20 - Black Figure Vases

Question 1

First appearance of human figure on vase

Answer 1

Towards the end of the middle geometric.

Question 2

Geometric human figures

Answer 2

Almost exclusively silhouettes. No incision, additional details.

Question 3

Early Protocorinthian

Answer 3

720-700. Corinthian workshop makes ample use of the outline. Horse is painted in silhouette, but man is shown in outline.

Question 4

Middle Protocorinthian

Answer 4

670-650. Not only combining silhouette and outline, but also incorporating incision. For lion vase, incising certain parts of it.

Question 5

Early Wild Goat Style Vase

Answer 5

640-30. Lots of friezes of animals. Still using silhouette and outline at this point.

Question 6

Late Wild Goat Style Vase

Answer 6

600-575. The Wild Goat Style people realize that they are losing the competition against the Corinthian workshops…they start to imitate

Question 7

Analatos Painter

Answer 7

Early Protoattic (700-675). One of the earliest artistic personalities that we can define according to style. Bodies of male figures are in silhouette, but the faces, and female dresses are in outline. This is what brings him at the verge between Geometric and Archaic. Where and how he renders the eyes is distinctive - a circle with an iris in the middle. They are very huge and pressed against the foreheads of the figures. Remember that at this time, Corinthian workshop dominated, so Attic followed.

Question 8

Polyphemus Painter

Answer 8

Middle Protoattic (675-30). Blinding Polyphemos. Making use of outline in the body and white slip to emphasize Odysseus versus the others. White slip on faces, and black figure techniques used, not extensively but for minor details like the toes and hands. Bodies are muscular and heavy, with emphasis on the buttocks. Small heads.

Question 9

Nessos Painter

Answer 9

635-600. Ample use of the black figure technique. One of the earliest painters in Athens to use inscriptions to label the figures in the vase.Chooses not to sign the vase. Large figures on large vases. Ample use of black figure technique, yet anticipation of the red figure technique in some vases. Obsessed with doubling of lines. Interested in the use of additional red slip

Question 10

Gorgon painter

Answer 10

An early Athenian painter who focuses on the Gorgon narrative. The namesake vase shows some kind of connection to Corinthian - though there is a figurative narrative, he continues a very Corinthian style of having repetitive animals in friezes. May be dealing with either a guy who studied in Corinth or immigrated to Athens. Extensive use of incisions like the Nessos painter. Yet less outlining figures - mostly incision is used to create details and not outlines. Good but not as perfect as Nessos.

Question 11

Sophilos

Answer 11

580-570/60. The first Athenian to sign his work - a certain level of confidence. Most famous work is a handleless vase. Shows an affection towards the Corinthian with friezes. Ambitions with motifs and narratives - first one with so many figures, ample use of white slip, decorations on the slips, extremely detailed dresses, inscriptions. Yet! Ambition is not always matched by skill. Lines - losing control over stylus in some places, and figures are not always closed.

Question 12

Kleitias

Answer 12

Francois Vase - 570/60. Most famous vase from this period in Attica. Many human and animal figures (270), 121 inscriptions. Mad skills and imagination, with lots of variety in scenes and accurate use of incision. Names everything - even a dead dog and inanimate objects. Really showing off that he is an educated artist. Several scenes: Calydonian hunt, funeral games for Patroklos, Wedding of Peleus and Thetis, Troilos chased by Achilles

Question 13

Nearchos

Answer 13

570-555. Probably immediate predecessor of Exekias. One to start a series of masterpieces in Athenian vase painting. Stylus work is extreme - could rival Exekias. Use of stylus like a brush. Extremely experimental with black figure technique - making work interesting because he had mastered the stylus. Experimental colors: white on the horse covers much of the body so as to imitate outline, giving the impression that horse was made in outline and covered with while slip. Use of different slip to create grey color

Question 14

Lydos

Answer 14

560-40. Name indicates he or his family immigrated to Athens from Lydia. During this period more and more artists coming to Athens from outside. Static and theatrical compositions (gestures), with little movement when it comes to dresses. They rest almost like a column. Slender satyrs.

Question 15

Amasis Painter

Answer 15

560-25. One of the three most important black vase painters. Don’t know his name but he worked with Amasis/Egypt. Not totally original in his topics. Liked portraying Dionysus. Extremely accurate lines, obsession with wavy lines for hair, beard, etc. Often uses outline to demarcate a female body - anticipation of red figure. Sacred dialogue between Poseidon and Athena - could be an early allusion to the myth of the patron of Attica. Emphasized the hairiness/fatness/animalism of his satyrs.

Question 16

Exekias

Answer 16

550-30. The end and apogee of black figure technique. Innovative. Achilles killing Queen of Amazons. His masterpiece - Achilles and Ajax throwing the dice. Image is almost alive…tableau vivant. Innovator with technique - may have invented coral red by mistake in firing process. Kidnapping of Dionysus by pirates - they become dolphins and sea becomes wine. Likes changing a lot of classical topics represented: showing the preparation for Ajax’s suicide for example - psychological anxiety.