154 



KNOWLEDGE 



[July 1, 1896. 



while the whole of the surrounding surface is black. It 

 will be Been that this is practically the method of the 

 succeeding red-figure stylo ; and it has been supposed that 

 this treatment of the (lorgon head was cue circumstance 

 which led to the c\olution of that method. 



We come now to what is, perhaps, the most important, and 

 certainly the most interesting, aspect of the Athenian black- 

 figured vases, namely, the subjects painted on them. These 

 may conveniently be divided into six classes, as follows : 



1. Representations of myths connected with Olympian 

 deities, such as the birth of Athena from the head of Zeus. 



2. Representations of Dionysos and his attendant Satyrs, 

 Mjcnads, etc. 



8. The labours and exploits of Herakles. 



4. Subjects taken from the Homeric poems or other 

 sources dealing with the tale of Troy. 



5. Other mythological subjects, such as the exploits of 

 Perseus and Theseus. 



(i. Subjects taken from daily life, such as athletic con- 

 tests, battle scenes, etc. 



It should be noted that this classification of subjects 

 holds good throughout the history of vase painting — at 

 least with some slight modifications; but it is in the period 

 with which we have to deal that the subjects present the 

 greatest and most varied interest, owing chiefly to the 



Fig. 3. 



-Athenian Amphora, witli Dionysos and Eyes ; 

 one-third original. 



later 



prevalent fondness for myth and legend. In the 

 periods the human interest tends to predominate. 



In the mythological scenes the most remarkable feature 

 is the adoption of certain fixed compositions of figures or 

 types ; a scheme of design for any given subject, once 

 adopted, becomes conventionalized, and is adhered to with 

 only minor variations, which do not affect the main design. 

 An example of one of these types is given in Fig. 4. In 

 aU representations of the Judgment of Paris the same 

 grouping of the figures is employed, but variety is in- 

 troduced by omitting Paris or one of the goddesses. 



Among the favourite subjects with vase painters of 

 this period are : the combat of the gods and giants, the 

 birth of Athena (.sec miii-), Pelous wrestling with Thetis, 

 Theseus slaying the Minotaur, Herakles conveyed by 



Fig. 4. 



-Amphora, with Judgment of Paris, 

 ahoiit oni'-filth original. 



Athenian Fabric ; 



Athena in her chariot to Olympus, and contests in 

 which that hero took part, such as his encounter with the 

 Nemean lion, with the triple-bodied monster Geryon, or 

 with the Amazons. 



Only one instance of a historical scene is known on the 

 black-figured vases — on an amphora in the Louvre, which 

 represents Croesus, King of Lydia, seated on his funeral 

 pyre and pouring a libation. The story is told by 

 Herodotos. We may also recall the cup described on page 

 152, with Arkesilaos of Cyrene weighing out the silphium. 



Among the scenes from daily life an interesting subject 

 is seen on a number of hydris (pitchers) which indicates 

 the use to which this particular vase was put. A building 

 is depicted containing a fountain or spring, at which girls 

 are seen filling their hydrire, while others bring theirs up 

 to be filled or carry them away on their heads. On one 

 example in the British Museum (see Fig. '>) the famous 

 well of Callirrhoe at Athens is depicted ; on another possibly 

 that of Peirene at Corinth. 



A most important class which must here be mentioned, 

 is formed by the Panathenaic amphora, or vases given as 

 prizes in the games at Athens in honour of Athena. On 

 one side is always depicted a figure of the goddess herself ; 

 on the other, the contest for which the prize was given. 

 Usually the vase is inscribed, " I am a prize from the 

 games at Athens." It is interesting to note in connection 

 with these vases that the black-figure method was adhered 

 to on them, for religious reasons, down to the end of the 

 fourth century n.c : that is, as long as they continued to 

 be made, although on other vases this method was given 

 up at the beginning of the fifth century. 



Another class of vases which for religious reasons 



