This art work is called the Niobides Krater. It was painted by an anonymous greek painter known as the Niobid painter. It was painter around 460-450 B.C.E in the classical era.
The vase was made out of clay using the red figure technique with black shading and white highlights. The vase has two sides to it. On the front side it shows killings, and murder and on the other side it shows a kind of relaxation with a drawing of a statue of Hercules. This shows the greek love for contrast. The vase also shows depth as the figures are not all on a ground line but are standing in different places. This vase painting might be a replica of a wall painting which is astonishing since no greek wall paintings have survived.
This vase was used to dilute wine as greek wine was very strong. On the front side of the vase it depicts the story of Niobides. In the story Niobides is bragging about how great her 14 children are and how they are better and more beautiful then the children of goddess Leto. This angers the goddess and her children, Apollo and Artemis hunt down and kill Niobides children. This shows the mortal hubris, or pride. On the other side of the vase it shows grecians praying to the statue of Hercules to wish them good fortune in the battle of Marathon. As far as we know there isn’t any connection between the two sides of the vase signifying contrast.
“Niobid Painter, Niobid Krater.” Khan Academy, www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ancient-art-civilizations/greek-art/greek-pottery/v/niobid-krater.
“Work Attic Red-Figure Calyx Krater Known as the ‘Niobid Krater.’” Attic Red-Figure Calyx Krater Known as the “Niobid Krater” | Louvre Museum | Paris, www.louvre.fr/en/oeuvre-notices/attic-red-figure-calyx-krater-known-niobid-krater.