Fragment of a Hydria by the Berlin Painter in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, June 2010

Fragmentary water jar (hydria) with Herakles and Kerberos
Greek, Late Archaic Period, about 490 B.C.
the Berlin Painter

Place of Manufacture: Athens, Attica, Greece

Dimensions: Length: 15 cm (5 7/8 in.); depth: 17.3 cm (6 13/16 in.)

Medium or Technique: Ceramic, Red Figure

Classification: Vessels

Catalogue Raisonné: Caskey-Beazley, Attic Vase Paintings (MFA), no. 122.

Accession Number: 03.838

Sharply defined shoulder with double row of palmette and lotus. On body: Herakles, with Athena and Hermes, bringing the three-headed hell-hound Kerberos from Hades. As in most of his deeds, Herakles was assisted by Athena who stands at the left holding her helmet. At the right, with only his right hand and round sun-hat (petasos) remaining, is Hermes, who conducted the souls of the dead to the Underworld. For a number of reasons, fragments from the same vase often become ...separated and end up in different collections. The small fragment with a part of Cerberus's body entered the museum long after the larger one.

Text from: www.mfa.org/collections/object/fragmentary-water-jar-hydr...