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6. Ancient Greek Ceramics
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The maps should help you with the sites and geography. Most reliable historical information can be found in the Encyclopedia Britannica. For an outline of the main sequence of events, I have provided you with a "Quick Find" Button (002)
The Origins of the Greeks, their Pottery & Figure PaintingFrom at least 1700BC the many Hellenic tribes had migrated southwards through what we now call Greece. They gradually came to dominate the Aegean region, led by the kings of Mycenae under a loose confederacy of lesser chieftains. 004 Mycenean Krater. ca.1395-1200BC BM. During this early period these Greek tribes derived much of their culture from the Minoans on Crete, but in 1400BC they overthrew the Minoan kingdom. A common Mycenaean-Minoan culture spread throughout the Eastern Mediterranean. But still more Hellenic people continued to press down from the North. The powerful Dorians were the last Greek tribe to sweep down the peninsula in the eleventh century BC. 005 Late Helladic III bowl with stylized drawings of a bull and a bird ca.1395-1200BC BM.
The Decorated Pottery of the Greeks006 Early Geometric barrel jug ca.11th-10th century BC. Early (or Proto)Geometric PotteryThis first Greek style of pottery decoration has been called the Geometric Style because the earliest examples show designs based on circles, arcs, triangles, and wavy lines. The earliest stage of simple geometric patterns is often called Early or "Proto"-Geometric and signals the reawakening of technical proficiency and a spirit of creativity amongst the Hellenic communities. 007 An Attic Proto-Geometric shoulder-handled amphora. ca.1000BC. ht:40cm BM. 008 Attic Proto-geometric amphora. ca.950-900BC.Ht:41.5cm. Large Jars of this shape, with the handles attached to the belly, were also used for the cremated remains of women and girls. Geometric Style009 Large Attic Geometric Amphora ht:69.5cm 9th century BC. NAM. 010 Attic Geometric Jug, late 9th century BC. BM 011 A Geometric Pyxis(lidded box) Athens ca.850-800BC.BM 012 Attic Geometric Amphora Mid 8th Century BC. MSA 012a Above the handles: Deer grazing 012b Below the Handles: Deer grooming themselves 012c Towards the Bottom: Geese feedingThis time the the pattern break is a rolling line of dark curved shapes: slowly moving geese, some feeding some squawking. The row is placed to mark the beginning of dark slip bands which give this tall jar a feeling of stability. 013 Attic Geometric Amphora.Mid 8th century BC. ht:1.55m 013a Lying-in-State Panel 013b Lying-in-State Centre of Panel 014 Attic Geometric Krater. Second half of 8th century BC ht:1.23m MMNY. One's eye is drawn to the painting around the middle of the bowl: the top register depicts the funeral of the dead man. The lower register is a chariot procession - most likely "Funeral Games",in his honour. 014b Detail of Funeral Pyre. This closer detail shows the schematic way each of the figures was portrayed: the dead man, the mourners(tearing their hair as a sign of grief), the widow and child(shown twice), and sacrificial ducks and goats ready to be burned. Though all are still angular silhouettes arranged symmetrically around the funeral table, compared with the previous example these figures are now more naturalistic. 014c Detail of Dead Man on Bier. They drew what they believed was most important, not what they actually saw from a particular position. A simple profile view of the head; only nose and eye "dot". To us, the body appears to lie on the edge of the table, but they did not "read" the scene as naturalistically as we do now. In all the figures the complex joining and rounded shape of hips and thighs is glossed over in order to arrive at two legs which can march in the same direction! As a general rule, in this early Hellenic style, the size of the figure usually denotes its importantance. 014d Detail of Mourners etc. (2)The drawing of the chair and stool is brilliant, such a difficult idea to represent without a knowledge of perspective and foreshortening. The wife and child are shown twice, this may indicate different functions. Their lesser importance in the scene is emphasised by their smaller size. Traditional ways of representing things did change when the situation demanded it. Although of lesser importance still, the row of mourners needed, for design reasons, to be big enough to fill the height of the panel.(see full image) A row of tiny figures would not have seemed correct. As yet all these images are perhaps symbols rather than images. But changes were on the way. Notice the decorators still feel the need to fill empty spaces with various patterns and motifs. Sometimes called the "horror of the vacuum", this is common in many early cultures. 015 Proto-Attic 'Lions' Krater 700-675BC Diam:10.25in 016 Protoattic Loutrophorus: Procession of dancers chariots and sphinxca. Analatos Painter. ht:80cm 700-680 BC. LP. 017 Proto-attic amphora 700-680 BC.BM. 017a Detail: Procession of chariots. Rhodes & East Greek Pottery
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The Greek Myths:
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In the earlier examples of Attic pottery from the late 8th century onwards figure painting in Attica developed out of geometric symbols. Slowly the figure painting became more naturalistic and concerned with all things Greek rather than "Oriental". By the beginning of the 6th century the potteries of Athens were producing a range of decorated pots with increasingly complex and detailed narrative groups - funeral scenes, sea battles, dances, boxing matches, and exploits of popular heroes.
