Transcript Black Figure vases

Black Figure vases
Proscribed vases
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1 Francois Vase; Volute Krater.
2 Lydos; Column Krater.
3 Exekias; Belly Amphora.
4 Exekias; Kylix. Exam 2004
5 Amasis; Lekythos weaving wool.
6 Amasis; Lekythos. Wedding
"black figure"
• Definition: The term "black figure" refers
to a style of Greek pottery in which only
the figures represented on the clay are
painted. The background remains red
(clay-colored). The painted figures are
black -- whence the name. Using
engraving tools, details are inscribed
through the black paint, revealing the
underlyng red
1 Francois Vase; Volute Krater
Vase: Volute Krater
Potter: Ergotimos
Painter: Kleitias
Date: 570 B.C.
Height: 66 cm Diameter of
mouth 57cms
Circumference: 181cm at widest
girth
Human and animal characters
270
Inscriptions of names: 121
General Background
Pg 17 - 18 Campbell & Harrison
• It is known as the Francois vase
because…
• Like many black figure vases from the 6th
century it was …
• It can be seen as a development from
earlier styles in two ways a)
b)
• Shape and handles influenced by which
contemporary 6th century industry?
Shape and its use at Symposium
• The symposium, conventionally interpreted as a drinking
party, was a well-established feature of Greek,
particularly Athenian, society.
• For over a century, representations on vases document
that wine, women, and song were central ingredients.
• Importance of the symposium was primarily as an
institution that permitted citizens to gather, transact
business, and, as Plato's dialogue makes clear, to
engage in serious discussions.
• An essential piece of equipment for the symposium was
the krater in which the wine was diluted with water and
from which it was served.
Symposium
Subject matter; Body
Seven bands of decoration 7cm high
Side A
Neck
• 1 Calydonian Boar
• 2 Chariot race
Shoulder
• 3 Wedding of Peleus & Thetis
• Decorative motifs: Shoulder ,
tongues
Belly
• 4 Achillles pursues Troilus
• 5 Griffins
• 6 Decorative motifs: Lower belly;
rays
Foot
• 7 Battle of Pygmies and Cranes
• Decorative motifs: foot; tongues
Side A
Side A
Subject matter; Body
Seven bands of decoration 7cm high
Side B
Neck
• 1 Dance of liberation
• 2 Battle of Lapiths & centaurs
Shoulder
• 3 Wedding of Peleus & Thetis
• Decorative motifs: Shoulder ,
tongues
Belly
• 4 Return of Hephaistos
• 5 Lion vs Stag & Lion vs Bull
• 6 Decorative motifs: Lower belly;
rays
Foot
• 7 Battle of Pygmies and Cranes
• Decorative motifs: foot; tongues
Side B
Inner Handle
Left and right viewed from side A
left
Artemis as mistress of wild
animals (Potnia Theron)
Left
• Artemis as winged goddes
holding lions in each hand
below Ajax stumbles has
he carries Achilles’s body
and a spear then a
gorgon
right
Potnia
theron
left
Potnia theron right handle
• Artemis as winged
goddes holding
panther and stag
below this as shown
on next slide Ajax
stumbles has he
carries Achilles’s body
then there is a gorgon
Ajax stumbles as he carries Achilles’s body
Right Handle gorgon
Left Gorgon
Kalydonian boar hunt
Kalydonian boar hunt
Kalydonian boar hunt
Style
• Narrative is lively, cheerful and polite yet
tragic and restrained.
• Inspired by Corinthian miniaturist style
Orientalising features (pg 12 & 13 Campbell / Harrison)
• Mythological animals from East; sphinxes
and griffins
• Exotic plant motifs; lotus and palmette
• Rigid stylised humans schematic attention
to musculature.
Making this pot
add details to this brief outline from C&H PG 5 -6
1. Clay prepared
2. Pot thrown on potters wheel then turned
3. Individual pieces dry then glued together with
slip.
4. Pot burnished and a coat of slip applied then
burnished.
5. Decoration planned on paper, then transferred
to pot before firing.
6. Figures painted in silhouette then details
incised.
