Greek Archaic Period 800-480 BCPart 1: Orientalizing Pottery

750-650 BC

A Glance Back

• Mycenaean civilization ended around the 12th century B.C.

• The Greek dark ages lasted from 1150-750 century B.C.

• The Geometric Period ranged from about 1050 – 700 BC

• A new phase began thereafter: Orientalizing Period:

Orientalizing Pottery

• The Orientalizing period began approx. 750 BC and ended in approx. 650 century B.C.

• During this period there was an increase in trade between Greece, Egypt and Middle East. This caused the cultures to borrow ideas from each other and the Greek pottery reflected this, hence the name “Orientalizing”, referring to the Middle East and Egypt, not China.

What’s the difference?

Difference in Design

• There is a more realistic rendering of creatures and humans on the pots

• Multiple figures are placed all the way around the piece

Mythological creatures

• Images of sphinx’s and other Egyptian and middle-eastern creatures of myth become common due to influence

Difference in Methods

• Two different groups began to create orientalizing pottery: Athenians and the Corinthians

• The Corinthian orientalizing potter was known as proto-Corinthian

• The Athenian orientalizing pottery was known as proto-attic

Proto-Corinthian

• Proto-Corinthian became much more advanced than its Athenian counterpart

Proto-Attic

• Proto-Attic (Athenian) pottery began later than the proto-Corinthian .

• Their style was based on proto-Corinthian and kept more of the geometric designs of the last period.

A look Forward• These figures that are painted in black are the

first use of a style that will be used more often in a later period known as black figure pottery

Archaic PeriodPart 2: Black and Red Figure Vase

Painting

600-late 480 BC

Black Figure Vase Painting

• Common between 600’s-500’s BC.– Just after the Orientalizing period.

• Technique:– Silhouetted shapes were painted on a jar using a liquid

clay known as slip.– Details on these shapes were produced by incising or

scratching into the slip. – When fired, the image turned black, background remained

color of clay.• Images were realistically portrayed.

– Designs on pots based on pot’s function.

Black Figure Vase Painting

• First art style to give rise to a significant number of identifiable artists (sign their work)– Exekias (500’s BC) famous black figure vase

painter.• Many of his works feature key moments in the lives of

the gods

Black Figure Vase Painting

• Exekias: “Dionysus in a ship”, 530 BC– signed

(ΕΧΣΕΚΙΑΣ ΕΠΟΕΣΕ)

Black Figure Vase Painting

• Group E (550–525)A large, self contained collection of artisans, considered to be the most important anonymous group producing black-figure Attic pottery.

Hoplitodromos: Race with armor

Black Figure Vase Painting

• Focus on Mythological scenes

Wrestling of Peleus and Atalanta for the funerary games of king Pelias, 550 BC

Heracles kills the Nemean Lion, 560-540 BC

Red Figure Vase Painting• Began 530 BC in Athens– New experiment, paint slip on everything but the figure.– Allowed one to paint in details rather than incising them.– Replaced Black figure painting.– Name comes from reddish figures against black

background.– Largest produces: Attica, S. Italy– Attic red figure Vases exported to many areas.

• Produced in Athens: 40,000 specimens survive today.• S. Italy: more than 20,000 survive today.

– Some vases can be ascribed to an individual or school

Red Figure Vase Painting

• Technique:– It is the reverse of black figure technique.– Paintings were applied to the shaped but unfired vessels

after they had dried to a leathery, near-brittle texture.– The outlines of the intended figures were drawn either

with a blunt scraper, leaving a slight groove – The space between figures was filled with a glossy grey

clay slip. – The vases underwent triple-phase firing, during which the

glossy clay reached its characteristic black or black-brown color

Red Figure Vase Painting

• The invention of the technique normally is accredited to the Andokides Painter.

• The Pioneer Group: full exploitation of the possibilities of the red-figure technique. active between 520 and 500 BC – Figures appeared in new perspectives, such as

frontal or rear views – Foreshortening: used for “Perspective” (depth)

Red Figure Vase Painting

Warriors flanked by Hermes and Athena, Andokides Painter, 530 BC.

Athletes preparing for a competition, ascribed to Euphronios (Pioneer Group), 510-500 BC