Greek Art: Vases

1. General figure painted on a slip of the selected colour (eg black)

2. The vase is then fired, which sets the design

3. Details are then etched in

Gorgons Pursuing Perseus: 580 BCE (6th Century Archaic)

Dinos (mixing jug) by the Gorgon Painter

Eastern Influence

• Orientalised patterning

• “Mistress of the animals” — Eastern motif associated with Medusa & Artemis

Pattern

• Banded design: all except the top have no narrative which is gorgons & Perseus on one side and a chariot battle on the other

• Etched wings and drapery pattern — uniform & rigid

• Procession broken by Medusa falling (this may evoke sympathy for her, which is atypical)

Chronological Accuracy

• Presence of Pegasus

• Medusa beheaded: spikes representative of blood

Pose

• Running-kneeling pose is typically archaic

• Gorgons: confrontational faces (large eyes, protruding tongue) twisted torso: apotropaic

• Winged shoes show movement

Divinity

• Athene present — draped

• Hermes present — Caduceus & Traveller’s cloak

Wedding of Thetis and Peleus: 580-570 BCE (6th Century Archaic)

Dinos (mixing jug) by Sophilos

Narrative & Individuals

• Dipinti used to identify individuals

• Peleus w/ kantharos welcoming guests

• Overlapping figures adds realism to the narrative

• Procession in relevant groups e.g.:

  • Aphrodite and Ares

  • Hermes and Apollo (holding lyre and singing)

  • Zeus and Hera

  • Muses and Fates in groups

  • Hephaestus alone, at the back on a donkey

  • Athene and Artemis (maidens)

Anatomy

• Long digits eg Dionysus & Hebe’s outstretched hands

• Fronted eye shows Egyptian influence

• Animals have elongated torsos

• Thin limbs

Colour

• White slip is used for women

• Red slip is used to accentuate details and animals eg Band 2

Pattern

• Banded design (only 1 narrative)

• Orientalising pattern

Francois Vase Side A: 550 BCE (6th Century Archaic)

Francois Vase Side B: 550 BCE (6th Century Archaic)

1. Calydonian Boarhunt

2. Chariot race from Patroclus’ funeral games

3. Wedding of Thetis & Peleus

4. Achilles ambushing Troilus (son of Priam)

1. Athenian youth & maidens crane dance, escaping the minotaur’s labyrinth

2. Centauromachy

3. Wedding of Thetis and Peleus

4. Return of Hephaestus to Olympus

Krater (mixing jug) by Kleitias (painter) & Ergotimos (potter)

• 1st vase with more than one narrative — moving away from orientalising pattern

• Continued use of depinti

• White slip still used for women

• Depth via overlapping figures such as the horses from Patroclus’ games

• Side A has themeatic links to Achilles’ loved ones

Archaic:

• Etched details are very intricate

• Fronted eye

• Elongated digits eg outstretched arms of youth

• Minimal variation in pose eg processing youth and horses

Dionysus and the Maenads: 540-535 BCE (6th Century Archaic)

Amphora (wine storage) by the Amasis Painter

Archaic Anatomy

• Long digits — very slim and elongated feet, Dionysus; fingers are also long

• Fronted eye

• Braided hair

Pattern

• Minimal oriental patterning however some is included within the narrative

• Complex on drapery — individualises Maenads

• Symmetrical curls & braids

• Use of black slip only (skin of Maenads is simply the background colour)

Pose

• Mirrored Maenads draped arms — depth

• Stiff drapery - no folds

Dionysus Attributes

• Ivy wreath (worn at Symposia)

• Holding kantharos (deep drinking vase)

• Bearded - older

Maenads Attributes

• Holding ivy vine which also creates pattern & fills blank space

• Wild animals present - hare & panther hide - offering to Dionysus. These are associated with maenads

Dionysus Sailing on the Ocean: 540-530 BCE (6th Century Archaic)

Kylix (drinking cup) by Exekias.

Large Exterior Eyes

Scott: joke — observation at symposia, comedically alters one’s appearance

Spivey: apotropaic — reminder that the gods are still watching at symposia

Narrative

• Innovative in function — narrative is revealed as the wine is drank.

• Symbols (dolphins & ivy) from the narrative (pirates turned into dolphins & ivy overtaking the ship) used to create pattern and fill the space

Pose

Reclining — typical of Dionysus

Pattern

Innovative but somewhat formulaic — eg spacing of leaves, dolphins identical

Colour

White slip used for the mast of the ship (interior of kylix) only: draws eye to the core of the narrative

Achilles & Ajax Playing Dice: 540-530 BCE (6th Century Archaic)

Amphora (wine storage) by Exekias

• Inventive: depinti used both traditionally and as speech bubbles (Achilles says 4 and Ajax says 3 (their roll)) to allude victory

• Rest of vase is blacked out to draw focus to the scene

• Body language characterises the individuals — Ajax holds spears tightly while Achilles holds them loosely. Anxious versus relaxed.

