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EPOCHS

PAINTED VASES:
AN INTRODUCTION TO THEIR

HODDER

M.

STUDY.

WESTROPP, ESQ.

LONDON
WALTON AND MABERLY,
UPPU GOWER

STIIEET,

AXD

I^'Y

LAKE, PATERNOSTER ROW.

1856.

::...,,

f\0
t

LONDON.
PSINTUI) BV

WERTHKIMKR

AVI> CO..

CIRCUS PLACK, flNSBUKV.

TO

JOHN GIBSON,

Esq.

THIS SHOUT TRExiTlSE

IS

RESPECTFULLY
DEDICATED.

395638

Digitized by the Internet Archive

in

2008

with funding from

IVIicrosoft

Corporation

http://www.archive.org/details/epochsofpaintedvOOwestrich

EPOCHS OF PAINTED VASES.

Painted Vases may be considered
graceful,

most curious, the most

and the most instructive remains that have come down

from ancient times.

to us

as the

The beauty

of the forms, the fineness

of the material, the perfection of the varnish, the variety of the

subjects,

and their

interest in

an

historical point of view, give

among

painted vases a very important place

the productions of the

Painted vases have been collected with great

arts of the ancients.

eagerness ever since they have been known, and the most remarkable have been engraved

by celebrated

artists,

and explained by

profound archaeologists. Modern art and archaeology have obtained

from them beautiful models and important information.

were known for the
chausse published

1690

first

They

time in the seventeenth century; La-

some of them in

his

Museum Romanum,

Beger and Montfaucon imitated his example

subsequently wrote on them more fully;

in

Dempster

Gori, Buonarotti,

and

Caylus, added some general observations to those of Dempster;

Winckelman could not omit them

history of Ancient Art,

in his

observation, the theories of his predecessors.

collection of Sir

immortal work on the

and modified, by the accuracy of

his

Lastly, the beautiful

William Hamilton, published by Hancarville in

1766, brought them more fully into public notice; Passeri

still

EPOCHS OF PAINTED VASES.

supported after him the Italian opinion in regard to the origin of

Tischbein, Boettiger, and Millin, declared themselves

these vases;

of the

same opinion

as

beautiful objects confirms

Winckelman; and the study of these

it

at the present

Painted vases received at

Vases;

first

day in every respect.

the denomination of Etruscan

Dempster, a great abetter of what was called Etrusco-

mania, gave them this denomination, and Tuscan antiquaries have

defended

it

as a title of glory for their country.

The

impartial

comparison of remains of antiquity had not as yet established

any fundamental
so

called,

characterised

of the

by the

drapery,

Etruscans.

distinction

and the

between the Etruscan

style properly

ancient

Greek

stifi'ness

of the features, the straight folds

and long braided

style.

hair,

Every composition

was attributed to the

Painted vases which presented these characteristics

were therefore attributed to them, and in

spite of the evidence

of the subjects borrowed from the mythic ideas of the Greeks,

in spite of the inscriptions, all Greek,

which were read on them,

general opinion, too readily followed, recognised in

them every

thing that could explain the manners, customs, creed, and even
the history of the Etruscans.
that these vases

It

was further generally believed

had issued from the manufactures of Arezzo,

because Martial praises the potteries of

that

town;

and, that

those which were found in Campania, Puglia, and even in Sicily,

had been carried there by the Etruscans themselves.

This theory

could not be maintained even after a slight examination, especially as

in

painted vases have been found at Athens, Megara, Milo,

Aulis, in Tauris, at Corfu,

and

greater number, indeed, are found

Magna

in the Isles of Greece.

The

even at the present day in

Graecia, Nola, Capua, Paestum, and in Sicily, but they

are found in every country

where Greek domination

prevailed.

EPOCHS OF PAINTED VASES.

The

extent of

not

sufficiently

vases.

tlie

domination of the Tyrrhenians in Italy, was

extensive to

Eucheir and

attribute to

Eugrammus came^

them

the painted

all

according to Pliny, into

Etruria, and taught there the plastic arts, but this does not prove

that they invented there the art of

two

artists

who worked

we must

vases, for these

might have

in clay, being from Corinth,

Everything leads us to conclude

brought this art from Greece.

that

making painted

attribute their origin to Greece.

In their forms,

they bear a great resemblance to the vases which we see on

the medals and some of the sculpture of the Greeks, the style
of the

figures

which ornament them, entirely corresponds with

that of the figures of the ancient Greek style; lastly, the

myths

which arc represented on them, the inscriptions in Greek characters

which frequently accompany the

figures,

are

sufficient

to

establish this opinion.

But we must acknowledge that Greek
myths are always expressed with peculiar circumstances, which

probably are derived from the alterations which Greek traditions

had experienced

The

in ancient Italy.

variety of opinions with regard to the origin of these vases,

has produced a similar diversity with regard to their denomination.

To

that of Etruscan Vases succeeded that of Greek Vases,

general j Visconti wished to

name them

Graeco-Italian

still

too

Arditi,

Italo-Greek; Lanzi, Campanian, Sicilian, Athenian, according as

they were found in Campania,

Sicily, or at

Athens

de Quincy, Ceramo-graphic Vases (of painted clay)

Painted Vases in general, adding the

were discovered.

