History of Ancient Pottery: Greek, Etruscan, and Roman. Volume 1 (of 2)Walters, H. B. (Henry Beauchamp)
History
History of Ancient Pottery: Greek, Etruscan, and Roman. Volume 1 (of 2)
Walters, H. B. (Henry Beauchamp)
Mythology, Classical, in art; Pottery, Ancient; Pottery, Etruscan; Pottery, Greek; Pottery, Roman
At _Calvi_ (Cales) Greek painted vases are almost unrepresented,[262]
but this site is distinguished as the origin of two late varieties of
fictile ware. One is formed by the Calene phialae (p. 502), or bowls of
black ware with interior designs in relief, sometimes signed with the
names of local potters; the other consists of large vases highly
ornamented with terracotta figurines attached in different places, or
else modelled in the form of female figures or heads. Strictly
speaking, the latter must be classed under the heading of terracottas
(see p. 119).
Lastly, we have to speak of _Nola_, which, like Capua, was always a
city of considerable importance, and is represented by a large series
of vases of all periods.[263] Here again we can detect no signs of a
special local fabric, though for a long time the so-called “Nolan”
amphorae of the red-figured period were thought to have been made on
the spot, so frequently have they been found. The name is still
retained as convenient for describing this particular form of amphora
(see p. 162), with its exquisite black varnish, graceful outlines, and
simple yet effective decoration; but it is, of course, quite
conventional. The vases are purely Attic (some are signed by Athenian
artists), and it can only be supposed that they found especial favour
in the Nolan market. Corinthian and Attic black-figured vases occur in
large numbers, and both here and at Capua there seems to have been a
tendency to imitate the exported Athenian wares. Thus we find not only
vases with black figures on buff ground on which the drawing is
obviously free and developed, but also imitations of the “Nolan”
amphorae, both classes dating from about the fourth century B.C.
At _Sorrento_ and the neighbouring Vico Equense a few vases of
different periods have been found, including a fine R.F. krater signed
by Polygnotos, which was discovered in 1893, and is now in the British
Museum.[264] Salerno is also mentioned as a site where Greek vases have
come to light.
The famous city of _Paestum_ lay actually within the borders of
Lucania, but all its relations were with Campania, and it may
practically be regarded as a Campanian city. Little has been found here
except local fourth- and third-century fabrics, but these are for the
most part so remarkable that they have established the existence of a
school of vase-painting at Paestum quite distinct from and earlier than
the fabrics of the three districts of Southern Italy.[265] Nearly all
the vases found here (including three signed by the master Assteas)
have the distinguishing characteristics of this class. They are mostly
to be seen in the Naples Museum; a fuller account of them is given in
Chapter XI.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account