Attic Red Figure Hydria

The cultural history of artefacts is a rewarding field of enquiry for understanding the many different ways that certain objects have been seen and valued in the past.

Attic red figure hydria.

With over 20 000 extant pieces attic black figure vases comprise the largest and at the same time most significant vase collection second only to attic red figure vases. Tiverios elliniki techni museum. Beazley archive pottery. Red figure with purple white.

The kalpis is the rounded form of a hydria or water vessel favored by red figure artists in this period. Aeneas flees with his father anchises on his back and his son askanios leading the way. 460 50 b c e 54 x 56 cm musée du louvre speakers. Niobid painter niobid krater attic red figure calyx krater c.

Kleophrades painter greek attic active 505 475 b c. Beazley attic black figure vase painters oxford 1956 254 257. Beth harris and dr. Attic pottery was exported to magna graecia and even etruria the preference for attic vases led to the development of local south italian and etrurian workshops or schools strongly influenced by attic style but producing exclusively for local markets.

From handle left to right. Hydria signed on the shoulder by meidias as maker function. For discussion see j d. Naples museo nazionale archeologico size.

The striking meander decoration around the rim of the hydria appears in other works attributed to or in the manner of the lysippides painter for example a krater f306 in the musee du louvre paris. Red figure pottery is a style of greek vase painting that was invented in athens around 530 bce. Red figure pottery grew in popularity and by the early 5th century bce it had all but replaced black figure pottery as the predominant pottery type in athens. Hydria of kalpis type rounded shoulder function.

The style is characterized by drawn red figures and a painted black background. Expansive style with emotionally charged single figures and groups subject s. On this athenian red figure kalpis a tree bends over herakles and the lion indicating that the action takes place outdoors. In the 5th century attic fine pottery now predominantly red figure maintained its dominance in the markets.

Figure 1 attic red figure hydria attributed to the meidias painter 420 400 bc trustees of the british museum london. Attic potters benefitted from the excellent iron rich clay found in attica. The three handles of the shape facilitated pouring and lifting. Attic red figure meidias painter s name vase view larger image view larger image photographs.

London british museum size. High quality attic black figure vases have a uniform glossy pitch black coating and the color. Other features such as the type of ornament framing the panel also suggest that this vase comes from the later phase of the kleophrades painter s career.