030 ProtoAttic Amphora from a Grave at Eleusis(Attica).Ht:1.42M ca.670BC.
Although there are a variety of figures and animals represented here, the most recognisable scene is around the neck. An incident from the Odyssey: The Blinding of the One-Eyed Giant Polyphemus by Odysseus and his companions.
030a Detail of Polyphemus.
The drawing technique is now a few steps away from the earlier stick-like Geometric figures. The bodies look a little more human. Ears, eyes, beards - and cup are all better observed. This well-known incident is well portrayed with its essential images clearly drawn: The sitting or dozing giant holding the cup of drugged wine, Odysseus and a companion hurling a spear into his single eye.
031 Athenian Jar:Grave in Attica ca.670BC. Herakles and Nessus; Gorgons.
Painted in black slip on the body are the Gorgons - winged female monsters. However, these are not now very clear to see in detail. But, on the neck, a well-known Greek legend is illustrated; the Hero Herakles is about to kill a troublesome Centaur (man-horse)called Nessus with a stab of his sword. Looking at this drawing we can see that Attic figure painting has greatly improved by the early sixth century BC. Potter-painters are adapting the Corinthian black-figure technique to their own figure painting.
031a Detail Herakles and Nessus.
In the detail these bodies appear more fleshy and muscular. The half-horse Centaur is believable at both ends and his hair, beard, nose and fingers are recognisable details. Although the arms are fixed a bit oddly, this decoration shows an enormous advance towards naturalism in figure painting. The two black figures are given much of their detail, form and life by the subtle fine lines drawn, or scratched, into the solid black slip silhouettes.
032 Early Attic Black-figure jug, painted in black, purple and white on orange clay, ca. 600-575BC BM
Athenian painters copied this black-figure style from Corinth but, instead of the Oriental monsters, animals and birds motifs, preferred to develop further their own narrative style using Greek Gods, Heroes and monsters. The superior quality of their clay, pigment, and decoration and firing techniques quickly enabled the Athenian artists to overtake those of Corinth. This jug shows a rich black vitrified slip paint and also the matt grape red iron slip.
032a Detail Head of Gorgon
This detail of the head of the Medusan Gorgon shows how these Greek artists endowed their figures with mood and character by means of scratched lines in black slip. Monotony was avoided by the use of different poses, gestures, and expressions to render emotion and clarify the narrative action.
033 Part of a black-figured amphora.
The scene on this prize amphora shows a victorious athlete offering wine, and his thanks, to the God Dionysos.
033a Closer detail
This detail shows more clearly the painting of the hands and clothing of the god, illustrating the power of the scratched lines to provide so much naturalistic detail.
034 Athenian Jar from Vulci(Etruria) ca.540-530BC ht:61cm. The heavenly Twins, the Dioscuri, Castor and Pollux return home after some heroic exploit: hunting, fighting, carrying off women, and cattle rustling etc.There are many tales. The pot is signed by the Painter Exekias. Our particular interest is the quality of the slip painting.
