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World of Art
Athenian Red Figure Vases: The Archaic Period
The quality of Greek painting and the intrinsic interest of the figure subjects chosen for depiction were never greater than in Athens in the fifty years following the invention of the 'red figure' technique in about 530 BC. The period is covered in this sequel to Athenian Black Figure Vases, also written by John Boardman, Lincoln Professor Emeritus of Classical Archaeology and Art in Oxford. Professor Boardman illuminates the ancient art form by placing the painters and their vases within the history of Athens and the greater tradition of Greek mythology. 528 illus.
252 pages, Paperback
First published November 10, 1975
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May 28, 2022
Art history book about the ”red figure” era within ancient Greek vase painting as pertaining to the city-state of Athens. For the uninitiated, ancient Greek paintings started out depicting people's skin in black and details like hair, clothing etc in red – later on they switched to doing things the opposite way.
In this book, British art historian John Boardman goes into detail about the different techniques used for each style, how some painters shifted from one style to another and why this shift happened at all. You also get a crash course in the economics of how painted vases were produced and sold.
I was surprised to find out how easy it is to recognise individual ancient painters' signature styles and favourite subject matter, even in the cases of painters whose names remain unknown to this day because they did not sign their work. We learn which painters preferred working with which potters, who in turn had their own distinctive styles. The plentiful high-quality illustrations demonstrate examples of individual painters' own unique ways of depicting hair, eyes, musculature et cetera which I find insanely cool.
Even more fascinating information can be found in here about how those vase painters who did sign their work became sought-after celebrities, with Douris and Makron as the most famous examples. Later on, Boardman observes that the art of early Hellenic antiquity was relatively experimental and varied only to later develop increasingly elaborate painting styles and fixate on more narrow standardised subject matter at the same time. As a matter of fact, the author calls this stylistically accomplished but thematically uncreative later era ”Mannerism” after noticing the parallel to the similar ornate style of later Renaissance paintings. I find it uncanny how you can see the same social dynamics and economic incentives at work in the modern art world already present so early in human history.
A final note: The illustrations in this book make it clear that mullets were a popular hairstyle in ancient Greece, with many of the men having huge sideburns and beards of the type that would become popular in the 1970's. Which the 1991 re-release of the book which I own demonstrates on the cover in glorious fashion.
In this book, British art historian John Boardman goes into detail about the different techniques used for each style, how some painters shifted from one style to another and why this shift happened at all. You also get a crash course in the economics of how painted vases were produced and sold.
I was surprised to find out how easy it is to recognise individual ancient painters' signature styles and favourite subject matter, even in the cases of painters whose names remain unknown to this day because they did not sign their work. We learn which painters preferred working with which potters, who in turn had their own distinctive styles. The plentiful high-quality illustrations demonstrate examples of individual painters' own unique ways of depicting hair, eyes, musculature et cetera which I find insanely cool.
Even more fascinating information can be found in here about how those vase painters who did sign their work became sought-after celebrities, with Douris and Makron as the most famous examples. Later on, Boardman observes that the art of early Hellenic antiquity was relatively experimental and varied only to later develop increasingly elaborate painting styles and fixate on more narrow standardised subject matter at the same time. As a matter of fact, the author calls this stylistically accomplished but thematically uncreative later era ”Mannerism” after noticing the parallel to the similar ornate style of later Renaissance paintings. I find it uncanny how you can see the same social dynamics and economic incentives at work in the modern art world already present so early in human history.
A final note: The illustrations in this book make it clear that mullets were a popular hairstyle in ancient Greece, with many of the men having huge sideburns and beards of the type that would become popular in the 1970's. Which the 1991 re-release of the book which I own demonstrates on the cover in glorious fashion.
Displaying 1 of 1 review