OCTOBEK 1, 1897.] 



KNOWLEDGE. 



227 



proper, although at the same time it stands in close rela- 

 tion to it. This is the history of vase painting in Italy, 

 as it flourished during a period covered by the fourth, third, 

 and second centuries before Clirist, lasting until the Greek 

 civilization in Italy fell under the Roman dominion. 



The beginning of this period is marked by the fall of Athens 

 in the year 40i b.c, and the rise of the Macedonian Empire. 

 The extension of Greek luxury and civilization beyond the 

 boundarie3 of Greece proper and the jEgcan Sea, not lesa 

 than internal causes, brought about the deposition of 

 Aihens from her high estate as the centre of Greek 

 literary and artistic activity. Lit?rature found its way to 

 the rising city of Alexandria, which became in this respect 

 a second Athens. Sculpture and painting found a home 

 in Rhodes, Pergamon, and other places on the coast of 

 Asia Minor ; and in the same way the humbler art of 

 vase painting was transferred yet further afield, to strike 

 fresh root in the Greek colonies of Southern Italy. 



At the same time it must not be supposed that the 

 manufacture of painted vases at Athens came to an abrupt 

 termination with the fall of her supremacy. The series of 

 Panathenaic amphorre which boar the names of archons, 

 or annuil chief migistratea, dowa to the year b.c. 313, 

 shows that this was not the case. For this survival it may 

 be that religious and ceremonial reasons ailbrdan adequite 

 explination. But the vases of this period are for the 

 most part of an inferior character, and show such marked 

 signs of decadence that Athens can no longer be regarded 

 as the centre of the industry. 



It seems probable that there was at this time a migra- 

 tion of Athenian craftsmen, not only to Soutbern Italy — 

 where many vases have been found which are painted in a 

 st\le free from local influences, yet showing a marked 

 inferiority to the products of the preceding century — but 

 also to other provincial centres of Greek life. At Ktrtch, 

 in Southern Russia (the ancient Panticapa?um), avise has 

 been found, dating about 400 b c, with the signature of 

 one Xenophantos, who expressly calls himsjlf aa Athe- 

 nian. A trade connection between Athens and Pantica- 

 f a?um is well attested by some of the private orations of 

 Demosthenes. Another site where numerous Athenian 

 vasps of the same character have been found is the district 

 cf Morth Africa known as the Cyrenaica. Isolated speci- 

 mens have also been found at various places in the Eastern 

 Mediterranean. 



la Southern Italy Greek art had ]i{4hted on a very 

 favourable soil. The great colonies, sujh as Tarentum, 

 Capua, and Prestum — founded almost m the dawn of 

 Gree'k history — were not only as completely Hellenic as 

 Athens or Corinth, but in luxury and splendour even sur- 

 passed the chief cities of Greece proper. Hence art 

 flourished in these towns far more readily than in the 

 distant and comparatively barbarous regions of Southern 

 Russia and Northern Africa. In the character of their 

 productions we seethe nature and condition of the inhabi- 

 tants of Southern Italy reflected. The chief thing aimed 

 at is splendour and general effect, and both in the size 

 and colouring of the vases — especially in those found in 

 Apulia — we are enabled to gather some idea of the mag- 

 nificence and luxury in which the people lived. These 

 fabrics fall mainly into three classes, known as Apulian, 

 Campanian, and Lucanian, each displaying individualities 

 of style and method which will be noticed later. We have 

 also indicated that there are many vases which must be 

 classed along with these, although the products of emigrant 

 Athenians rather than of home-bred artists. 



The principal centre of Greek civilization in Magna 

 GriBcia was Tarenlum, which reached its greatest height 

 of prosperity under Archytas (b.c. 400-865) ; its supremacy 



was generally recognized by the rest of Southern Italy. 

 Rich and prosperous as it was, and with an admirable 

 geographical position, Tarentum became the chief emporium 

 of that part of the world, and among other industries that 

 of pottery can hardly have been found wanting. It is 

 further probable that the Tarentine vase painters were the 

 first to adopt the methods and conceptions of Athenian 

 artists, establishing a local fabric in popular favour. How- 

 ever, few vases have actually been found there, while many 

 have come to light at Ruvo, Bari, and other places in the 

 neighbouring Apulia ; while at Ruvo actual remains of a 

 pottery and furnace have been discovered, so that it is 

 very likely that that place was for some tima the head- 

 quarters of the Apiilian fabric. 



In Campania the chief seat of vase manufacture is sup- 

 posed to have been Cuma;, but Nola and Capua both 

 dispute its rivalry ; while iu Lucania most vases have 



Fig. 1. — Bell-shaped Krater (Mixing Bowl), witli scene from 

 a farce : a father dragging a drunken son home from a symposium. 

 The actual stage is represented. Fourth centurv B.C. 



been found at Anzi and Pa-stum. Local characteristics, 

 such as details of costume or armour, are of importance 

 iu the history of these vases, and show that the Athenian 

 influence was being supplanted by a purely Italian con- 

 ception and method of treatment. 



The manufacture of vases in Southern Italy appears to 

 have been carried on to some extent down to the first 

 century b.c. ; but it is probable that the wars of Pyrrhus 

 and Hannibal — when towns like Tarentum and Capua 

 suffered considerably and were almost completely Roman- 

 ized — had the effect of corrupting, if not destroying, a 

 purely Greek taste. As the whole of Southern Italy 

 gradually fell under the domini'^n of Rome in the third 

 and second centuries b.c , the Ronan influence becomes 

 more and more apparent, in the way of inscriptions or even 

 subjects. Some vases, moreover, strongly recall the 

 Pompeiian wall paintings of the second century iu their 



