Black-Figure Type B Skyphos – Odysseus and Circe
A black-figure Type B skyphos inspired by a Boeotian-Kabirian skyphos in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, dating to the early 4th century BC.
The scene offers a humorous local version of the famous episode from Book X of the Odyssey: Odysseus, protected by the magical herb moly given to him by Hermes, resists Circe’s potion and draws his sword against the sorceress. Rather than presenting the myth in heroic grandeur, Kabirian pottery reimagines it through parody, with exaggerated figures, lively gestures, and a deliberately comic tone.
This reproduction follows the spirit of Kabirian vase-painting, where mythological subjects were often transformed into playful, theatrical scenes. Odysseus appears not as an idealized hero, but as a small, determined figure confronting the powerful enchantress Circe, who offers the potion meant to turn men into animals.
A distinctive piece that reflects the witty and unconventional character of Boeotian Kabirian ware, where epic myth meets visual comedy.
Dimensions H: 8.5cm, Rim D: 9cm, Max L: 15cm