Pottery and Porcelain, from early times down to the Philadelphia exhibition of 1876Elliott, Charles Wyllys
History
Pottery and Porcelain, from early times down to the Philadelphia exhibition of 1876
Elliott, Charles Wyllys
Pottery -- History; Pottery -- Marks
In 1827 this good find came to light: "They recently found at Capoue the
vase given to the victor at the athletic games at Athens in the year 332
before Christ. Beside the vase lay the skeleton of the victor, the
Athenian himself, as was supposed. The vase is of clay covered with
paintings, showing upon one side the goddess Pallas Athene (Fig. 36)
launching a javelin; on the other side is a group of wrestlers, a young
man who is a looker-on, a judge, and an old man holding a wand. At the
top is found the name of the ruler of Athens in the year 332 B. C., and
the words '_Prize given at Athens_.'" The victor is vanquished, his name
and fame are forgot, but the vase is perfect after the lapse of
twenty-two centuries.
The vase next presented (Fig. 37) is an amphora decorated with
equestrian figures, marked by that archaic stiffness which some value.
Its height is put by Figuier at thirty-seven centimetres--about fifteen
inches. The color is yellowish; it is shaped with much care; the black
varnish is brilliant, and is laid upon the yellow body; the outlines are
incised to limit the figures; and the parts in relief are of a rusty red
and unpolished.
The great amphora (Fig. 38) is in the Louvre Museum, and is one of the
most perfect known. We see this form, as well as many others of the
Greek amphora, in all modern work. The clay is yellowish, and is covered
with a deep black. The figures are reserved on the yellow and are well
brought out by the black. The simplicity and dignity of this vase can
hardly be excelled, and they are in striking contrast with the
over-decorated things, so many of which have been made at Sèvres and
Meissen. The great virtue of reticence was known and observed among the
Greek artists.
The next (Fig. 39) is of a more uncommon form than the others, in its
swelling out at the base. The handles, too, are rare, and the twisting
together at the top quite peculiar.
The great vase KRATER (Fig. 40), called "Campanienne," is some fifteen
inches in height, and is perfect in form and decoration. The figures are
painted in black upon its surface. They have been found in great numbers
in various parts of Italy.
The hydria (Figs. 41 and 42) is a water-jug; another term which is used
for the same vessel is _kalpis_, but the latter has two handles. These
vary much in form, decoration, and beauty. The one (Fig. 41) has a black
ground with red figures; the other (Fig. 42) is just the reverse.
[Illustration: FIG. 44.--_Lekythos._]
The _cruche_ or vase shown in Fig. 43 is supposed to have been used for
libations when sacrifices were made to the gods. The neck and mouth are
peculiar. This example has a red body covered with a black varnish, the
designs showing the red.
The LEKYTHOS is a sort of cylindrical amphora, with a straight neck and
a single handle. This beautiful vase was made to contain perfumes and
unguents, which were largely in use.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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