034a Closer detail: The dog greets one of his masters.
The Athenians retained the Corinthian use of animal friezes for decoration until c. 550 BC, when the great Attic painters, among them Exekias and the Amasis Painter, developed a Greek narrative scene decoration and perfected the classical black-figure style. Corinth and Athens were the most important studios producing black-figure pottery but there were others in Sparta and some of the Greece colonies.
034b The other side of the amphora above.
Achilles and Ajax,the two great heroes and warriors in the Trojan War, are seen playing at dice, both in full armour ready for battle.
034c Closer detail:Achilles and Ajax
Inscribed on the picture, rather like the bubbles in a 20th century cartoon, are greek words, appearing from their mouths. They tell us that Achilles(left) has called 'four' and Ajax 'three'.
034d Detail:Head of Achilles
The fine detail of the
helmet and armour can be seen here. All of this produced by scratched lines in a black slip.
This could provide ideas for many slip decorators, couldn't it?
035 Attic black figured Kylix 6th c. BC.
This is a typical drinking cup or disk - the kylix. Decorated both inside and outside with a variety of scenes. The foot and hollow stem can be seen and painted around the outside of the bowl are two winged monsters and a charioteer. Of particular interest here is the introduction of white slip in attic black-figure painting. It was not easy to use. If thick it often peeled off.(see Potter's Notes later on.)
035a Inside bowl decoration of Attic black figured Kylix 6th c.BC.
Inside the bowl of this drinking cup is this beautiful piece of black-figure decoration showing the God Dionysos sailing the Seas. Climbing around the mast is a grape vine - suitably fully laden for the God of Wine. The water is filled with a school of dolphins playing. The disposition of each object within the circular form has been well considered and carefully balanced. We know the name of the painter, Exekias, living in the mid-sixth century BC.
035b Detail of centre.
Here we can see the fine detail in the figure of the God. He is shown dressed and crowned like a king. The boat, dolphins, grapevine, and sail are each superbly delineated. Technically, there is perhaps one defect; the poor fit of the matt white slip which originally covered the sail. Much has rubbed or flaked off. It appears to have been painted over the black vitreous slip. (Read potter's notes)
036 Attic Black-Figure Hydria: ca.520-500BC ht 22.5in.
A Hydria is the Greek name for a pot with three handles. Two for lifting and one for pouring. This pot was used for fetching water from the local fountain. The painting illustrates this. Under a portico, young women are filling their pots with water from these ornamental fountains. Athenian pottery of the 6th century BC often features such narrative scenes composed of black figures painted on a light red inset background panel, while the surrounding vase surface is a deep, lustrous black. As in the previous example, when white slip often tends to flake off.
036a Closer detail: showing a few problems
This detail shows up more clearly two defects most potters are aware of: (1.)The black slip was probably too dry when the lines were scratched through - the edges cracked and the lines are rough and (2.)White slip is flaking off - probably applied too thickly (see Potter's Notes later on).
037 Tiny funeral oil flask ca.500BC ht:11.5cm
This is typical of the vast mass-produced market for small( five inches high) lekythoi, that contained the oil used in a funeral ceremony. This one has lost the funnel mouth at the neck, but is otherwise complete. From a potter's point of view it has considerable interest. The rough basic hollow shape was thrown on a potter's wheel. Unlike a more prestigious item, where more time and care would be taken, this little pot was one of many being made and decorated at speed in a day or two. This is repetition pottery.
037a Centred hole in foot
When leather-hard, it was turned horizontally on a lathe(exactly like wood turning) to the required form. Underneath the centre of the foot is a small hole made by the centre spike of the lathe. Normally you can't see this in a museum. The black slip line banding was quickly brushed on whilst still on the lathe.
037b Detail of warrior painting.
This detail shows
accidental "chattering" marks and scoring grooves from a worn turning tool or too dry a pot. Many finishing problems haven't changed over millenia!
037c Detail showing the top of pot. diam 5.2cm.