We

class apart

that

is

it

among

recognised

at

first

Quatremere
and Millin,

of the place where they

may, however, be able to

systematically, on considering, in the

form a

name

class

the remains of antiquity;

the present

them more

place, that painted vases

day,

that

the

secondly,

Etruscans

EPOCHS OF PAINTED VASES.

mauufactured them

also^ as well as

subject itself of the painting

suppose that the

thirdly, that the

the most certain type of their

is

regard to Etruscan vases, for we cannot

especially with

origin,

the Greeks

Greeks,

Etruscans, would have

who

the

cultivated

the

after

arts

painted on the vases the myths, creed,

and the history of Etruria, though the Etruscans might have

done so

for the

Greeks

purely Greek are found in

that vases which bear subjects

lastly,

many

countries,

and

in different places,

without, however, their bearing any local characteristic,

ing alike to Greek

which

results

belong-

all

art,

and without any other distinction than that

from the

style itself, according to the greater or less

antiquity of the execution.

We

may, therefore, adopt the general

denomination of Painted Vases, distinguished into Etruscan, for

those which are the work of that people, and into Greek for those,
in far greater

number, which can have no other origin

while

these can be classed according to their relative antiquity, proved

by the

of the

style

figures,

the characters, the form and the

orthography of the inscriptions when they accompany the painting.

We

adopt this division which appears to us as the most simple and

most natural, which can be equally applied to the painted vases of

every other country,

We

shall

if

any should happen to be discovered.

further observe

on

this

subject,

that

there

is

no

passage of any ancient author which could serve to throw any

light

on

the

uncertainty produced

published with regard to painted

by

vases

the
:

various

nothing

opinions

relative

to

them has been

hitherto found in Greek or Latin writers;

and

this singularity,

when we consider the beauty, the

and

the

number of

remarked.

variety,

these remains of antiquity, has been very justly

EPOCHS OF PAINTED VASES.

ETRUSCAN PAINTED VASES.

Vases, the Etruscan origin of which cannot be disputed, have

been found

Volterra,

at

Tarquinii,

Perugia,

Orvieto,

Viterbo,

Acquapendente, CornetOj and other towns of ancient Etruria.

The
are

which they are made,

clay of

the varnish

is

dull,

is

of a pale or reddish yellow,

the workmanship rather rude, the ornaments

devoid of taste and elegance, and the style of the figures

possesses

those characteristics already assigned to that of the

all

The

Etruscans.

figures are

of the clay: sometimes a

ground of the drapery.

drawn in black on the natural colour

red

little

It

is

introduced on the black

by the subject

is

chiefly that the

On

Etruscan vases are distinguished from the Greek vases.

the

former, the figures are in the costume peculiar to ancient Italy

the

men and

very thick

the heroes are represented with their beards and hair

the gods and genii have large wings

observe divinities, religious customs, attributes,

and symbols,

different

from those of Greece.

we may

also

manners, arms

If an inscription in

Etruscan characters traced invariably from right to

left,

accom-

panies the painting, certainty with regard to their origin

may be

considered as complete.
letters of the

It is

true that the greater

but there are in the latter some

particular characters which will prevent

also observe, that

few

in

any confusion.

We must

Etruscan painted vases are very rare, and are

number, compared with

indebted to the arts of Greece.

gives a specimen of a vase of
it

of the

ancient Greek alphabet are of the same form as

those of the Etruscan alphabet

but

number

those for which

we

are

Dennis, in his work on Etruria,

undoubted Etruscan manufacture, as

bears an Etruscan subject and an Etruscan inscription.

It is

EPOCHS OF PAINTED VASES.

an amphora, with a Bacchic dance on one side

on the other

Admetus and Alcestis, whose names are

attached, between the figures of Charun and another demon.
Of
late years, vases are found in great numbers in Etruria, more
side,

the parting of

particularly at Vulci

but most of these painted vases are imita-

tions of those of Athens.

GREEK PAINTED VASES.

They

made

are

coating

is

of

very fine and light clay;

composed of a particular kind of

clay,

their

exterior

which seems to

be a kind of yellow or red ochre, reduced to a very fine paste,

mixed with some glutinous or

enamel.
earlier

The

and

all

colours being laid on in a diff'erent

later vases, has caused

two general

and

oily substance,

brush j the parts which are painted black have

classes.

In the

and the figures are traced on

them

earlier the
it

laid

on with a

the brilliancy of

manner

in the

to be distinguished into

ground

is

yellow or red,

in black, so as to form kinds of

These are called the black or archaic vases, they are

silhouettes.

generally in an ancient style

their subjects belong to the

most

ancient mythological traditions, and their inscriptions to the most

ancient forms of the Greek alphabet, written from right to
in boustrophedon.

The

left,

or

drapery, the accessories, the harness of

the horses, and the wheels of the chariots, are touched with white.

