POTTERY 



365 



respectively. At this period the decadence of 

 Greek art had already set in. The drawing 

 degenerated speedily, figures were multiplied and 

 crowded in confusion, ornament became florid and 

 superabundant, and the proportions of the vases 

 became exaggerated and bad. Subjects themselves 

 were no longer lofty and heroic, but connected 

 with incidents of everyday life, with burlesque 

 drama, and with jugglery. 



In the history of Greek art no subject has 

 excited more widespread interest within recent 

 years than the terra-cotta figurines or statuette 

 figures and groups found principally in tombs and 

 about temples of the later period. From 1873 

 downward a great number of such figures were 

 excavated from tombs at Tanagra in Bueotia ; sub- 

 sequently a very important find was made at 

 Myrina on the coast of Asia Minor, opposite the 

 island of Mitylene, and at Tarentum, Corinth, the 

 Crimea, Cyprus, the Cyrenaica on the African 

 coast, and in other localities quantities of such 

 figurines have been obtained. The Tanagrine 

 figurines were found in tombs which contained no 

 painted vases ; but some glass vessels, lamps, and 

 inferior black pottery were associated with them, 

 indicating that the statuettes belong probably to 

 near the Christian era. The terra-cotta of the 

 Asian coast comes down to a period as late as the 

 time of Septimius Severus. The objects from the 

 Tanagra tombs consist principally of single figures 

 and groups of draped females and young girls ; 

 subject s drawn from the everyday life of the people, 

 treated with true Attic grace and simplicity, and 

 with marvellous sculpturesque feeling. In the 

 Myrina series, which obviously liave a different 

 inspiration, deities and heroes of mythology form 

 the most important element Aphrodite and 

 Bacchus, Sik-nu 1 ), satyrs, and imrnads frequently 

 recurring. The figurines are mostly polychromatic, 

 sober, earthy colours, not fired in, having been 

 need to tint them ; but in some the colours are 

 true enamel pigments. Miniature reproductions of 

 known statuary figures and groups also occur among 

 these exquisite works in terra-cotta. 



Etrutcan. From the fact that mnch Greek 

 pottery has been found in Etruscan tombs, this 

 ware came to be popularly known as Etruscan 

 pottery. True Etruscan pottery, however, was 

 rarely painted. The most characteristic ware of 

 that people, with a body black throughout, had on 

 its surface moulded ornaments, the shape and 

 ornamentation showing that it was modelled on 

 oriental metal-work. This black Etruscan ware, 

 which was in use from 500 to 320 B.C., was the 

 source from which subsequently arose the Aretine 

 and so-called Samian ware of Rome. 



Roman. The only important development made 

 in pottery under Roman rule was this Aretine or 



Fig. 17. Samian Bowl. 



Samian ware. It is evidently imitated in its 

 decoration from works in metal, in all probability 

 from the chased cups of silver and gold which 

 began to come into use in Italy, and was a con- 

 tinuation of the later moulded wares of Greece and 

 Italy. The Samian ware of the Romans, so called 

 from having originated in the island of Samos, 



was of a bright red colour throughout, but covered 

 with a lustrous siliceous glaze. The red colour 

 nearly resembles in appearance and texture a 

 coarse sealing-wax ; the paste is often remarkably 

 fine. The vases, generally of small dimension, 

 were turned on the lathe; the ornaments were 

 moulded separately, and attached to the vase ; 

 patterns were produced by the repetition of the 

 same mould, or by placing the bas-reliefs from 

 various moulds on the vases. This kind of pottery 

 was first made by the Romans at Arezzo, but sub- 

 sequently, or nearly simultaneously, was produced 

 at Capua and Cumse in the 1st century. It after- 

 wards extended over all the Roman world, and 

 was made in Gaul and Germany. While under the 

 republic it was at first extremely fine, the manu- 

 facture deteriorated under the last of the twelve 

 Ccesars, and the ware is no longer found under the 

 Antonines. The names of several hundred potters 

 are found stamped upon existing specimens of this 

 ware, some of them evidently of Gaulish origin. 

 It was extensively imported into Britain and other 

 remote provinces of the empire. In Britain the 

 Roman conquerors established the manufacture of 

 pottery in many localities, making use of the 

 native clays. The ware was generally of inferior 

 quality, but that of some places is sufficiently dis- 

 tinctive ; and the discovery of kilns and fragments 

 enables us to associate certain localities with dis- 

 tinct classes of pottery. Tims, a black ware was 

 made at Castor in Northamptonshire, which was 

 ornamented with reliefs laid on by depositing a 

 fluid clay on the wet body, and moulding it with 

 a tool. Characteristic ware was also made under 

 Roman influence at Upchurch in Kent, and near 

 Crockhill in the New Forest, Hampshire. 



Rhodian and Hispano-Moresque. The know- 

 ledge of glazes originally acquired by the Egyptians 

 ana Assyrians was continued and transmitted to 

 the Persians, Arabs, and Moors ; and through 

 oriental influence it came to be a European posses- 

 sion in mediaeval times. Under the Knights of St 

 John of Jerusalem, Persian 

 potters were set to work in 

 the island of Rhodes about 

 the beginning of the 14th 

 century. For about 100 

 years thereafter a large 

 amount of a brilliant 

 enamelled pottery was 

 made, and sent out through 

 the Mediterranean basin 

 from that island. The 

 pottery was distinctly 

 Persian in form, colour, 

 and ornamentation, and 

 under the name of Rhodian 

 ware existing specimens of 

 it are greatly treasured. 

 About the same time there 

 was planted, under Moorish 

 influence, on the Spanish 

 peninsula and in the 

 Balearic Isles t lie manufac- 

 ture of the famous Hispano- 

 Moresque enamelled 

 faience, which is specially 

 remarkable for the brilliant 

 metallic lustre of its glaze. 

 The industry continued to flourish till the final ex- 

 pulsion of the Moors from Spain early in the 17th 

 century, after which it rapidly fell away. From 

 the island of Minorca especially a vast trade in 

 this ware was carried on ; and the name ' Majolica,' 

 given by the Italians to their own more famous 

 enamelled pottery, is an indication of the predomin- 

 ant importance of the ware sent out from Majorca 

 in the middle ages. 



Fig. 18. 



Hispano-Moresque Vase. 