This view of the neck and top of the pot shows the squashed base of the little handle roughly joined to the shoulder with slip and bent over to be smoothed against the neck. The broken neck shows where the cup-like funnel would have been. The various motifs in the banding patterns around the shoulder show all the signs of haste and a need to simplify; evidence of mass-production.
037d Detail of figure painting.
This group of two horses and a rider is less than 5 cm. high. A painter with some talent and probably years of repetition produced these lively images - at speed. The brush strokes and scratched outlines were made quickly with confidence.
038 Black figured amphora(jar) Made in Athens about 520-500BC. BM.Black figured amphora(jar) with Dionysos and two satyrs. Made in Athens about 520-500BC. Attributed to the painter Psiax and signed on the rim by Andokides as the potter. The body of this pot is covered with a deep black lustrous slip glaze. The only decoration is the painting on the neck.
038a Neck detail: Dionysos and two Satyrs
The god of wine holds a drinking horn in one hand and a vine branch in the other. Either side is a drunken dancing satyr.
038b Detail: Figure of Dionysos A closer view shows more clearly the crisp scratched patterns and lines. The small amount of purple plum colour for the beard, and decorative spots and bands gives extra life to the costume and figure. In this example, some edges of the black paint and also the delicately painted fingers of the satyr have slightly re-oxidized to red in the cooling kiln.
Potter's Notes(1) on ...
Victor Bryant©2001 |
039 Red-figure Attic cup or Kylix by the Painter Epiktetos. The scenes include Theseus slaying the Minotaur, ca.520BC Diam 11.6in.
Red-figure pottery, invented at Athens about 530 BC, is just the reverse of the black-figure style. In the black-figure style, figures were painted in glossy black pigment as silhouettes on the orange-red surface of the vase; details were added largely by incising.
040 Andokides Painter. From a red-figure amphora:Herakles and the two-headed dog Cerberus. ht:58.6cm. ca.510BC
In the red-figure style, figures were first outlined in black, with the background outside the outline filled in solidly with black paint. This left the figure red; details could be then be painted in rather than incised. Occasionally some white or the dull purple paint was used as well as the glossy black slip.
041 Attic red figure amphora c.500-480 BC. Fr. Nola - warrior by the Berlin painter
This painting is by a pottery painter known only as Berlin because of the superb quality of his painting style recognised first on amphora f2160 in the Berlin museum. It illustrates the apparently simple but in reality momentous change that occurred in Greek painting around 500BC. as artists continued to explore ways of representing figures more naturally; they discovered a new way of drawing. The closer detail of the feet in the next image shows the result of these experiments.
041a Detail of painting
The painted view of each foot is different. The right foot is seen from the traditional side view. The left foot is seen from the front. In doing so Greek artists discovered "foreshortening" - a way of suggesting spatial distance in two dimensions. From the front of the toes to the leg and ankles is perhaps 5-6inches back. This way of suggesting depth on a flat surface was a new discovery. It was the beginning of a quite new a way of drawing or painting a figure, a believably naturalistic representation of the human body on a flat surface.
042 Attic red-figure Bell Krater.ht:33cm. Ganymede by the Berlin Painter. ca.490-480BC LP.
Another piece of beautiful figure painting, by the same painter, which also illustrates this great achievement of Greek painting. Around 500 BC Greek artists had abandoned the convention of using only profile views and began to use three-quarter frontal poses, as well as foreshortening. Their technique of figure drawing would become the basis of the Western European style of painting.
043 Athenian red figure cup by Brygos 500-475 BC.
The conflict depicted on the outside of this drinking cup is the Sack of Troy. Whilst retaining the form of a band or frieze, the painter tries to paint the action of this scene in depth too.
043a Detail of the painting
This detail shows the strongly delineated figures overlapping one another in a very convincing and naturalistic manner. There is a sense of rapid, often violent, movement. This new style of movement and naturalism and space in painting is now developing fast.