At

a later period, the whole vase was painted black with the ex-

ception of the figures which were then of the colour of the clay
of the vase

the contours of the figures, the hair, drapery,

etc.,

EPOCHS OE PAINTED VASES.

being previously traced in black.
classes of

or yellow.

There, are then, two general

Greek Vases, distinguished by the figures which are black

They

are in general remarkable for the beauty

There

elegance of their forms.

is

and

a great variety in their sizes

there are some several feet high and broad in proportion, there
are others not higher than

of the vase; sometimes

more generally

it is

and then there

is

on the

a bacchanalian scene

reverse

men

some

nobile)

subject,

leaning on a stick, instructing

or utensil

sometimes represented on the reverse.

is

of the finest vases, the subject goes

entire circumference of the vase.

parts are the usual Greek

On

round the

the foot, neck and other

ornaments, the Vitruvian

Meander, Palmetto,"^

the honeysuckle.

adorns the neck, or in

its

taste

side

vases have been found with two subjects on the sides of the

On some

flower.

on one

insignificant

him with some instrument

a young man, or presenting

vase.

is

one side alone (called in Italy the parte

generally two or three of old

Some

subject

the entire circumference, but

occupies

it

The

an inch.

scroll,

the

garland sometimes

stead a woman's head issuing from a

These ornaments are in general treated with the greatest

and elegance.

the vases, there

paintings.

is

They

of the outlines

is

Besides the obvious difl'erence in the style^f

a remarkable difference in the execution of the

are not

all

of the highest merit, but the boldness

generally remarkable on them.

They could be

executed only with the greatest rapidity, the clay absorbing the
colours very quickly, so that if a line was interrupted, the joining

would be perceptible.

Some thought that the

by the means of patterns cut

out,

figures

which being

were executed

laid

on the

vase,

preserved on the black ground the principal masses in yellow,

which were finished afterwards with a brush.

* See Plate IX,

But

this

opinion

EPOCHS OF PAINTED VASES-

of Sir William Hamilton has been abandoned by himself, particularly since the traces of a point

which the
outlines,

had

artist

at first sketched

have been recognised, with

on the

soft clay

the principal

which he finished afterwards with a brush dipped in the

black pigment, without, however, strictly following the lines traced

by the

point.

The

depended on the

skill

traces of the point are rarely observed

and talent of the

artists.

all

They must have

been very numerous, as these vases are found in such numbers,

and the greater number may be considered

cellence of their design

unfrequently, the

have placed their

those

and the

models for the ex-

as

of Lasimon, Taleides, Asteas and Calliphon.

the most ancient ; his designs evince the infancy of

the other artists display greater progress in the art

be recognised from the words

EFPAWE,

Not

taste of their composition.

by whom the designs have been painted,

names on them ; the principal names known, are
artists,

EIIOIEI

or

Taleides
art,

the

is

those of

name can

ETIOIEHEN,

and

made or painted, which follow them immediately; the

two former being imited with the name of the potter, and the
latter

with the

name

of the painter.

Other inscriptions are some-

times found on vases, which enhance their value greatly.

are generally the

names of gods,

heroes,

personages, which are represented in the paintings.

tions are of great interest for

two reasons

They

and other mythological

These inscrip-

in the first place,

from

the form of the letters and the order according to which they are
traced, the greater or less antiquity of the vase can be recognised^

these inscriptions

necessarily following

all

the changes

of the

must be taken to examine whether the

inscription goes from right to left, whether the long vowels
fl,
Greek alphabet

care

the double letters

letters:

these

W S are replaced

are in general

by the

signs

silent vowels, or single

of relative antiquity which

EPOCHS OF PAINTED VASES.

prove that of the vase

itself;

secondly, because the

names

in-

variably explain the subject of the painting, and even indicate

name

hitherto

unknown,

either

bore another name, or a person whose real

fine,

some mythic beings of

formation.

by

some personage who sometimes

whom

name was unknown,

in

ancient writers give us no in-

The information derived from

vases

ance for the study of Greek mythology, viewed in

is

of great import-

its diflFerent

epochs,

and for the interpretation and understanding of ancient tragic or

Moral or

lyric poets.

historical inscriptions, in prose

have been also found on

are capital or cursive

vases.

The

and in

verse,

letters of these inscriptions

they are very delicately traced, and often

They

require a great deal of attention to perceive.

are traced

on

black or white with a brush, sometimes they are incised with a

The word

very sharp point.

KAAOS is very frequently found

vases which bear inscriptions, almost always accompanied

proper name.*
expressive

It

on

by a

seems to be nothing more than an epithet,

of admiration,

the most remarkable

applied to

and

conspicuous personage represented on the vase, as on a vase in the

Vatican

Museum we

see a painting representing Priam, Hector,

and Andromache, with

inscription

EKTcop

Ka\oK(vya6o<i,

it

their

Kd\o<;,

names over each ; over Hector

"Hector

signified brave

praise given to a person.

is

and

On some

noble.^f

beautiful, the very

which had been

" beautiful youths," we find the inscription

others,

salutatory

expressions

are

rj

sometimes

is

the

In the form

acme of

gifts to

some

o ttui^ Ka\o<}.