• Spears align with the handles of the amphora — creates a subtle pattern & meets at the dice game, guiding vision.

• Very complex pattern eg stars on robes — trait of Exekias

• Foreshadowing the outcome of the Trojan war

1. A terracotta vase is painted black for the background after the plan is sketched

2. Details are also painted on rather than etched into the vase — this means that line weight can be varied

Euthymides and Euphronios (530-505 BCE) were known for being experimental with their pottery, for example using foreshortening to create a 3D effect on a 2D base. They were also rivals.

Anatomy, contrasted figures, depth/ perspective

Everyday/ relatable scenes for Greeks at Symposia, friends individualised by dipinti

Dionysus/Herakles feasting in the presence of Athena: 530-510 BCE (6th Century Late Archaic)

Amphora (wine storage) by Lysippides and the Andokides Painter (Bi-Lingual Painters)

Both Dionsyus and Herakles are sons of Zeus by mortal women

The replica of the same scenes in different mediums encourages comparison of the techniques

Differentiation

• Herakles: weapons (sword & quiver of arrows) present, defined musculature eg pectorals and biceps, Athene & Hermes (known via petasos and winged boots) present (typically together helping heroes), as well as a slave boy mixing wine and water in a dinos.

• Dionysus: wearing a wreath of ivy (worn at symposia), only Athene is present (Dionysus was seen as an outsider as he originated from the East)

Comparison

• Red-figure vase has more refined detail eg more folds within the drapery, Dionysus’ leg revealed through drapery, more complex pattern on Athene’s drapery

• Black-figure vase has less depth eg Herakles’ kantharos blends in with his skintone, and his hair and skin are the same both black

Herakles and Antaios: 515-510BCE (6th Century Late Archaic)

Krater by Euphronios (one of the Pioneers)

Antaios was a giant and the son of Gaia, a Titan goddess. Antaios fought Herakles on the way to his 11th labour (the apples of Hesperides).

Herakles defeated him by lifting him from the ground (as he gained strength from his mother, the earth) and crushing him in a bear hug fashion.

Herakles — attributes

• Nemean lionskin & club behind him

Anatomy & Pose

• High focus on anatomy: columnar tendons in leg, excessive musculature e.g. Antaios abdominals and hips.

• Women in the back: parting diagonals, replication of grief pose, drapery flows with their action and adds the frenzy of the scene.

• The women in the background are on a much smaller scale — this creates a foreground and a background.

Emotion & Differentiation

• Herakles maintains a blank expression while Antaios furrows his brow.

• Antaios’ display of musculature perhaps contrasts Herakles’ to show how great an accomplishment his defeat was .

• Antaios has longer and straight hair, as well as a long beard typical as a representation of foreigners. Herakles maintains the cropped and curled hair typical of Greek male identity.

Hector Arming/ Three Men Carousing: 510BCE (6th Century Late Archaic)

Amphora by Euthymides (one of the Pioneers)

• Tones on either side are strongly contrasting

• Inscribed with “As never Euphronios [could do]”
  Figures are spaced — almost no overlap. Ensures space on the vase is filled

Three Men Carousing:

• Juxtaposes seriousness of alternate scene.

• Less focus on anatomy (eg the feet) however lots of intricacy regarding perspective:

  • torsos seen from behind, front, and side

  • range in arm movement eg holding kantharos in front of body holding cane behind the head

  • drapery wrapped around the arms and falling elegantly from the body

• Symposia scene (ivy wreaths on head) — not usually nude

Hector Arming:

• Depicts Hector with his father (Priam) to his left with his head bowed and his mother (Hecuba) to his right, who hands him his helmet

• Solemnity of the scene perhaps foreshadows his death

• Early use of foreshortening visible on Hector’s feet

• Age is testified as Priam is balding on the top of his head

• Evidently little interest in ‘other’ing the figures from Greeks

Herakles and the Amazons: 510BCE (6th Century Late Archaic)

Krater by Euphronios (one of the pioneers)

Depth

• Overlapped figures:

  • Fallen warrior

  • Mirrored Amazonian archers

• Foreshortening:

  • Archer (right) leg turned towards viewer — sole of foot visible

Characterisation of Herakles

• Mirrored Amazonian archers positioned against Herakles alone = 1 v. 2 = characterises him as strong

• Herakles is only protected on his head by the Namean lionskin — heroic nudity

Differentiation

• Nudity versus Phrygian-style outfits

• Weapons: Herakles = club Amazons = bows (Greeks considered hand-hand combat superior)

Anatomy

• Clear abdominal muscles and tendons

Neck

• Krater = mixing bowl of symposia — neck of case depicts a scene of symposium with individualised figured e.g. one plays the flute, different dances, facing different directions

Dionysus and the Maenads: 500-490BCE (5th Century Late Archaic)

Amphora by the Kleophrades Painter.

The pioneer Euthymides.

