Ancient Greek pottery offers a fascinating window into the past of a lost culture. These clay vessels hold immense historical value, not only for their beauty but also for the visual narratives they preserve, capturing mythology, ritual, and everyday life.
This design reimagines a red-figure volute-krater, a mixing bowl created in a Greek colony in the region of Lucania in southern Italy between 415 and 400 BC. The front of the painted vessel depicts a gathering of deities, with the twin gods Apollo and Artemis at the centre of the scene. Apollo is shown holding a kithara, symbolizing his role as the god of music, while his twin sister Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, is accompanied by a sacred deer. Their mother Leto is also present, alongside Hermes, the god of herds, trade, and travel.
We were excited to reinterpret this artwork on a journal cover, transforming a vessel once used for mixing water, wine, perfumes, and oils into a modern companion for creativity and writing. The original function of the piece offers insight into the daily lives of the ancient Greeks, where even practical objects were infused with storytelling and symbolism. While the medium has changed, the purpose remains similar. Just as Greek pottery brought stories of gods, heroes, and epic moments to life, our Paperblanks journals invite today’s storytellers to continue that tradition through writing, reflection, and imagination.
We are honoured to feature this remarkable work from the J. Paul Getty Museum as part of our latest collaborative release, following previous designs such as Van Gogh, Irises, Spinola Hours, and Spring. We hope Gathering of Deities inspires your inner historian and transports you back in time to ancient Italy.
Gathering of Deities is available as a softcover journal, bookmark, pencil, pencil case, and washi tape.
It’s amazing how we can learn about ancient societies through their artwork. The inclusion of Apollo with his kithara really emphasizes the cultural importance of music in Greek life.