THE VASES: The history of Greek painting in its remains is traced with some accuracy in the decorative figures upon the vases. The first ware--dating before the seventh century B.C.--seems free from oriental influences in its designs. The vase is reddish, the decoration is in tiers, bands, or zig-zags, usually in black or brown, without the human figure. The second kind of ware dates from about the middle of the seventh century. It shows meander, wave, and other designs, and is called the "geometrical" style. Later on animals, rosettes, and vegetation appear that show Assyrian influence. The decoration is profuse and the rude human figure subordinate to it. The design is in black or dark-brown, on a cream-colored slip. The third kind of ware is the archaic or "strong" style. It dates from 500 B.C. to the Peloponnesian Wars, and is marked by black figures upon a yellow or red ground. White and purple are also used to define flesh, hair, and white objects. The figure is stiff, the action awkward, the composition is freer than before, but still conventional. The subjects are the gods, demi-gods, and heroes in scenes from their lives and adventures. The fourth kind of ware dates down into the Hellenistic age and shows red figures surrounded by a black ground. The figure, the drawing, the composition are better than at any other period and suggest a high excellence in other forms of Greek painting. After Alexander, vase painting seems to have shared the fate of wall and panel painting. There was a striving for effect, with ornateness and extravagance, and finally the art passed out entirely. There was an establishment founded in Southern Italy which imitated the Greek and produced the Apulian ware, but the Romans gave little encouragement to vase painting, and about 65 B.C. it disappeared. Almost all the museums of the world have collections of Greek vases. The British, Berlin, and Paris collections are perhaps as complete as any. [Illustration: FIG. 14.--AMPHORE, LOWER ITALY.] ETRUSCAN AND ROMAN PAINTING. BOOKS RECOMMENDED: See Bibliography of Greek Painting and also Dennis, _Cities and Cemeteries of Etruria_; Graul, _Die Portratgemalde aus den Grabstatten des Faiyum_; Helbig, _Die Wandgemalde Campaniens_; Helbig, _Untersuchungen uber die Campanische Wandmalerei_; Mau, _Geschichte der Decorativen Wandmalerei in Pompeii_; Martha, _L'Archeologie Etrusque et Romaine_.