Donne alla fontana e hydriai. Alcune riconsiderazioni iconografiche sul rapporto tra forma e immagine

The focus of this study is the analysis of images depicting women at the fountain house, which appear on the Attic hydriai at the end of the sixth century B.C.; we especially concentrate on the relationship between iconography and vessel shape. After reviewing the main points of the debate about the ritual or daily character of the images, the hypothesis of a connection with the Hydrophoria celebrated during the Anthesteria is found the most satisfactory. This hypothesis also explains why the women at the fountain house on the hydriai are shown with aristocratic male iconography, which is not appropriate to an interpretation of the scene as purely feminine