Black Figure vases

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Black Figure vases
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Proscribed vases

• 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

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"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

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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

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General BackgroundPg 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?

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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.

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Symposium
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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

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Side A
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Side A
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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

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Side B
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Inner HandleLeft and right viewed from side A

• Artemis as mistress of wild animals (Potnia
  Theron)
• Left
• Artemis as winged goddes holding lions in each
  hand below Ajax stumbles has he carries
  Achilless body and a spear then a gorgon

right
left
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Potnia theron left
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Potnia theron right handle

• Artemis as winged goddes holding panther and stag
  below this as shown on next slide Ajax stumbles
  has he carries Achilless body then there is a
  gorgon

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Ajax stumbles as he carries Achilless body
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Right Handle gorgon
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Left Gorgon
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Kalydonian boar hunt
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Kalydonian boar hunt
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Kalydonian boar hunt
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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.

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Making this pot add details to this brief
outline from CH 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.

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The figures

• 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.

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Dancer
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Satyrs

• This scene is divided between joy at Hephaistos
  return and conflicting emotions from Hera and
  Aphrodite

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• Satyrs ½ goat men with erect phalluses drawn with
  horselike bodies unlike most other sixth century
  Satyrs. Satyrs accompany Dionysus.

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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

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These are some of the earliest paintings showing
Dionysus.
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Zeus and Heras Chariot
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Ergotimos Signature
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Kleitas Signature
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Composition

• Clear and well knit.
• Mass figures in shallow focus of the pictorial
  field. (eight people deep in wedding procession)

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Inscriptions

• Polyxenas Hydria
• Priams Stool
• The fountain.
• Ergotimos mepoisen Ergotimos made me
• Kleitias megraphsen Kleitias painted me
• (by Chariot of Zeus and Hera / on neck)

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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 CH pg 23-24
  and Classical Mythology, M. Findlay then
  summarise the main points.

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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

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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

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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

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Hephaistos

• In front of band
• Rides icthophallic mule
• Bearded
• Long robes
• Shows twisted feet
• Indicates lameness
• Reason why Hera threw him out

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Dionysos

• next
• Partially preserved
• Leads the mule with Hephaistos
• Bearded

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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.

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Aphrodite
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Zeus Hera

• Zeus
• Seated on a throne
• Holds staff
• Hera
• Behind him
• Seated on throne

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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

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Ares Athena