Greek Pottery Research Paper

The knowledge about Ancient Greece is in dedication to its pottery. Due to its relative durability over the years, whether intact or in pieces, the history of Greece survived. Greek pottery thrived from 1000 BCE to 400 BCE and was meant for everyday use. Potters produced a variety of styles of all shapes and sizes with abstract, historical, and mythological designs showcasing everyday Greek life. Pottery back then was made similar to nowadays; pottery was made by shaping clay on a wheel, decorating the pot, and then heating the clay in a kiln. Despite the aesthetic achievements of Greek ceramics it was never respected as fine art. Greek pottery has evolved over the centuries creating a new decorative style for each period, these styles are Protogeometric, Geometric, Orientalizing, black-figure, red-figure, and white ground.
After

the collapse of the Minoan-Mycenaean civilization, the Greek Protogeometric style emerged around 1000 BCE to 900 BCE and signaled a reawaking to the creative spirit of pottery making. Protogeometric, or first-geometric is considered to be the time when Greece began to rise from the ‘Dark Age’. It comprised of simple shapes like circles, triangles, wavy lines, and arcs. The most popular form of Protogeometric designs were circles, semi-circles, and horizontal lines painted with multiple brushes solely in black and precisely placed. The shape of the Protogeometric style is focused on the center of gravity of the vase which is moved downwards with the feet and neck to become more articulated and stable (Cartwright). Protogeometric pottery was very popular in Kerameikos, north-west of the Acropolis.
The second style to emerge was Geometric pottery which flourished from 900 BCE to 700 BCE. The geometric style had phases, the early, middle and late. The Early Geometric era ran from 900-850 BCE, it was purely abstract and was also known as the ‘Black Dipylon’ due to extensive use of black varnish. The height was increased; decoration was from around the neck to the middle of the body. The rest was coated with a thin layer of clay and when fired turned to a dark metallic color. The Middle Geometric period took place from 850-770 BCE. The middle period was characterized by the rapid development of trade and the revival of contacts both with the East and between different Greek city-states. The middle period was when figures began to be painted more frequently like bands of animals such as horses, goats, and geese. The human figure became an established motif showing scenes of chariot processions, battles, and funerals. Also pottery during this period was the first to show narrative scenes. The decoration during this time became more ornate with the painter needing to fill every space, normally filling them with meanders or swastikas; this decorative style is called horror vacui. The Late Geometric period was the last and ran from 770-725 BCE. The late phase of the Geometric style is characterized mainly by monumental funerary vases. The best known funerary painter did not leave a signature so he is known as the Dipylon Master whose hand is recognized on many different vessels. The main characteristics of painting during this time were the Dipylon Krater and Dipylon Amphora. During the Geometric style of pottery, the epic poetry of Homer is said to have influenced some of the art.
Towards the end of the period in the 7th century BCE, the Orientalizing style emerged from the renewal of trade between Greece and the East and started in Corinth. The Orientalizing style lasted from 725 BCE to 600 BCE and is influenced by Egyptian and near Eastern art. This style uses multiple colors and shows a naturalistic representation. During this time, creatures such as lions, sphinxes, griffins, sirens, and chimeras dominated the vessels. To fill the empty space, painters used palmettes and lotus flowers instead of geometric shapes and patterns. These motifs and creatures were arranged in friezes and painted on the width of the vessel. Human figures were barely seen and shown in silhouette; their heads were drawn in outline, women were drawn completely in outline. The Corinthians created a silhouette technique to show detail by having black glaze engraved with thin lines. Thus the black-figure style emerged from the Orientalizing style and spread to Athens.
Athenians artists adopted the black-figure pottery and soon excelled over Corinth.

Black-figure pottery was a popular style from 620-480 BCE. Athens soon became the main spot for Greek pottery. The black-figure style had “black figures painted on a light inset background panel, while the surrounding vase surface is a deep, lustrous black” (“Greek Pottery”). The Black-figure style was made by applying a clay slip to the outside of the vessel. The vessel was then fired in an oxidation kiln which turns the slip red. With no oxygen the clay turns black. Next the potters trim and cut lines into the slip or add white and purple mixtures of clay and pigment to depict the details. During this period, painters and the potters started signing their work. Famous black-figure potters/painters were Sophilos, Exekias, the Amasis Painter, Kleitias, Andokides, Ergotimos, Lydos, Euthymides, and Nearchos. Kleitias is known for painting over two hundred figures in six friezes in the François Vase. Exekias an Attic painter is known for being master of technique. The Amasis Painter signed his name on twelve works all recognizably painted by the same

hand.
During the black-figure period, ceramicists began experimenting with a new style called red-figure from 530-480 BCE. Red-figure pottery is just the reverse of black-figure pottery meaning reddish figures appear light against the black background. The firing process is the same as black-figure pottery and happens in three stages, the oxidation stage, reduction of oxygen, and the reintroduction to air. The red-figure technique offered many possibilities and eventually replaced the black-figure technique. Drawing forms with a brush became better suited to represent the anatomy then did the vigorous and time consuming tracing with incisions. The red-figure technique allowed for a more naturalistic and aesthetically appealing depiction of human figures with three-quarter frontal profiles, linear perspective, foreshortening, and overlapping (“Greek Pottery”). Red-figure pottery was popular with depicting scenes of daily life. Famous red-figure potters/painters who tested the new possibilities were Douris, Brygos and Onesimos. Red-figure painting often occurred with white-ground painting, which is another technique.
The white ground technique has been around since 500 BCE and is unlike the better-known black-figure and red-figure techniques. It gets its color by outlining figures and utilizing paints on a white clay background. It gives off a more realistic effect and allows for colors like pink, red, violet, yellow, and blue, but is still less visually appealing.
The ancient Greeks used pottery as a means of storage, from oil to wine. Pottery brought the Greek civilization to life and is the primary source of information about Greek art. Pottery was made by shaping clay on a wheel, decorating the pot, and then heating the clay in a kiln. In early Greece, 1000 to 700 BCE, pots were decorated with geometric designs. The time period from about 700 to 550 BCE was known as the Oriental period and had influences from the Egyptian culture. From 620 to 480 BCE there were three different ceramic painting techniques, black-figure, red-figure, and white ground. Black-figure was the first of its kind where red-figure surpassed and introduced new perspective, overlapping, foreshortening, and profile. White ground painting was on non-standard materials such as ostrich eggs or ivory.
Works Cited
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