044 Maenad, from an amphora painted by the Painter known as Kleophrades. ht:56cm. ca.500-490BC
This new technique allowed more flexibility in the rendering of human form, movement, and, above all, expressions. It also gave a greater scope for shading and a more satisfactory kind of foreshortening and perspective.
045 Kleophrades Painter. Detail of Dionysos on a red-figured amphora.ht:56cm. ca.500-490BC
Since most of the ornamentation on Greek pottery was narrative rather than purely decorative, such technical advantages were of utmost importance when naturalism in figure painting was becoming the prime aim.
From the late 6th to the late 4th century BC. most of the more important pieces were painted in this new style.
046 Athenian vase late red figure ware ca.460-50 BC MN NaplesThis painting of Achilles slaying the Amazon Pentesilea illustrates again the desire for strong dramatic movement. These images illustrate the zenith of Greek pottery design and also give us some idea of what was being achieved in large-scale mural painting at this time.
047 Attic red-figure amphora ca.450BC. ht:60cm.
This is a detail of the full figure of Achilles painted on this pot. The bold but calm naturalistic style of this painter has been admired and recognised on other pots that have been found. However, we know him only by the name "the Achilles Painter", who worked around 450BC. What would a coloured mural painting in this style have been like? We know they existed, they were written about, but unfortunately none have survived.
048 Calyx Krater - figures on white slip
This last technique shows how the pottery decorators longed to have the freedom to paint like mural painters on a plaster surface. The painting on this flower-shaped vase or krater started out as a band of red figure decoration surrounded by the shiny black slip background. But the flat centre band was painted with a thin even layer of white slip. Generally this survived quite well. On this an outline drawing of the figures was painted in red or black slip and then fired. Finally a gouache type paint probably similar to that used by the mural painters produced the subtle naturalistic coloured effects seen on all the following images. Sadly time, wear and tear and damp have worn away much of the brightest colour.
049 High stemmed Kylix - black silhouettes on white slip
On the outside of this elegant drinking cup - a group of Fighting Cocks painted in black vitreous slip. Against the white ground, they stand out dramatically.
050 Funeral lekythoi. BM
A Museum Case of Funeral Lekythoi: figure painting on a white ground. Understandably, this more naturalistic style of decoration became very popular. Many of these offerings have survived; the drawings usually include portraits, probably idealized, of the dead person.
051 Lekythos painted by the Achilles Painter, ca.450-440BC.
A painting of the dead woman in the Afterlife. It was this artist who painted the figure of Achilles seen earlier in a detail. This is a quiet, introspective style of figure painting with marvellous detail.
052 Athenian Lekythos late 5th c. BC.NAM
Athenian Lekythos late 5th c. BC. This shows a man, a dead warrior, seated outside his tomb. He stretches up his arm to grasp his spear, his shield rests nearby. Naturalism in figure painting has been achieved. The relaxed, languid, even sad, figure, is completely convincing. A mourner stands on the left. Although in poor condition, sufficient has survived to see the quality of the drawing and the remains of the post-firing colour that was added. The blue colour is probably the same finely ground blue frit that the Cretans used for wall painting. Look at the details next.
052a Detail:Seated man outside his tomb.
This detail shows a sensitive fluid line drawing that captures the important details and presents us with a three dimensional image in the form of a seated young man. Such drawing is the work of an accomplished artist.
052b Detail: Head of man
Detail of the man's head. We don't expect to see such dynamic line drawing until perhaps the 15th century in Europe during the Italian Renaissance. Since no easel paintings or wall murals have survived from classical Greece, contemporary ceramic decoration gives us a glimpse of what Greek wall painting must have been like in the 5th century BC. This is why Greek pottery has such a special place in the history of Art - and European painting in particular.
Some Thoughts: It perhaps comes as a surprise to realise that, having become so proficient in the complex process of making and firing the shiny black vitreous slip, Greek potters were never interested in using coloured glazes on their pots. No interest in Persian Glazes or Frit Paste Colours: As inveterate travellers they must have been well aware of the colourful ceramic products in contemporary Egypt and Persia.