• Neck of Vase

  An athletic scene depicting discus and javelin throwing — this typical Greek activity contrasts the exoticism of the other scene encompassing the body of the vase.

• Characterisation of Dionysus

  • Hyde skin draped around his neck

  • Kantharos

  • Long hair & beard

  • Ivy symposia wreath

  • People with him in the narrative (maenads and satyrs*)

* Satyrs are thereomorphic beings which typically represent the opposite of ideal Greek behaviour e.g. excessive drinking and lust

• Individualised Maenads

  • Depicted as powerful, fighting against satyrs eg hitting one with a thyrsus (associated with Dionysus’ cult)

  • Different hairstyles and drapery

  • Heads falling back, mouths slightly open — state of ecstasy relating to the mystery cult’s practice of using hallucinogenics to help with reaching an epiphany

• Drapery

  • Used excessively to create an intricate pattern

  • Invisible drapery reveals Dionysus’ leg

Contrasting narratives, spaced figures, large range of perspectives and foreshortening of a maenad’s foot.

The Trojan War: 490-480BCE (5th Century Late Archaic)

The Persians attacked the North first & some Northern Greeks joined their troops, forming a very big army. The Greeks expected to lose.

Hydria by the Kleophrades Painter

• Greek Transgression:

  Two counts of hubris — Neoptolemus murdering Astyanax on an altar, and Ajax about to assault Cassandra, who is clinging to a statue of Athene. This reflects the artist’s opinion on war & shows the impact on civilians.

• Pathos posing:

  • Unnamed women with head in hands (in grief pose)

  • Astyanax draped over Priam’s lap, fully exposed to viewers

  • Dead warrior on the floor

  • Aeneas’ knee buckling under Anchises’ weight

• Individuality:

  • Children are differentiated with small and slim bodies

  • Age of Priam and Anchises are alluded to via balding hair & Anchises’ crutch

  • Soldiers have different helmets

• Red slip:

  Innovatively used to depict blood — it is loosely painted onto Astyanax’s body and spattered on Priam.

• Cassandra:

  Shocking frontal nudity emphasises her vulnerability.

Achilles and Hector/ Memnon: 490-460 BCE (5th Century Late Archaic/ Classical)

Krater by the Berlin Painter

• Layout:

  Beyond the patterning above, the rest of the vase is strikingly blacked out other than the scenes on the neck of the vase.

• Diagonals:

  Very strong use of diagonals exemplified via use of spears and outstretched limbs details the dynamic conflict of the scenes.

• Spacing:

  Individuals are very spaced however this space is still filled with weaponry and shields and outstretched limbs.

• Pose:

  • Individuals identified via dipinti

  • Mothers — Thetis and Eos — beside Achilles and Memnon, the Trojan ally Ethiopian king. Eos is in grief pose, which foreshadows his loss.

  • Patrons Athene & Apollo are beside Achilles and Hector — Athene’s hands are outstretched in support of Achilles while Apollo is leaving Hector to his fate.

  • Hector is falling backwards — lesser of Memnon, less confident.

Treasury

• Dramatic and chaotic overlap

• Use of armour — politics

• Corpse of Antilocus

Krater

• Grief pose — foreshadowing

• Diagonals — action

Active from 480 BCE — late fifth century BCE.

They use red figure technique in an archaising manner which revives some of the black figure features eg elongated figures with small heads, stiff drapert, and images frame with ornamentation.

Perseus and Medusa: 460BCE (5th Century Classical)

Hydria by the Pan Painter

Unusual depiction of the Medusa myth.

• Perseus:

  Leaps forward, peering behind him (a pose typical of the Pan Painter) — this makes Perseus seem tentative. He is also slender, which is atypical.

• Medusa:

  • Not apotropaic — her head in Perseus’ bag has her eyes closed — no power, looks serene

  • Red slip is used to show blood seeping from her neck which ostensibly emphasises her victimhood

  • She holds herself up on her fingertips with her legs tucked to the side of her — delicate

• Athena:

  In media res, daintily holding her dress up with her fingertips to run. The dress is a thin material which uses the transparent drapery technique, revealing her leg beneath — it also has delicate patterning eg soft swirls and hemming. Unusual depiction of Athene in which she seems more like a maiden, besides her helmet and spear.

• Sparkes:

  “A dainty ballet dance”

• Layout:

  The scene is unusually high up, on the shoulders of the vase. The rest of the vase is blacked out beyond the Maender pattern framing of the scene.

Boreas and Oreithyia: 480-460BCE (5th Century Classical)

Oinochoe (To pour wine) by the Pan Painter

Depicts the kidnapping of Oreithyia, an Athenian princess and daughter of king Erechtheius, who was raped by Boreas, the god of the North wind.

• Narrative in one direction with the two women fleeing from Boreas — continuous feel

• Movement of drapery emphasises the action — cloak of maid or sister and curved folds of the skirt

• Two women in a mirrored pose replicating the grief pose — sympathetic