From Aphrodite to Eros

Several Greek vases which form part of the National Museum of Archaeology’s reserve collection will be on display at the museum, in this espresso exhibition titled From Aphrodite to Eros: Mythology on the Greek Vases in the National Collection which will be running from 27th May until the 21st of September.

Although there are some records of donations of vases by private individuals to the National Museum, further investigations need to be carried out to ascertain the provenance of the Greek vases that are being exhibited. What is known for a fact is that when Ġan Franġisk Abela bequeathed his collection to the Jesuits in 1637, he mentioned, amongst other items, four clay vases painted in red and black.

Later, Jean Houël documented some of these Greek vases in his illustrated book Voyage pittoresque des isles de Sicile, de Malte et de Lipari, published in 1782. Antonio Annetto Caruana also documented these vases in the 1882 Report on Phoenician and Roman Antiquities in the Group of the Islands of Malta.

The aesthetic significance of the vases is in their artistic value. As the exhibition title implies, Greek mythology was frequently depicted on these vases, which descended from generation to generation together with the Greek mythology narrative. Aphrodite and Eros were two of the most preferred subjects to be depicted on these vessels as they represent love and happiness. The Satyrs and Maenads were also preferred subjects, who portrayed eccentricity and jolliness.

From Aphrodite to Eros: Mythology on the Greek Vases in the National Collection provides an insight into the vases’ manufacturing techniques, what they were used for and when they were produced. This exhibition targets adults and younger generations, encouraging them to know more about these Greek vases and the mythology surrounding them. 

 ——————————————————————————————————————–

Għadd ta’ vażuni Griegi li jiffurmaw parti mill-kollezzoni ta’ riserva tal-Mużew Nazzjonali tal-Arkeoloġija se jkunu esebiti fl-istess mużew, f’din il-wirja żgħira bl-isem From Aphrodite to Eros: Mythology on the Greek Vases in the National Collection li se tibqa’ għaddejja mis-27 ta’ Mejju sal-21 ta’ Settembru.

Għalkemm jeżistu rekords ta’ għotjiet ta’ vażuni minn individwi privati lill-Mużew Nazzjonali, għad irid isir aktar stħarriġ biex tkun magħrufa b’ċertezza l-provenjenza tal-vażuni Griegi li jinsabu għall-wiri bħalissa. Dak li hu magħruf fiż-żgur hu li meta Ġan Franġisk Abela ħalla b’legat il-kollezzjoni tiegħu lill-Ġiżwiti fl-1637, huwa semma, fost oġġetti oħra, erba’ vażuni tat-tafal bi tpinġijiet ta’ figuri bl-iswed u bl-aħmar.

Aktar tard, uħud minn dawn il-vażuni Griegi ġew iddokumentati bi tpinġijiet mill-artist Jean Houël fil-ktieb Voyage pittoresque des isles de Sicile, de Malte et de Lipari, ippubblikat fl-1782. Antonio Annetto Caruana wkoll iddokumenta dawn il-vażuni fir-rapport tal-1882 bl-isem Report on Phoenician and Roman Antiquities in the Group of the Islands of Malta.

L-importanza estetika tal-vażuni tinsab fil-valur artistiku tagħhom. Kif jimplika t-titlu tal-wirja, xeni mill-mitoloġija Griega spiss kienu jitpinġew fuq dawn il-vażuni, li għaddew minn ġenerazzjoni għal oħra flimkien man-narrattiva tal-istess mitoloġija. Afrodite u Eros kienu tnejn mis-suġġetti preferuti biex jidhru fuq il-vażuni, billi jirrappreżentaw l-imħabba u l-kuntentizza. L-allat magħrufa bħala Satiri u n-nisa li kienu jaqdu lill-alla Dijonisju wkoll kienu jitpinġew spiss fuq il-vażuni għax kienu jirrappreżentaw l-eċċentriċità u l-ferħ.

From Aphrodite to Eros: Mythology on the Greek Vases in the National Collection tagħti ħarsa lejn it-teknika tal-manifattura tal-vażuni, għal xiex kienu jintużaw dawn ir-reċipjenti, u meta nħadmu. Il-wirja hija mmirata kemm lejn l-adulti kif ukoll lejn udjenzi iżgħar fl-età, u tinkoraġġihom biex isiru jafu aktar dwar dawn il-vażuni Griegi u l-mitoloġija marbuta magħhom.