On

found,

such

as

* Some suppose that the painter wrote it at first on executing the vase,
and that afterwards the name of the person who was to possess it was added
to it, for many vases are found on which no name follows this Greek word,
which means "beautiful."
t Similar inscriptions are to be found on vases in the British Museum,

EPOCHS OF PAINTED VASES.

10

XAIPE

ST,'' Hail to thee"

or,

HOSON AEHOTE ET^PON,

Happy as possible.'^
The subjects represented on painted vases, although of infinite
variety, may be reduced to three classes,* which include them all
*'

* Millingen divides

their subjects
1.

them

into the following seven classes, according to

Those subjects which refer to the Divinities, their wars with the

giants,

their amours, the sacrifices which are offered to them.

2.

Those relative to the Heroic Times.

most interesting, embraces

as well as the

the arrival of

Cadmus

This
all

class,

the most numerous,

the mythological period, from

to the return of Ulysses to Ithaca

it

includes the

two wars of Thebes, that of the Amazons, the

expedition of the Ai'gonauts, and the war of Troy.
Bacchus
the Satyrs, the Sileni, the Nymphs,
3. The Dionysiac subjects
and his other attendants. Dionysiac festivals and processions, with the
dances and amusements which accompanied them. As these festivals were
the most celebrated and the most popular, the ancients were naturally anxious
Heracleid, the Theseid, the

to multiply representations of them,

4.

fices,

Subjects of Civil Life, such as marriages, amorous scenes, repasts, sacrihunts, military dances, warriors setting out for the war, or returning

victorious to their country.

This class

is

of the greatest use in giving infor-

mation with regard to the manners, customs, and dresses of the ancients.
5. Those which represent Funereal Ceremonies.
On these we see depicted
the representations of tombs, around which the relations and friends of the
deceased bring offerings and libations among the ofierings we sometimes ob;

serve objects symbolical of initiation into the mysteries.

This

class,

a very nu-

merous one, seems to have been particularly destined to be placed in the tombs.
ephebi occupied in different exer6. Subjects relating to the Gymnasia
;

cises,

who

are conversing with one another, or with the gymnast.

As

vases

were frequently given as prizes to the conquerors in the games, it has been
supposed that those on which similar subjects are represented were destined
for that purpose.
7.

Subjects which have reference to the Mysteries, and which represent

ceremonies preparatory to the initiations.

met with on vases

Similar subjects are only to be

of the period of the decline of art, and which are found in

that part of Italy formerly occupied by the Lucani, Bruttii, and the Samnites

where Greek ideas and customs were corrupted by the mixture of those of
these barbarous nations.

EPOCHS OF PAINTED VASES.

Mythological subjects;

1.

subjects.

The

a thousand

ledge

of

subjects.
tive

shapes.

human form

It requires

The
his

3.

Historical

are reproduced

on them

a deep and intimate know-

Greek mythology, in order

explain the

to

diflPerent

greater part of the paintings of the vases are rela-

to Bacchus, his festivals

depicted

Heroic subjects;

Mythological subjects relate to the history of all the

gods, and their adventures in

in

2.

11

birth,

and mysteries.

childhood^

education,

all

On them we

see

exploits,

his

his

banquets, and his games; his habitual companions, his religious

ceremonies, the larapadopliorse brandishing the long torches, the

dendrophorse raising branches of trees, adorned with garlands and

mysteries;

the initiated preparing for the

tablets;

lastly,

the

ceremonies peculiar to those great institutions, and the circumstances relative to their

The

dogmas and

their aim.

Heroical subjects, which are far

more numerous than the

mythological, represent the deeds of the heroes of ancient Greece

Hercules, Bellerophon, Cadmus, Perseus and Andromeda, Actaeon,

Danaus, Medea,^ the Centaurs, the Amazons,

Theseus was also the constant theme of the

The

Historical subjects begin with the

as well as poets,
talents

rable

and

drama appear on the

The
vases.

the

war of Troy.

found in this event a vast

their imagination.

etc.

myth

Painters,

field to exercise their

principal actors in this

The

of

artist.

memo-

principal scenes of the

Trojan war are depicted; but we must remark, that the historical
subjects do not extend to a later period than that of the Heraclidse.

We

may

consider, as belonging to the class of historical vases,

those vrith paintings relative to public and private customs

those

representing games, repasts, scenic representations of combats of

animals, hunting and funereal subjects.

Millingen remarks that

the subjects of the paintings vary according to the period and the

12

EPOCHS OF PAINTED VASES.

places in which they have been executed; on the most ancient

As, originally, the

vases Dionysiac scenes are frequently seen.

greater

number were

destined to contain wine, they were adorned

Those of the beautiful period of the art,

especially of the manufacture of Nola, a town in which Greek instiwith analogous subjects.

tutions were observed with extreme care, present the ancient traditions of mythological episodes in all their purity.

Those of a

subjects taken from the

on those of the decline we see depicted the new ceremonies
and superstitions which were mingled with the ancient and simple

later

tragic writers.

period represent

Lastly,

religion of the Greek.

