A pelike was a ceramic container that the Greeks used as storage/transportation for wine and olive oil. As seen in the picture on the right, it had a large belly with thin, open handles. Unlike other transportation jars (like the amphora), a pelike would have a flattened bottom so that it could stand on its own. Pelikes often had one large scene across the belly of the jar with minimal distractions around. This would focus the viewers eyes to the center of the pelike which was often a mythological scene of sorts.[1]
This red-figure pelike was created by the Lykaon Painter in the classical period (440 B.C.). During the classical period there were two major shifts in painting, both to do with representation of space. The first change was creating a "foreground" and "background." In order to do this the figures in the higher section were the background while the figures in the lower section were the foreground. The pioneer of this change was Polygnotos of Thasos. The pelike with Odysseus and Elpenor in the Underworld is a great example of this first change. The second change was creating more backdrops for certain literary scenes.[2]
The Lykaon Painter was well known for his unique style and his depiction of mythological scenes. This jar was one of the "earliest and by far most impressive representation in ancient art of a famous passage in the Odyssey."[3]
There were many features used by the Lyakon Painter to depict the mythological scene on this pelike.
The Lykaon Painter did a fantastic job in characterizing each individual person. Instead of making them generic people and only recognizable through objects, he made them distinct characters. The viewer can see how young Elpenor was when he died. He has no beard and his hair is cut short. On the other hand, Odysseus has a full head of hair and a thick beard. He appears to be still, but the viewer can get a sense of the fighter in him since his foot is tip-toed and ready to spring into action. The hat he wears gives a sense of time. It is different from a helmet used in war, which suggests he is returning home. Hermes facial expression is very neutral which gives a sense of wisdom. Similarly to Odysseus, he looks very still, as his feet are planted on the ground, but his knees are bent which indicates he could jump up to help the two mortals. Normally if there is a God present in a painting, they are the center of attention. In this pelike, the positioning of the people allows for Odysseus to be the center of attention.
The story depicted on this jar is from a scene in the Odyssey. Odysseus was traveling to the Underworld to speak to a prophet when he ran into his deceased companion, Elpenor. Elpenor was the youngest member of Odysseus' crew. One night on Circe Island, Elpenor drank too much and tried to fall asleep on the roof; however, he fell off in his sleep and died. His death went unnoticed, so he was not given a proper burial and given those rights. Since he died without the proper burial, he is stuck in his journey through the Underworld. This mythological scene is when Odysseus runs into him and Elpenor begs him to give him a proper burial. Odysseus decides to sacrifice two lambs in order for Elpenor to continue through the Underworld. Hermes stands behind Odysseus as he is a guide for lost souls in the Underworld.[4]