What Is Black Figure Vase Painting?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

, , , ,

Black figure pottery was a pottery painting technique started in the early 7th century BCE. As opposed to the outline technique of pottery where the painter would denote a

figure by leaving the flesh unpainted with a black outline

, black figure painting resulted in the entirety of the flesh portrayed in black.

What is the difference between red and black-figure vases?

Red-figure is

essentially the reverse of black figure

: the background is filled in with a fine slip and has a black colour after firing, while the figures are reserved. Details are added using fine brushes instead of through incision, allowing the artists to add a greater level of detail to their art.

What is the purpose of black figure pottery?

Black figure pottery was a pottery painting technique started in the early 7th century BCE. As opposed to the outline technique of pottery where the painter would denote a

figure by leaving the flesh unpainted with a black outline

, black figure painting resulted in the entirety of the flesh portrayed in black.

What were 2 types of figure painting on vases?

What are the two types of figure painting on Greek vases? The two most popular techniques of vase decoration were

the black-figure technique

, so-named because the figures were painted black, and the red-figure technique, in which the figures were left the red color of the clay.

How were the red-figure vases painted?

This technique of vase painting is essentially the reverse of black-figure vase painting. In the red-figure technique,

the background of a vessel’s surface is coated with a black slip

. The decorative figures are left to stand out in reserve, that is, in the red-orange color of the base clay.

What is black figure pottery made of?

The black color in black figure pottery is not a pigment or dye, but a result of

firing clay in the kiln

. As the vases were being made, a liquid clay called slip was applied to patch up weak areas or hold pieces together.

Who invented black figure painting?

The Athenians, who began to use the technique at the end of the 7th century bce, retained the Corinthian use of animal friezes for decoration until c. 550 bce, when the great Attic painters, among them

Exekias

and the Amasis Painter, developed narrative scene decoration and perfected the black-figure style.

What are the two colors of vase painting techniques?

The two most popular techniques of vase decoration were the black-figure technique, so-named because the figures were painted black, and

the red-figure technique

, in which the figures were left the red color of the clay.

What does amphora mean in English?

1 :

an ancient Greek jar or vase with a large oval body, narrow cylindrical neck

, and two handles that rise almost to the level of the mouth broadly : such a jar or vase used elsewhere in the ancient world. 2 : a 2-handled vessel shaped like an amphora.

What style of vase painting is focused on the red color figure?

Red-figure vase painting is one of the most important styles of

figural Greek vase painting

. It developed in Athens around 520 BC and remained in use until the late 3rd century BC. It replaced the previously dominant style of black-figure vase painting within a few decades.

What style is black-figure ceramics?

Black-figure pottery painting, also known as the black-figure style or black-figure ceramic (Greek, μελανόμορφα, melanomorpha) is

one of the styles of painting on antique Greek vases

. It was especially common between the 7th and 5th centuries BC, although there are specimens dating as late as the 2nd century BC.

Who invented the vase?


The ancient Egyptians

are thought to be the earliest civilisation to have used vases for decorative purposes. Indeed, it was in ancient Egypt that we have the first evidence of vases being used to store flowers, as we do today. These vases were, however, quite basic in shape and design.

Why vase is an art?

Some artists use the vessel, some use “boats”, some use “houses”, some a rectangular canvas. The vase is

a format for exploration, for self expression

, and I use it often. The classic vases, Egyptian or Greek especially, have a voice for me. They are purposeful, often conveying thoughts or capturing a moment in time.

What do you call the red figured pottery in the Greek?


Red-figure Pottery

is a style of Greek vase painting that was invented in Athens around 530 BCE. The style is characterized by drawn red figures and a painted black background. … This allowed for greater detail than in black-figure pottery, for lines could be drawn onto the figures rather than scraped out.

Which pottery painters worked in the red-figure technique?

The figures were decorative rather than naturalistic. The most important artists from this period are

Oltos, Epictetus, Euphronius, Euthymides, Onesimos, Douris, and the Brygos Painter

.

What is a Greek vase called?

Made of terracotta (fired clay), ancient Greek pots and cups, or “vases” as they are normally called, were fashioned into a variety of shapes and sizes (see above), and very often a vessel’s form correlates with its intended function. … Or, the vase known as

a hydria

was used for collecting, carrying, and pouring water.

Jasmine Sibley
Author
Jasmine Sibley
Jasmine is a DIY enthusiast with a passion for crafting and design. She has written several blog posts on crafting and has been featured in various DIY websites. Jasmine's expertise in sewing, knitting, and woodworking will help you create beautiful and unique projects.