Painted vases are, therefore, of the greatest

manners and customs of ancient

Romans adopted from her in
which
the
of
those
and
Greece,
interest for the study of the

imitation.

We

must introduce an important remark

and even

variety of mythological, heroical,

These subjects, especially the

mythology and heroic history
poets and prose writers.

We

tioned in ancient writers

first

historical

subjects.

and second, seem to form a

distinct

find

here, relative to the

from those of the Greek

on the

vases, persons not

entire scenes, also,

men-

which cannot be

explained by any written tradition, or which are represented with

circumstances which history has not handed down to us.

We

must further remark, that the mythology of the poets is not

always in harmony with that of the prose writers and among the
;

poets themselves, that of the lyric writers

from that of the tragic poets.

is

frequently different

Traditions must have changed;

and, perhaps, at the period of the great writers of Greece, there

was established, amidst this confusion, a kind of eclecticism, which

left the poet, the mythograph, etc., the Hberty of choosing among
those traditions whatever suited best the aim and nature of the

EPOCHS OF PAINTED VASES.

poem, or whatever appeared most

likely.

13

Painted vases, especially

the most ancient, which arc anterior to these writers, give us in-

formation which we do not receive from ancient writers

this gives

to their study a great degree of importance and interest

further,

they represent, in the most authentic manner, the genuine history

of art
"'

As

among the Greeks from its

origin until

it

reached perfection.

to the uses of these vases, there have been a variety of

opinions; but a careful examination of a great

number

would lead us to suppose that many were, doubtless,

of vases

articles of

household furniture, for use and adornmenc, such as the larger

by their

vases, destined,

same

size,

weight, and form, to remain in the

place, while others, of different sizes

to hold wine

and other

evident that they were

were considered

liquids,

more

for

unguents, and perfumes.

ornament than

artists

of the

Panathenaic subjects were probably given,

the national games.

ship

use,

as objects of art, for the paintings

been executed by the best

festivals, or as

and shapes, were made

Others

seem to

havie

period.

Those with

of

as prizes at

full

may have been

It is

and that they

oil,

given at the palaestric

nuptial presents, or as pledges of love and friend-

and these are marked by some appropriate

We

inscription.

find that they were also used in the ceremonies of the Mysteries,
for

we

see

their

forms represented on the vases themselves

Bacchus frequently holds a cantharus. Satyrs carry a

diota.

few seem to have been expressly for sepulchral purposes.

Some

have supposed that these vases were intejaded to hold the ashes of
the dead; but this could not have been their use, for they are

only found in tombs in which the bodies have been buried without

being burnt.

The

piety of the relations adorned the

tomb of the

deceased With those vases, together with his armour and jewellery,

which they had prized most in

life,

which were associated with

EPOCHS OF PAINTED VASES.

14

memory of which they

cherished."^
This custom has handed them down to our times.
The custom is supposed to have ceased when Roman sovereignty

their habits, or recalled circumstances the

was established throughout Italy and

Sicily.

The Romans,, burn-

ing their dead, and never adopting the custom of burying vases in

tombs, by their influence must have brought them into disuse,

and, consequently, their manufacture ceased.

Kramer thinks

that

there are no painted vases of a later date than the Second Punic

War.
It is very remarkable, that

no ancient author, not even Pliny,

has noticed painted vases, although they seem to have been in such
general use

nor

to these vases.

tablished at

is

there any passage

Suetonius, indeed,

Capua by

Julius

tells

Csesar,

known

expressly relative

us that the colonies esdestroyed,

when building

country houses, the most ancient tombs, especially as they found

in

them ancient vases (aliquantum vasculorum

bant).

In the opinion of Boettiger,

operis antiqui referie-

vascula can only be applied

* That it was the custom in ancient times to place in tombs the vases that
were dear to the deceased, we find from the following passage of Vitruvius
"Virgo civis Corinthia jam matura nuptiis, implicita morbo decessit post
sepulturam ejus, quibus ea viva poculis delectabatur, nutrix coUecta et composita in calatho pertulit ad monumentum et in summo coUocavit et uti ea
permauerent diutius sub divo, tegula texit." Vitkdvius, lib. iv., cap. 1. In a
passage of an ancient author, quoted by Athenaeus, lib. xi., cap. 1, we find a
NeKvy ;^a/xat(rTpc)rors fin tivos tvpfirjs (rTt/3aSov,
similar custom mentioned
:

TrpotOrjKfv avTois daXfiav re

to TTorepia re

(TTf(f)avovf reiriKpaaiv

edrjKev.

"

The

corpse being stretched on the ground, and placed on a thick bed of leaves,
it meats, drinking cups, and they placed a chaplet on its
In the early periods of Chinese history a similar custom seems to
have prevailed of interring with the dead, vases, which reposed with them for

they placed near

head."

ages.

These vases were conferred as marks of honour by the prince, and

other illustrious personages, for services rendered to the state.

on Ancient Chinese Vases of

the

Bhang Dynasty, from 1743

to

Vide Thorns

1496, B.c.

