GREEK POTTERY FORM AND FUNCTION
Feb 23, 2016
GREEK POTTERYFORM AND FUNCTION
Back Ground
• Where few paintings and statues survive, thousands of pieces of pottery survive and help historian reconstruct the Greek world.
• Pottery vessels were used in a variety of ways including: storage, transport, mixing, jugs, cups.
• There are many periods of Greek Pottery, we will study 4 ………….
Geometric Style
• 9th – 8th centuries B.C.• Characterized by geometric shapes, patterns,
and triangles• Considered abstract and relies on dark black
varnishes• Patterns of animals appeared including birds,
horses, goats
Orientalizing
• 8th-7th centuries B.C.• Influenced by trade with Asia Minor and the
resulting cultural fusion• Retained many patterns and motifs of earlier
periods but artists began to depict a variety of scenes from everyday life often incorporating humans.
Black Figure
• 620-480 B.C.• Greek artists began to experiment with
methods to achieve greater detail• This period saw artists depict both animals
and humans in varying scenes of everyday life.
Red Figure
• Pioneered by the Athenians beginning in 480 B.C.
• Artists worked to capture much greater anatomical detail and used the 3/4th profile
• Potters achieved this finer detail by experimenting with different clays, paints, and firing methods.