K19.1 EILEITHYIA
Museum Collection | Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York |
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Catalogue No. | New York 06.1097 |
Beazley Archive No. | - |
Ware | Attic Black Figure |
Shape | Kylix |
Painter | Attributed to the Painter of the Nicosia Olpe |
Date | ca. 550 B.C. |
Period | Archaic |
DESCRIPTION
Detail of Eileithyia from a painting depicting the birth of Athena.
Eileithyia, the goddess of childbirth, acts as midwife at the birth of Athena. The goddess wears a long, black robe embroidered with stylized flowers, and a red cloak and headband. She raises a hand in the typical gesture of a midwife. The goddess Eileithyia (or a pair of Eileithyiae) is a standard figure in black figure vase paintings depicting Athena's birth (cf. image K8.14 where her name is painted on the vase).