of a loner because his work is difficult to classify in the workshops and artist groups. He has signed on four bowls. About twenty more and two Dinos stand assigned to them due to stylistic analysis. His early works are developed only after the invention of red-figure vase painting. On three bilinguals works, he also shows his skills even in the old black-figure style. He shows unusually red-figure and black-figure insides on the outside images on coral base. Both in the intra-picture and on both sides of the outside image it currently a single figure. Of these three shells are preserved. He belongs to a first generation of vase painters who specializes in shells.

In his figure drawings he exaggerated, the person is ugly or brutal and are thereby probably deliberately contrary to the Greek standard as a comedian, even as a satirist. Especially his faces can detect a failed humor. Perhaps it indicates that, as already suggested by its name, as a non- Athenian, though he skillfully mastered the artistic repertoire of the polis. If he was not a barbarian, Scythian, his nickname indicates probably a certain extravagance or individuality. On the Acropolis, there were two blackfigure painted panels that have been signed by a Skythes, of which it is assumed that they, too, come from the vase painters.

On his vases he sometimes praises the Kalos name Epilykos. Also the Pedieus painter uses this name, which is why some researchers believe he is a late Skythes. Even on a vase of Phintias that Epilykos is just shown as an athlete. Some of the vases were sometimes mistakenly assigned Epilykos as a painter. After this Kalos name Skythes belongs to Epilykos class.