V3 - Athletes at the Gymnasium

The gymnasiums of ancient Greece were places that athletes, as well as young men in general, came for exercise and training. Older men would attend to watch the practice games and partake of the baths and massages. This magnificent olpe style vase depicts the six male figures involved in gymnasium activities. From the far right, a kneeling slave helps an athlete stretch flex. Next, an athlete is pouring oil on himself in preparation for perhaps a wrestling match, while another man holds his robe for him. The third grouping, on the far right, shows a young man holding a discus, while his trainer advises. This vase is done in red-figure style, which allows for detail like robe folds, musculature and more refined facial features to be lined in in black, on top of the red. The beauty of this vase lies in its simple, balanced movement from left to right, almost like a moving camera rolling down the corridor at the gym. Each pair of men is facing each other, and balance each other in a rectangle by the placement of arms, elbows, feet.

Athletes at the Gymnasium 450 bc 11" Tall - Item #V83


The gymnasiums of ancient Greece were places that athletes, as well as young men in general, came for exercise and training. Older men would attend to watch the practice games and partake of the baths and massages. This magnificent olpe style vase depicts the six male figures involved in gymnasium activities. From the far right, a kneeling slave helps an athlete stretch flex. Next, an athlete is pouring oil on himself in preparation for perhaps a wrestling match, while another man holds his robe for him. The third grouping, on the far right, shows a young man holding a discus, while his trainer advises. This vase is done in red-figure style, which allows for detail like robe folds, musculature and more refined facial features to be lined in in black, on top of the red. The beauty of this vase lies in its simple, balanced movement from left to right, almost like a moving camera rolling down the corridor at the gym. Each pair of men is facing each other, and balance each other in a rectangle by the placement of arms, elbows, feet.