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THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM
OF ART
SHAPES
OF
GREEK VASES
[Illustration]
NEW YORK
1922
COPYRIGHT, 1922, BY
THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART
SHAPES OF GREEK VASES
The appreciation of beautiful form, with the ability to create it, which
was characteristic of the Greek people, is nowhere better illustrated
than in the shapes of their pottery. These vases—the jars, dishes, and
cups made for household and religious use—were designed with intelligent
skill to serve their purpose in the most effective fashion, and are
valued for their fine shapes no less than for their interesting and
beautiful decoration.
The following reproductions of the most important shapes in use among
Athenian potters during the sixth and fifth centuries B. C. will show
with what care the relation of the height to the width and the
proportion of the parts to the whole were designed with a view to
harmonious effect, and how skilfully the forms of the neck, the mouth,
and the foot, and the position of the handles were planned for practical
use.
The vases have been selected where possible from the collection in this
Museum; but when a certain shape was not represented here or
conspicuously better examples were available elsewhere, vases in other
collections have been included. Unless otherwise stated the vases here
illustrated are in this Museum.
AMPHORA. Two-handled jar for holding provisions.
[Illustration:
Black-figured type with heavy lip and cylindrical handles. The
decoration is usually painted in panels, back and front, the rest of
the body being black.
]
[Illustration:
Panathenaic amphora given as a prize in the games at Athens.
]
[Illustration:
Black-figured type with curving lip and ribbed handles. The decoration
extends over the surface of the vase.
]
[Illustration:
Black-figured amphora of the same general type as the preceding, but
broader and heavier.
]
[Illustration:
Amphora with short neck and long body. The form of the handles is
copied from metal technique.
]
[Illustration:
Amphora with high, finely curving handles and black figures on a white
body.
In the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
]
[Illustration:
Black-figured amphora; slender neck and egg-shaped body. A rather
unusual form. Owned by Albert Gallatin.
]
[Illustration:
Nolan amphora with elongated neck and egg-shaped body. Form
characteristic of the red-figured technique of the early fifth
century.
]
[Illustration:
Red-figured amphora with twisted handles, of the first half of the
fifth century. There is a decided advance toward slenderness and
grace.
]
[Illustration:
Amphora with narrow neck and pointed body.
]
[Illustration:
Red-figured amphora with twisted handles, of the second half of the
fifth century.
]
[Illustration:
Marriage-lebes with stand, used to hold water for the nuptial bath.
]
STAMNOS. A development of the amphora.
[Illustration:
Stamnos. Type characteristic of the early fifth century, with rounded
body and short neck.
]
[Illustration:
Stamnos. Type prevalent in middle and later fifth century, with more
elongated body, smaller foot, and higher neck.
]
LOUTROPHOROS. Water-jar for the bride’s ceremonial bath.
[Illustration:
Earlier type with heavy mouth and foot, and handles joined midway to
the neck.
In the Louvre, Paris.
]
[Illustration:
Later type of slenderer proportions, finely curved mouth, foot, and
handles.
In the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
]
KRATER. Vessel for mixing water and wine. It was from the krater that
the wine was ladled into the cups.
[Illustration:
Krater with volute handles decorated in the black-figured technique.
In the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
]
[Illustration:
Column krater, so called from the columnar shape of the handles.
]
[Illustration:
Krater with volute handles in the red-figured technique.
]
[Illustration:
Bell krater, shaped like an inverted bell. This type and the following
are characteristic of the red-figured style. Both have handles
adapted for carrying the vessel when full.
]
[Illustration:
Kalyx krater.
]
[Illustration:
Psykter, vessel for cooling wine. It was placed in another receptacle
filled with snow or cold water.
In the British Museum.
]
[Illustration:
Deinos or lebes, vessel for wine or other liquids, set on a stand. The
whole makes a harmonious composition. In the Museum of Fine Arts,
Boston.
]
HYDRIA. Water-jar having three handles. The handle at the back was used
for pouring or for carrying the vessel; the handles at the sides, for
lifting.
[Illustration:
Hydria of the black-figured type having the handle at the back much
larger than those at the sides, and the neck at a sharp angle with
the body.
]
[Illustration:
Hydria with rounded body. The handles and mouldings suggest imitation
of metal technique.
]
[Illustration:
Hydria with more strongly curving shoulder and conical foot.
]
[Illustration:
Black-figured hydria with continuous curve for neck and body, broad
foot, and handles placed rather low.
]
[Illustration:
Black-figured hydria with neck distinctly marked and shoulder and body
forming a continuous curve.
In the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
]
[Illustration:
Hydria of red-figured type showing the acme of development of this
shape.
]
[Illustration:
Hydria of the second half of the fifth century, slightly slenderer
than the preceding, with finely curving foot.
]
[Illustration:
Hydria of the late red-figured type with egg-shaped body, broad lip,
and side handles curving upward. Note the deterioration in the curve
of the foot.
]
OINOCHOË. Wine-jug.
[Illustration:
Oinochoë with round mouth and high handle, having the neck distinct
from the body.
]
[Illustration:
Oinochoë with trefoil lip, short handle, and continuous curve for neck
and body.
]
[Illustration:
Oinochoë with round mouth and high handle. The neck and body form a
continuous curve.
]
[Illustration:
“Olpe,” oinochoë with round mouth and continuous curve for neck and
body.
]
[Illustration:
Oinochoë with high handle, trefoil lip, and egg-shaped body, a
particularly graceful form.
In a private collection, New York.
]
[Illustration:
“Olpe,” oinochoë with round mouth and low foot.
]
[Illustration:
Oinochoë with central lobe of trefoil mouth accentuated, and no foot.
]
[Illustration:
Oinochoë of the second half of the fifth century; squat body,
delicately curved trefoil lip.
]
[Illustration:
Oinochoë with sharp division between shoulder and body.
]
[Illustration:
Oinochoë with finely shaped mouth and broad body.
]
[Illustration:
Oinochoë with beaked spout and disk at the side, a variation of the
usual trefoil mouth.
]
DRINKING CUPS—KYLIX. The kylix with two handles and high foot was the
favorite cup shape of the Athenian potters. The difficulty of decorating
the strongly curving surface of the body invited the best efforts of
contemporary vase painters.
[Illustration:
Kylix of “Ionic” form with short foot of rectangular profile connected
with the body by a moulding.
]
[Illustration:
Black-figured kylix with low foot. The deep bowl has no separate lip.
]
[Illustration:
Black-figured kylix with deep bowl, offset lip, and low foot.
]
[Illustration:
Black-figured kylix with offset lip and high foot.
]
[Illustration:
Black-figured kylix with graceful bowl and heavy foot.
]
[Illustration:
Kylix of form intermediate between the black-figured and red-figured
types.
]
[Illustration:
Kylix of red-figured type with flat bowl, slender high foot, and
horizontal handles curving upward at the ends. The proportion of the
bowl, foot, and handle to one another is more harmonious than in the
preceding example.
]
[Illustration:
Kylix in use during the best period, showing the highest development
of this shape. The beauty of the unbroken curve between the edge of
the lip and the bottom of the foot is the result of a century of
continued study.
]
[Illustration:
Kylix with “wishbone” handles, a very graceful, slender form in use in
the later fifth century.
In the British Museum.
]
[Illustration:
Red-figured kylix with deep bowl, offset lip, and flat foot. A shape
intermediate between the kylix and the skyphos.
]
[Illustration:
Lekane, covered dish of uncertain use. It often appears in vase
paintings of toilet scenes.
]