EPOCHS OF PAINTED VASES.

to vases of bronze

Capua

15

however, as Suetonius speaks of the tombs of

and as there are

in particular,

found

painted vases

still

and that no bronze vases are ever found in the tombs,

there,

it is

very likely that the phrase of Suetonius can be applied to the

painted vases which are

still

found there in such numbers.

Romans might then have known them

and

for this reason,

The

seems to

The Greeks of

be justified by the following observation.

buried their dead without burning them

this opinion

Italy

human

ashes have never been found in vases in Greek tombs, the vases

were placed by the side of the corpse stretched out on the ground.

However, some vases have been discovered

burnt bones ; and, as
dead,

it

it

has been inferred that the vase at

a Greek tomb, had been taken out of

was used

as a cinerary

full

of ashes and half-

was the custom of the Romans to burn the

urn

not rare in ancient times

for a

there

Roman.
is,

empty

in

and that afterwards

it

first

it,

deposited

These substitutions were

in the

museum

of the Louvre,

a vase in Oriental alabaster, executed in Egypt, which bears the

name

of Xerxes in hieroglyphic and cuneiform characters, which

was

at a later period

the

Roman

on the

employed

as a cinerary

urn for a member of

family Claudia, as the Latin inscription shews engraved

side of the vase, the other side bearing the

Egyptian and

Persian inscription.

We

could not but feel astonished at the perfect preservation of

such fragile objects, did we not

tombs.

The tombs

walls, but

outside

in

know

that they were found in

which they are found, are placed near the

the town, at a slight depth, except those of

Nola, where the eruptions of Vesuvius have considerably raised

the

soil,

since the period

when the tombs were made,

so that

some

of the tombs of Nola are about twenty-one feet under ground.

The common tombs

are built of brick or of rough stones, and are

EPOCHS OF PAINTED VASES.

16

exactly of sufficient size to contain a corpse and five or six vases

a small one

is

placed near the head, and the others between the

legs of the body, or they are

the

left

ranged on each

side,

The number and beauty

side alone.

frequently on

of the vases vary

probably according to the rank and fortune of the owner of the

The tombs of the

tomb.

first

built with large cut stones,

are larger, and have been

class

and rarely connected with cement;

the walls inside are coated with stucco, and adorned with paintings

these tombs resemble a small chamber

out in the middle, the vases are placed round

others are

hung up

of vases

always greater in these tombs

is

elegant form.

on

to the walls

the corpse

it,

they are also of a more

Several other articles are sometimes found in the

tombs, such as gold and silver

The

several ornaments.

swords, spears, armour, and

fibulae,

objects buried with the corpse generally

bespeak the tastes and occupation of the deceased.

found with their armour,

women

Warriors are

with ornaments for the

priests with their sacerdotal ornaments, as in the

When

laid

The number

nails of bronze."^
;

is

frequently some

tomb

toilet,

at Cervetri.

the vases are taken out of the excavations, they are covered

with a coating of whitish earth, something like tartar, and of a

calcareous nature

it

disappears

on the application of aqua

This operation ought to be done with great caution

the aqua fortis does not injure the black varnish,

some of the other

served as if they

colors.

had

Some

just issued

it

for

fortis.

though

might destroy

of these vases are as well pre-

from the hands of the

potter,

others have been greatly injured by the earthy salts with which

they have come in contact

many

are found broken, these have

been put together and restored with great

restoration, especially if the artist adds

* See Plate

I.

skill.

any

But

details

this

work of

which are not

EPOCHS OF PAINTED VASES.

visible

on the

and the

might

original,

archaeologist

alter or

ought to

17

metamorphose a

subject,

on these modern

set little value

additions, in the study of a painted vase.

The

first

manufactories of these vases are supposed to have been

established not far from the shores of the sea, as in Sicily, Calabria,

The

Campania, and Etruria.

vases of

more ancient

style,

At

with black figures, are more frequently found at these places.

a later period, manufactories were established more in the interior

of the country, on plains and on
la Puglia, in Basilicata,

hills,

as at St.

and near Naples.

Agata de Goti, in

Among judges,

the vases

most to be preferred are those which are of the manufacture of

Locri in Calabria, of Agrigentum in Sicily

Capua, and of Nola in Campania

in the

Roman

Cuma,

those of

of

and those of Vulci and Canino

In those places, where manufactories were

States.

established at a later period,

many

excellent vases with beautiful

compositions have been frequently found, but not in that simple

and elegant

style

which was peculiar to the Greeks.

imitations have been

made

of art or for the purpose of deceit, the

praiseworthy, as
fection

it

first

may be

the second, as highly censurable, for even

experienced connoisseurs have been deceived.

his manufactories at Venice

remarkable for his success in this kind of

Pietro Fondi,

and

them

in the gallery at Florence.

ception there are several kinds.

but the painting

is

The family

kind; there are

this

kind of de-

Sometimes the vase

modern, frequently

added to the ancient painting

Of

details

who

Corfu, was

at

deceit.

Vasari, at Arezzo, manufactured vases of this

several of

considered

has contributed considerably to bring to per-

modern pottery

had established

Several

of ancient vases, either through a love

is

ancient

and inscriptions are

but the difference of the style of

drawing, the multiplicity of details, the nails indicated on the

EPOCHS OF PAINTED VASES.