Alkaline Glazes were probably thought brash and foreign; and certainly not easy to control: The sharp refined lines of Greek drawing would probably not have been possible using any contemporary frits and "glazes" then available.
The Greek Ceramic Style: Classical Greek terracotta pottery and ceramic painting had by the fifth century BC. developed as far as it could. The spurt of invention and experiment in Greek ceramics had run its course for the time being. They had perfected a ceramic painting system using buffs, browns, dull purples and white slip plus a lustrous vitreous black slip on the terracotta or buff coloured clay. Coloured glazes and other developments would have to wait for later pottery inovators. The last intriguing questions: Perhaps they simply didn't choose to develop coloured glazes in ceramics. It is possible they were considered un-Greek. No wall paintings have survived so we cannot really know how softly - or richly - coloured were their wall-paintings compared with their ceramics! |
From a potter's point of view the story and interest in Greek pottery is now practically over. The decline began surprisingly early, well before the end of the 5th century BC. and there are probably many causes. The inherent limitations of the curving pot surface and the limited colours, meant that pottery painters could no longer compete with the rapid strides toward naturalism taken by painters of larger works such as wall paintings. The following images illustrate this decline. The most inventive artists no longer wanted to design or decorate terracotta pottery; they preferred the colour and breadth of wall painting or other crafts.
053 A late 5th century BC. Attic Krater: preparations for a theatrical performance.
Various attempts to introduce spatial depth into their designs by the selective grouping of figures were not very successful. This 5th century attic krater shows a crowded scene; the preparations for a theatrical performance. The different levels destroy any attempt at reality. To build such scenes at different levels, you need to understand the principles of linear or geometric perspective and, as far as we can tell, the Greeks never did discover this.
054 Detail of florid style painting on a hydria made ca.410BC. After 430 BC pottery painting was increasingly trivialized in conception and sentimental in emotional tone. Drawing became over-refined and careless, and groups of figures were crowded together without meaning or interest. Basically this is a Red-Figure painting by the Meidias Painter. Painted in a florid stylised manner it is also embelished here and there with gold leaf. The scene is from a tale about Phaon, a grizzled old boatman, who the Gods transformed into a handsome youth irresistible to women... The painting is filled with nymphs frolicking hither and thither. The restraint of the earlier Classical part of the 5th century has gone, replaced by boisterous, sometimes wild, extravagances in taste. The coming 4th century BC will be a Greek Baroque Age.
055 Late Attic black-figure amphora ca.400BC ht:67cm. BM.
The ugly shape of this amphora, the fashionable, stylised manner of drawing, all illustrate the progressive decline into a manneristic style where exaggeration and distortion of the human form became commonplace.
055a Attic red-figure Pelike ca.350BC ht:42.5cm. BM.
Pelike, a jar for oil or wine. Shapes become less refined, even clumsy. The standards of pottery making and decorating fall dramatically by the end of the 5th century BC.
056 Faliscan Volute-Krater.ht:59.2cm. ca.340BC. RVG
The restrained naturalism of the late 6th and early 5th centuries was gradually replaced by exaggerated poses, sentimental scenes and excessive ornament. Athens began the 5th century wealthy and proud; by the end of the century its power had vanished. Social unrest and wider political problems led to war between the city states. Trade and commerce became badly affected. Pottery design and decoration had blossomed into flower during the course of the early fifth century BC by the beginning of the next century it had lost much of its creativity.
057 Apulian calyx-krater.ht:53cm. Mid 4th century BC Lipari.
The vases characteristic of this later period are gaudier, with details added in white and sometimes in yellow-brown, gold, and blue. The subjects and treatment are often trivial and sentimental; and attempts at naturalism and depth perspective were always at odds with the pottery shapes. By the 4th century, the figured decoration of pottery had become a degenerate art, and it had died out in Athens by 320 BC.
