This 540 – 530 BC Greek drinking cup caught my eye whilst visiting the Etruscan Museum in Munich this year. Several things held my attention, the colours, the incredible proportions and craft but especially the relaxed manner in which the main character sits within the boat. He is thought to be Dionysus and the cup is named after him. The key elements of the boat include;
- A stylized animal head at the prow of the boat.
- A white sail
- A vine entwining itself through the mast and at one point growing from it.
- The rudder system at the stern for steering
- The railings which run around the whole boat
This is without doubt a beautiful ceramic object when seen in the round. It’s a highly studied piece in terms of symbolic meaning and craft importance but the idea that a boat – a one manned craft – can be contemplative space gives another dimension to the sailing boat project. Up to now I have seen the project as the analysis of a making project, could it be that I will need to sail the boat when its finished?