Gary Corby recently made mention of Greek pottery depicting drunk men vomiting. I had to check them out for myself in detail. And, oh, the Greeks did not disappoint. The Getty Villa features my favorite piece, one of the most…um…”vivid” examples.
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| Photo courtesy of Mary Harsch. |
Hahahahaha! I don’t know why this cracks me up so much, but it completely undoes me. There’s just something about imagining the hours an expert potter/artisan spent lovingly depicting a man hurling that slays me.
Ancient drunks–just like us. And Jersey Shore! (For any readers not in the U.S., Jersey Shore is a reality TV show featuring a group of young Italian-Americans who do nothing but groom and get drunk. Don’t worry, I don’t get it either.)
But there’s more! Check out this one on the right showing Jersey Shore’s “The Situation” and his impressive abs having to abandon his lyre so that he can direct “Ronnie’s” head toward the handy vomit-pythos dragged over for just that moment.
And good ol’ lush “Snookie” gets her own ancient moment too in the plate (below) showing her being drunkenly escorted from the party. Thankfully, this ancient Snookie is not tottering on ridiculous heels, though she seems sadly unaware that she is flashing all her friends at the Symposium.
These wonderfully detailed and evocative “moments” of ancient partying leave me wanting more examples of “daily life” in ancient Greece.
Unfortunately, many other examples tend to skew toward illustrations of a more “earthy” nature, which I can’t show here.
(Think of the children!)
Still, it’s clear (and hilarious). Those Greeks sure knew how to party!
Wow, you did it! I’m so impressed, Vicky.
The top picture you got from Mary is the same piece I took lots of photos of at the Getty.
I love the one at bottom of the drunk lady being led home. She really does look out of it, doesn’t she? The artist did a great job.
Well done!
I’m going to avoid that TV show you mention.
Too bizarre!! Just think of all the time they had to put into representing some of their less savory moments. Hilarious!
Fun fact for when you look at Greek vase paintings, reliefs, etc.–notice how almost everyone is in profile? If they’re face-front, that means there’s something wrong with them–they’re drunk, dead, crazy, a monster, etc. The reverse isn’t true, though: you can be drunk or dead or crazy or a monster (or a drunk, dead, crazy monster) and be shown in profile. Check it out!
LOL. How funny. Those crazy greeks! But that first pic is kinda scary!