Classical Shapes and Sizes
Greek pottery was manufactured in a variety of different shapes and sizes according to the use to which a particular vessel would be put. Below are line drawings illustrating many common types: alabastron; amphora; hydria; krater; kylix; lekythos; oinochoe; etc. Click on a shape to see an actual example from my tutorial. Most, but not every type is illustrated by an example.
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058 An oil or perfume flask ca.540-530BC ht:10in. AMA
in the form of a kneeling boy binding a victory ribbon around his head - originally there was a gold or silver wreath. The head and body are hollow-moulded, the arms and legs solid. It is generally regarded as the finest Greek pottery figurine known; counterplay between naturalism and firm stylization, between the soft flesh and suggested bone.
059 Terracotta sculpture Zeus and Ganymede 500-475 BC. AMOThis fired clay ¾ life size sculpture depicts a story about Zeus,the father of the Gods, snatching up the boy Ganymede and carrying him off to become a cupbearer to the Gods on Mount Olympus.
059a Detail: Head of Zeus
Relatively few large Greek terracotta pieces like this have survived. Even today the various modelling, moulding and joining of such large hollow pieces would be considerable. Further problems follow with such big pieces: drying, shrinkage and firing. It is probable that stone, particularly white marble, became the preferred alternative to terracotta, in Greece of the late 5th century onwards. Marble would certainly pose fewer problems to make and finish! In the next tutorial T7 you can see more examples of similar life-size terracotta sculptures made, from the 6th century BC onwards, by the Etruscans in Italy.
060 A terracotta head of the Goddess Athena ca.490BC AMO
This is all that remains of what was almost certainly an almost life-size statue of the Goddess. It would probably have been richly painted and placed in a shrine or temple. The style of sculpture and painting at the beginning of the 5th century BC. was approaching naturalism. The techniques for representing the eyes, the mouth and the facial muscles were as yet not quite resolved. The facial expression is often called "the Archaic Smile". Ten or twenty years later the Greek artists achieved a style of "ideal naturalism" which has been admired down the ages.
061 Terracotta theatrical Mask 3rd c BC. Agora Mus Athens.
Clay masks both comic and tragic were used in the dramas performed on the stages of the outdoor theatres. Vast numbers of masks were made and usually painted with water-glue based colours which have now worn off.
062 Figurine of young woman. Tanagra. ht:24cm. End of the 4th century BC BSM AAG
This small terracotta figure still bears the traces of its original vivid watercolour paint. Its exaggerated height and sinuous and sentimental quality produce an extraordinary resemblance to mass-produced statuettes of the Virgin Mary produced two thousand years later all over Catholic Europe.
063 Tanagra type Terracotta, from Myrina 2nd c. BC. BM.
A pressmoulded and modelled small figurine of two women chatting. Such painted terracottas of domestic or sentimental subjects were popular judging by the numbers found. Bought to be used as decorative ornaments in the comfortable homes of the wealthy. They occupy the same niches as did the later 18th century porcelain figures or the less costly slipcast earthenware groups of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Potters and Potteries in Ancient GreeceThe Smooth Shiny Finish Mass-Production Later Comparisons Factory Conditions Status Victor Bryant©2001
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A Few Books of Interest:
The Penguin Atlas of Ancient History: Colin McEvedy.
Larousse Encyclopedia of Prehistoric and Ancient Art: Edited by Rene Huyghe.
Larousse Encyclopedia of Ancient and Medieval History: Edited by Marcel Dunan.
Greek Pottery: Arthur Lane: Faber & Faber.
The Classical World: Donald E Strong: Landmarks of the World's Art series: Paul Hamlyn. The Techniques of Painted Attic Pottery: J M Noble: Faber & Faber.
In the next tutorial
we examine
pottery in Pre-Roman Europe including
the sculptural and architectural ceramics
of the Etruscans.
Adapted from the original versions which were written for my series of weekly illustrated lectures to ceramic students including those on the Harrow Studio Pottery Degree Course, Westminster University and The Central School of Art & Design, London UK from 1973 - 1994
Latest Revision for Web Page 19th September 2002
Victor Bryant ©1994,2002