18
haucls

and

feet,

betray the fraud, as well as the coarseness of the

earth which makes the vases heavier, and the metallic lustre of

The

the varnish.
to

undergo

is

test

also decisive

have been employed,

of wine over

which the colours of the false vases are made

them

if

colours

it is sufficient

to

make them

mixed with water or alcohol

to pass a little water or spirits

disappear

having been baked with the vases

resist

made by the

times, imitations have been

remarkable alike for their elegance and

the ancient colours

this test.

celebrated

In modern
Wedgwood,

taste.

Several collections have been formed of these vases.

British

Museum

contains

the finest collections, purchased

government from Sir William Hamilton and

at Naples,

tain

many

others.

The Museum

and the Gregorian Museum in the Vatican,

Magna

beautiful specimens from

The
by

also con-

Graecia and Etruria.

Several amateurs have also formed collections in England, France

and

We

Italy.

Englefield, in

may mention

Pourtales, in France

Some

those of Rogers, Hope, Sir Harry

England; those of the Due de Blacas, the Comte

;

and that of the Marquis Campana, in Rome.

of these collections have been published, such as the

collection of Sir

first

William Hamilton, explained by d'Hancarville

the second by Tischbein. Several works have also been published,

giving

detailed

accounts of painted vases in general;

only give the principal

Passer!
fol.

Engravings from Ancient Vases, in the

possession of Sir William Hamilton,"

shall

" Picturae Etruscorum inVasculis," Rome, 1767, 3 vols,

" Collection of

1803, 4

we

vols.

797, 1800

C. Bottiger,

''

by Tischbein, Naples 1798

Griechische Vasengemalde," Weimar,

" Peintures de Vases Antiques," A. Millin, public par

Millingen, "Peintures
Panofka, " Raccolta di

Dubois Maisonneuve, Paris, 1808,2 vols.,

fol.;

de Vases Grecques,'^ Rome, 1813,

fol.

EPOCHS OF PAINTED VASES.

Vasi Scelti," Rome, 1826

19

Dubois Maisonneuve, " Introduction

I'Etude de Vases Antiques/' Paris^ 1817,

fol.

Gerhard, " Berlins

Antike Bildwerke"; and Kramer's work, " Ueber den Styl und die

Herkunft der vermahlten

Griecli.," Berlin, 1827. 8vo.

EPOCHS OF PAINTED VASES.

We

shall

now

give descriptions of these painted vases according to

their several styles or epochs, illustrations of

at the

which we have given

end of the volume.

E-ARLY OR Egyptian.*

The ground

is

of a pale yellow, on which the figures are painted

in black or brown.

These consist chiefly of animals, such as

lions,

rams, stags, swans, cocks, sphinxes, and other chimaeras, arranged

in

several

bands round the

vase.

other ornaments, run round them.

met
of

with.

its

Borders of flowers

Human

also,

and

figures are rarely

This style has been termed Egyptian, in consequence

obvious resemblance to that rigid style of art peculiar to

Egypt.

The inner

outlines of the figures are traced in the clay

with a pointed instrument.

In consequence of these vases ex-

hibiting animals not natives of Italy, and as the clay of which they
are

made has been

in vain sought for in Italy,

to infer that the vases of

imported by the Greeks.

between

b.c.

this

some have been led

epoch found in Italy have been

The date

generally assigned to

660 and 520.

*

Specimens of this style we give in Plate

II.

them

is

20

EPOCHS OV PAINTED VASES.

Archaic Greek.*
In
stiff,

this style, the figures are black

hard, and severe

yet at times there

evidently indicating a progress

The
The

on a red ground. The design

is

in the

is

a degree of spirit evinced,

development of the

art.

scenes represented, are taken from the Hellenic Mythology.

class of subjects

is,

however, numerous, for we find some of

Another

Dionysiac character.

is

Panathenaic, of which there

is

remarkable specimen, representing Minerva brandishing her lance,

which, from the inscription

it

bears, is supposed to have

They

as a prize in the public games.

have been made previous to the year

b.c.

been given

are generally supposed to

430.

Severe or Transitional.!
In the vases of

White

is

this class, the figures are red

seldom used.

on a black ground.

Although the colour of these vases and

their figures present a striking contrast to those of the first

classes, yet the character of their designs vanishes

to the beautiful, so that they

The harshness and

The

artists,

same

The forms of the

class.

movement so striking in the archaic

and make way for a calm and severe
did not yet work with perfect

however,

freedom, and the designs are rather

sented, are the

and gives way

might be ranked in the fourth

violence of

vases gradually disappear,

dignity.

two

as those

stiff'.

The

subjects repre-

on the vases of the second

vases have something

class.

more elegant than those of

the second class, although they present great variations in style

and

size.

They occur most frequently

* See Plate III.

A specimen

in Etruria

of this style

we

and

at

Nola;

give in Plate IV.

EPOCHS OF PAINTED VASES.

