preview

Ancient Greek Vase Analysis

Decent Essays

Perhaps one of the most well-known staples of ancient Greek art is the vase – constructed from clay and decorated with black glaze to depict culturally relevant scenes, stories, and events, ancient Greek pottery is instrumental to our modern understanding of ancient Greek society. Thanks to the sturdiness of the fired terra cotta from which these pieces are made, archaeologists have been able to uncover a plethora of these vases and vessels and analyze them to gather otherwise unknowable information about the time in which they were made. The vases are most commonly categorized by shape and by the era in which they were made – several different artistic styles and movements are documented via the decorations and art on these vases. Some of …show more content…

On the front, typical of all Panathenaic amphorae, is an image of Athena holding a spear, featuring a limited but still visually striking use of color. Dark red and white adorn her apparel, helmet, and shield. Her skin is also colored with a whiteish tone – this detail is perhaps a tradition left over from the much earlier Minoan civilization, whose art made the visual distinction of female from male with lighter skin tones. Incised lines are used to depict intricate decorations on her tunic. In this panel, Athena is flanked on either side by Doric columns, an inscription running up the side of one, and roosters atop both. The significance of the roosters remains unknown, but some have theorized that the presence of the birds could have something to do with the Greek word for rooster, alektruon, which means defender, while others suggest that they are symbolic of Zeus, Athena’s father. The neck and the foot of the vase are decorated on both sides. The back of the vase displays a scene from a stadion footrace, the event for which this prize would have been awarded. All 5 athletes in the panel assume the heroically nude state that was more than common in Greek society, and detailed musculature is delineated with the use of incised lines. As with Athena on the other side, Minoan influence is evident in the scene, evidenced by the pinched waists if the runners. Beyond the focal points of both scenes, no details are used to indicate their surrounding landscape, in a very similar fashion to the Berlin painter’s style. Also like the Berlin painter, there is evidence of perspective, as the athlete’s legs and arms overlap each other to provide a sense of relative space, however, this detail disappears on the other side of the vase, as Athena’s spear runs behind her head, contrary to the position it is suggested to take by the way she

Get Access