Campania was the first place to be settled
by the Greeks in Italy, around 650 BC; by
350 BC the region was producing superb
pottery thanks to immigrant Sicilian potters
and painters. Before the modern advents of
trains and automobiles, trade between
civilizations concentrated around the
Mediterranean moved foremost by sea.
While many bulk commodities such as
timber and stone could be loaded directly
aboard a ship with little preparation, other
commodities such as spices, wine, and
grain needed to be packed in individual
containers for transport both at sea and on
land and to prolong their lifespan. Pottery
was first created in order to fulfil these
practical needs. Over time, the art form
evolved from large, unadorned commercial
transport vessels to refined, specialized
works in elegant shapes used to hold
precious substances such as perfume or
oils.
An entire retinue of terracotta vessels
dedicated to the rites of the dinner table
began to appear. These pieces were based
on the luxurious bronze and silver vessels
that could only be afforded by the wealthy
elite and were decorated with fanciful
natural motifs and painted scenes of
everyday life and celebrated myths. These
wares were of such beauty that they
themselves became prized commodities
and were traded throughout the
Mediterranean world; perhaps even for the
very substances, they were created to
contain. These works are individually
classified by their shapes and their form
was inherently linked to their function, be it
preparation, dispensation, or consumption.
One of these specific types, kraters are
large bowl-shaped vessels with wide
mouths and two handles that stand on
footed bases. Foremost among the
different types of kraters is the bell krater,
so-called because it emits a pleasant
ringing sound, not unlike a bell when gently
struck with a finger. Kraters were an
integral piece of equipment used during
the symposium, an ancient Greek dinner
and drinking banquet immortalized by
Plato. Symposia were hosted inside the
private residences of the upper classes,
held inside a special room complete with a
floor that sloped into a central drain to
facilitate cleaning the morning after. Music
played by hired consorts and highbrow
political and philosophical discussions
were the main activities; although, as the
evening transpired and the effects of the
wine took over, more physical pleasure
became the true focus. Wine would be
diluted with water inside the krater before
the mixed concoction would be dispensed
to the individual revellers. Kraters were
often decorated with painted scenes
depicting groups of figures dining and
relaxing, activities that paralleled the
festivities of the symposia during which the
vessels were actually used.
At first, vase painters emulated the black-
figure style employed by the Corinthians. In
the black-figure technique, the vase
surface was covered with a diluted wash of
clay. A thicker solution of iron-rich clay
formed the "glaze" used to paint on figures
in solid silhouette. Intricate details were
then incised onto the figures. Finally,
painted red and white highlights were
added before firing. However, by 480 B.C.,
the black- figure style would be effectively
replaced by red- figure wares which first
appeared around 530. In the red-figure
technique, the process was reversed and
the figures appeared in red against a black
background. The liquid glaze was used to
outline the figures. Contours and inner
lines were then added. The painted lines
could be diluted to a golden brown or left
jet black. After the figures were drawn, the
background was added in black and the
pot fired. Although the red-figure
technique lacks the sharpness of black-
figure painting, the increased painterly
effects, the greater sense of movement,
and the heightened emotions more than
make up the difference.
- (AM.0034)
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