21

they contain inscriptions in characters of a middle kind between

the archaic

mode

monly assigned

to

The period com-

of Avriting and the later one.

works of

this class, is

from

b.c.

460

to 420.

The Beautiful, or Greek.*

This style
severity

is

the more perfect development of the former,

and conventionality which distinguishes the

The

having entirely disappeared.

all

earlier styles,

distinguishing characteristics of

this style are elegance of form, fineness of material, brilliancy of

varnish

and

subjects are

exquisite

beauty of

The predominating

design.

Greek myths, or representations of Greek manners

but scenes connected with the worship of Demeter and Dionysos

are of frequent occurrence.

of this kind,

and the

is

crater.

of the vases

Vases of this style appear to belong to the period

beginning with the year

Etruria,

The most common form

that of the slender amphora, the round hydria,

b.c.

400.

They

and the most frequently in Nola,

seldom found in

are

Sicily

and Attica.

Decadence. t
This class of vases

is

rarely found in Etruria, but

abundant in

the Greek colonies of Italy, especially in the districts of Puglia

and

Basilicata.

Like the

last

class,

it

has yellow figures on a

black ground, but differs widely in style.

enormous
figures
feriority

size,

The

and exaggerated proportions.

introduced, the

vases are often of

The multitude of

complexity of the composition, the in-

and carelessness of the design, the

flourish

and lavishment

of decoration, in a word, the absence of that chasteness and purity

*

See Plate V.

t See Plate VI.

22

EPOCHS OF PAINTED VASES.

which gave the perfect

style its chief

charm, indicate these vases

to belongs if not always to the period of Decadence, at least to the

verge of

At a

it.

later period,''^

we may remark a still greater deterioration

more capricious forms were invented.

in the arts of design, while

"We must

also

remark the

latest period of the artf; for at that

epoch several imitations of the vases of earlier epochs were made.

Among

these,

the clay

is

we

frequently find imitations of the

coarse,

and

difierent

also find imitations of the

second and third epochs;

forms are ill-proportioned, and destitute of

*

See Plate VII.

first

epoch, but

from that of the genuine.

taste.

t See Plate VIII.

We

but their

SHAPES OF PAINTED VASES.

We

first

give

Mr. Dennis' arrangement,

Gerhard, of these vases in

We then

served.

give a

they are given in Italian

I.

Vases

for

pelice,
II.

III.

after the

nomenclature of

according to the purposes they

of their several shapes, with the

list

by which they are known

Class

classes,

in England,

Museums

and

also with the

names

names

holding wine,

oil,

or water

amphora,

stamnos.

Vases for carrying water hydria,

Vases for mixing wine and water

calpis.

crater, celebe,

oxybaphon.
IV.

Vases

V.

Vases

oenochoe,
goblets cantharus,

for pouring wine, etc., jugs

prochous.
for

drinking- cups and

olpe,

cyathus, carchesion, holcion, scyphus, cylix,

le-

paste, phiale, ceras, rhyton.

VI.

Vases

for ointments or

perfumes

lecythus,

alabas-

tron, ascos, bombylios, aryballos, cotyliscos.

English Nomenclatuee.
1

Amphora with

handles, with cir-

Italian Nomenclature.

OUa

co manichi a girelle.

cular ornaments.

2 Amphora.

Amphora with

OUa

handles, as volutes,

con bocca sporta

manichi a girelle.
OUa con manichi a volnte.
spherica

SHAPES OF PAINTED VASES.

24

Italian Nomenclature.

English Nomenclature.
4

Amphora with

handles, with faces

OUa

CO manichi a mascheroni.

on them.
5 Pelice.

Idria.

6 Amphora.
7

Amphora with arched

Langella.

handles.

Langella con manico iuarcato.

8 Thymaterion.

Ingensiere, or candelabrum.

9 Olpe.

Urceolo.

10 Crater.

Calice.

11 Oxybaphon.

Campana.

12 Oenochoe.

Prefericolo o Nasiterno.

13 Stamnos.

OUa.

14 Hydria.

18 Situla.

OUa
OUa
OUa
OUa
OUa

19 Likanis.

Patera col coverchio.

20 Thymaterion.

Turibolo.

15 Calpis.

16 Vase with twisted handles.

17 Celebe.

o vaso vinario.
o canopo.
CO manichi anuodati.

CO manichi a colonnette.
a secchia.

21 Pyxis.

Tazza con manichi.

22 Cyhx.

Patera.

23 Lepaste.
24 Pinax.

Patera.

25 Cantharus.

Tazza co manichi inarcati.

26

Salsiera.

Piatto.

27 Alabastron, or unguent-pot.

Prefericolo o unguentario.

28 Ehyton.
29 Prochous.

Kiton.

30 Bombylios.

Balsamario,

31 Ai'yballos.

Balsamario con manico.

Balsamario senza manico.

Prefericolo a becco.

32 Cymbe.
33 Lecythus.

Lagrimale.

34 Cyathus.

ScudeUa.

35 Holcion.

Bicchiere.

36 Scyphus.

Tazza con manichi orizzontali.

Unguentario.

37 Ascos.
38 Vase with cover.

Urna

col coverchio.

//

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