7. Pot fired some colour added after firing.
The figures
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Black silhouette incision for detail
Colour added; white for female flesh & purple for clothing
Eyes painted on, now missing.
Rigid stylised humans schematic attention to
musculature.
• Sure elegant variety of poses convincing yet archaic
conventions of anatomy.
• Some male faces coloured purple.
Dancer
Satyrs
• This scene is divided between joy at Hephaistos
return and conflicting emotions from Hera and
Aphrodite
Satyrs ½ goat men with erect phalluses drawn with
horselike bodies unlike most other sixth century Satyrs.
Satyrs accompany Dionysus.
Dionysus and Hephaistos
Compare this representation of Dionysus from side
B band 4 Return of Hephaistos
with the next from Side A band 3 Wedding of
Peleus & Thetis
These are
some of the
earliest
paintings
showing
Dionysus.
Zeus and Hera’s Chariot
Ergotimos Signature
Kleitas Signature
Composition
• Clear and well knit.
• Mass figures in shallow focus of the
pictorial field. (eight people deep in
wedding procession)
Inscriptions
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Polyxena’s Hydria
Priam’s Stool
The fountain.
Ergotimos m’epoisen; Ergotimos made me
Kleitias m’egraphsen; Kleitias painted me
(by Chariot of Zeus and Hera / on neck)
Myths depicted on vase
• Most come from the Iliad; uniting theme the
stories of Peleus and his son Achilles.
• Kalydonian boar hunt; Peleus, Achilles and
many other heroes participated in it.
• Marriage of Peleus and Thetis, incidences which
occurred at it lead to judgement of Paris,
abduction of Helen by Paris and the Trojan war.
• Achilles Pursuit of Trolius. Read C&H pg 23-24
and Classical Mythology, M. Findlay then
summarise the main points.
Make notes using Classical
Mythology
• Death of Achilles: bottom of 2nd column
P92
• Wedding of Peleus and Thetis P85 “
Judgement of Paris”
• Calydonian boar hunt pg 70
Myths depicted on vase
• The Geranos; Theseus’ victory dance on return from
Crete after killing the Minotaur. Theseus was an early
king of Athens.
• Battle of lapiths and centaurs; Theseus fought on behalf
of his friend the Lapith king Peirthous
• Return of Hephaistos to Olympus. Reconciliation of Hera
with Hephaistos, after Dionysus got him drunk and Zeus
offered him Aphrodite as his wife. Satyrs ½ goat men
with erect phalluses drawn like horses unlike most other
sixth century Satyrs. Scene divided between joy and
conflicting emotions. This scene is one of the earliest
showing Dionysus.
• Cranes and Pygmies during Trojan war. Iliad Bk3.4-8
Earliest depiction of the
return of Hepiastos
• Figures are all named
• Most complete representation of the
myth
• At the far right
• Scene indicates a revel
• Maenad with cymbals and dancing
• Icthophallic satyr playing pipes
• Icthophallic satyr carrying wine skin
Hephaistos
• In front of band
• Rides icthophallic
mule
• Bearded
• Long robes
• Shows twisted feet
• Indicates lameness
• Reason why Hera
threw him out
Dionysos
– next
• Partially
preserved
• Leads the
mule with
Hephaistos
• Bearded
Aphrodite
• In front of Dionysos, looking towards
Dionysos
• Direction of scene changes
• Her role uncertain
• Literary references on her role in the story
• Suggested she was offered as a reward for
return of Hephaistos
• Dionysos turned down the reward
• Given to Hephaistos as his wife
• They are married in the Odyssey, assembly
of the gods.
Aphrodite
Zeus & Hera
Zeus
–Seated on a
throne
–Holds staff
–Hera
»Behind
him
»Seated on
throne
Ares & Athena
– Ares
» Seated on a block
» Head bowed
» Spear pointed down
» Indicates failure in his task to bring back
Hephaistos
– Athena
» Looks at Ares
» Points to him with one hand
» Other hand points towards procession
» As if to say this barbarian succeeded where
you failed
Ares & Athena