Study this pot carefully. What is depicted on the pot?

Analyse the composition

of the scene. In your answer you should include reference to the way the
painter has organised the scene and the use of space and pattern. (10 marks)

The pot depicts Ajax and Achilles playing a board game with dice, using black
figure technique. The painter, Exekias, produced this amphora in the 2nd
quarter of the 6th century BC (between 540 - 530 BC).

The composition of the scene is organised in a symmetrical manner, with Ajax

and Achilles seated on opposite sides of the board game. The painter has used
a combination of geometric patterns and curvilinear lines to create a sense of
balance and harmony in the scene.

The use of space in the composition is also significant, with the foreground
dominated by the board game and the figures of Ajax and Achilles, while in the
background, we see the weapons that the two would use in battle. The shields
lay against a wall, and Exekias uses the edge of the pot to portray this. Ajax
and Achilles’ spears also overlap with the game board, crossing over its
surface. The painter has used a combination of overlapping figures and
different scales of representation to create a sense of depth and perspective in
the scene.

Overall, the composition of the pot is highly organised and balanced, with the
use of space and pattern contributing to the overall harmony of the scene.