The Athena Painter and Attic Ceramics styles.

 We think of Classical Ceramics progressing from Geometric through Archaic to Red Figure and Black Figure and Polychrome on White Ground but styles were not quite so neatly divided.

An artist known as the Athena painter seemed to have preferred a very pale almost white clay and used black but almost some red and used incision as well as painting. Note how the fine lines of the robe and details on the horse are incised through black slip but most of the rest of the image is painted. 

On the Importance of Pottery - Four

 ON THE IMPORTANCE OF POTTERY - FOUR 

A brief note on how Pottery styles reflect cultural and technological changes 

The Red figure White Ground and Black Figure Vessel of the Attic Classical era dwindled in production disappearing in the Hellenistic era..

The Cause? Probably Alexander's defeat of the Persians! 

Other Causes? Yes. Read on.

With Alexanders defeat of the Persians Ionian and other Greek cities in Asia minor underwent a cultural revival. Athens was no longer the major cultural centre. 

Wealth flowed into Greece. Returned soldiers spent money on metal. 

The specialists who made handles and sprigs and painted the thrown vessels became painters of walls or makers of mosaics and ... an biggie!  ... new developments in using molds allowed for mass production of objects like "Megarian" ware.

The Greek may have used molds prior to this to shape handles but using molds for mass production was something new! 

I have done pottery and while I suck at throwing from what I learnt and bowls I have seen it seems like bowls were being thrown and then placed in molds to dry 

However some potters and workshops in Athens used the "West Slope" style derived from black figure.

If we had just the pots and no literature or history texts we would know something happened in Greece and Asia Minor. Ceramics became less treasured. We know Roman collectors valued something called Corinthinian bronze and other gold and silver or glass objects which have not survived or survived in far lower numbers.

Ceramics however can not be melted down. You can grind them into small pieces for grog to stiffen clays but ... 

Ceramics of course were still being made.

The Athenians and other mainland or Asia Minor Greek studios and workshops also had to compete with workshops in Southern Italy Tuscany and other places. 

But South Italian pottery is a theme for another post!

Athena Disrobing

 

Classical art of various eras Greek and later is often described as humanistic

Here is one example that shows why pottery is as important an expression of Greek Classical culture as literature or drama or history.

This is Athena disrobing from her armored glory!

One tendril of hair has come loose from the headband binding it up to fit under her helmet.

Her robes have slid off her shoulders until we can see her transparent under gown.

One might doubt this is the goddess and perhaps rather a mortal woman dressed as the goddess for she seems so human here but the tiny owl or owlet is perhaps a touch of humor or a reminder this is indeed the patron goddess of Athens depicted.

THe beauty and excelleence of gods and humans alike is praised and depicted in Greek Classical art.

Kamares Ware - Two

 Kamares ware Two 

This is Minoan Kamares Ware.

We know there was a tin trade route exporting ceramics and wine from the Mediterranean up to Britain and British tin and other items vice versa. 

While to my knowledge no Kamares ware has been found in Britain I wonder seeing these spirals if there were metal versions of this that reached Britain or Central Europe and influenced later Celtic art?

Kamares Ware

#minoan #greek #ceramics 

KAMARES WARE

While Minoan Ceramics tend to be treated as being not quite "greek" they are just as "hellenic" as Cycladic or Helladic ceramics. They share the same characteristics of balanced functional forms and geometric decoration. 

But you say its got spirals!

Yes but those spirals are the ancestors of the meander patterns of later art and note the geometry and symmetry! So Hellenic!

 

On the Importance of Pottery - Three

 On the Importance of Pottery - Three 

Lets look at some very EARLY Hellenic ceramics 

Neolithic from Dimini in Northern Greece

Helladic from Aegina 

Helladic again 

Seeing a theme ?

From the earliest times there's an interest in balanced forms and geometrical decoration.

And Handles really good handles! Functional ware with beauty! 

Classical forms BEFORE the Classical era