Die Frauen im Gefolge des Dionysos

This study of the women around Dionysus' analyses a corpus of 1244 vases, including both red and black figure Attic vase paintings, dating from c.580-420 BC. The painted scenes are studied in terms of their visual features, and are subjected to statistical evaluation, with both of these then compared to historical and literary evidence. What Gerlin de Fahlbusch reveals is that ecstatic and chaotic scenes of maenads displaying excessive uncontrolled behaviour are in the minority, behaviour which is more often focused on Silenus rather than Dionysus. The Dionysiac women featured on the vases are, in contrast, argued to hold many of the virtues which Athenians sought to promote among female members of society, such as control, obedience, submission and morality. Includes catalogues of vases arranged by date, theme and provenance. German text.