Onesimos was an ancient
Athenian
Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates a ...
vase painter who flourished c. 500–480 BC. He specialized in decorating cups, mostly of Type B, which comprise virtually all known examples of his work.
Like many of his fellow
red-figure
Red-figure vase painting is one of the most important styles of figural Greek vase painting.
It developed in Athens around 520 BCE and remained in use until the late 3rd century BCE. It replaced the previously dominant style of black-figure va ...
painters, Onesimos emphasized realistically rendered, active figures, and depicted tableaux drawn from daily life as well as scenes from mythology. A number of the pieces painted by Onesimos bear the signature of
Euphronios as potter. In light of this evidence of the two artists' close collaboration, as well as similarities in their painting styles, many researchers believe that Onesimos learned his trade as Euphronios's pupil. Similarly, the works of the later
Antiphon Painter
The Antiphon Painter was an Athenian vase painter of the early 5th century BC. He owes his name to a double Kalos inscription of Antiphon on the dinos stand in the Antique collection of Berlin (Inventory number F 2325). He was active between 500 ...
bear a close stylistic resemblance to those of Onesimos, suggesting that Onesimos may have served as a teacher in his own right.
See also
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Kylix depicting athletic combats by Onesimos
References
The Getty Museum - Biography of Onesimos
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6th-century BC births
5th-century BC deaths
Ancient Greek vase painters