Editing Tantalus (section)

==Tantalus in art==
To date all known depictions of Tantalus in ancient art date from the fifth century BCE onwards.<ref name="Kossatz-Diessmann843">Kossatz-Diessmann, Anneliese (1994) [[Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae|LIMC]] vol 7.1 s.v ''Tantalos'' (= p. [https://archive.org/details/limc_20210516/Lexicon%20Iconographicum%20Mythologiae%20Classicae/LIMC%20VII-1%20Oidipous-Theseus/page/n435/mode/2up 843])</ref> 
Tantalus is depicted on the [[name vase]] of the [[Underworld Painter]] – an [[Apulian vase painting|apulian]] red-figure [[krater|volute-krater]] illustrating the palace of Hades and Persephone surrounded by scenes from the underworld. He is pictured in the lower right corner of the painting, pointing to a rock hanging over him from which he is attempting to flee.<ref name="Kossatz-Diessmann841">Kossatz-Diessmann, Anneliese (1994) [[Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae|LIMC]] vol 7.1 s.v ''Tantalos'' (= p. [https://archive.org/details/limc_20210516/Lexicon%20Iconographicum%20Mythologiae%20Classicae/LIMC%20VII-1%20Oidipous-Theseus/page/n435/mode/2up 841])</ref> This vase, and the painting of Polygnotes described by Pausanias are to date the only known artistic representations of the punishment of the rock.<ref name="Kossatz-Diessmann843"/>

He is also shown in an underworld scene on the back lower register of the [[Velletri Sarcophagus]], to the right of the central carving of [[Charon]] in the boat which escorts the departed to the underworld. Tantalus is shown naked, standing in water which reaches up to his knees. The position in which he is holding his hands suggestes that he is attempted to raise to his mouth water which he has scooped up in his cupped hands.<ref name="Kossatz-Diessmann841"/>

<gallery class="center" mode="packed">
File:Tantalus by HGoltzius CCornelius 1588.jpg|[[Engraving]] by [[Hendrik Goltzius]] and C. Cornelius (1588)
File:Tantalus Gioacchino Assereto circa1640s.jpg|[[Oil painting]] by [[Gioacchino Assereto]] (circa 1640s)
</gallery>