DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4762#0010
INTRODUCTION. 5
red-figure period has produced some extremely beautiful examples, such as the
Sphinx in the Third Vase Room (E 788). But it is not till the end of the third
century B.C. that reliefs almost entirely supplant painting on vases.
It may not be out of place here to call attention to the fact that these
later stages were in many respects archaistic, illustrating the principle that art
which has worn itself out tends naturally to become merely imitative. Not
only may the moulded vases of black ware be regarded as a return to the
bucchero or other moulded vases of which numerous examples are to be seen in
the Etruscan Saloon, but we can trace also in many other points the influence
of ideas derived from an early phase of art. Thus the vases F 523-541,
exhibited in cases 44-45, are a return to the technique of B 681-700 in the
Second Vase Room ; the rosettes so commonly seen on the Apulian vases
seem, like those universally employed on the Corinthian ware, to be intro-
duced merely with a view to filling up spaces ; while in the lower shelves
of cases 44-47 may be seen examples of vases that are evidently direct
imitations of the Geometrical and other early fabrics.
As the whole of Southern Italy gradually fell under the dominion of
Rome in the third and second centuries before Christ, the specimens of strictly
Greek vases gradually become fewer and fewer, and indeed, on such examples
as we possess, Roman influence is often apparent, in the way of inscriptions
or even subjects. Instances will be discussed later, but it may be well here
to mention a remarkably interesting painted vase, apparently a survival of the
old Greek method, but bearing inscriptions in Latin, which is published in the
Rdmische Mittheiiungen for 1887 (vol. ii.), pi. 10, p. 221 ff. Again, our phiale
F 542 recalls the Pompeian wall-paintings both in subject and treatment, and
is probably not earlier than the second century B.C. From this time onward,
pottery becomes purely Roman, and is indeed only represented by the Samian
(so-called) and Arctine fabrics, which do not come within the scope of the
present volume.
The characteristics of these later vases, together with those of the earlier
fabrics included in this volume, will be dealt with more fully in the latter part of
the Introduction. It may, however, be advisable here to notice certain common
features which all the vases of this period may be said to display. They are
throughout distinguished by a perpetual striving after effect rather than beauty,
and this is seen in all classes: in the size and splendid appearance of Apulian
products, the largeness of style and bold drawing of Lucanian artists, and the
highly-coloured Campanian vases ; while the later Apulian and the vases of
black ware are chiefly remarkable for variety or exaggeration of shapes, and the
tendency to mar the effect by the addition of reliefs or otherwise.
Common to all vases alike is the fondness for ornamental patterns, such as
the egg-pattern, wave-pattern, maeander, palmettes, and wreaths of laurel,
fflyrfle, or ivy. The choice seems to be guided by certain rules, as much as on
the black-figured vases. On the large bell-shaped craters the decoration almost
invariably consists of a laurel-wreath round the lip, maeander below the designs,
red-figure period has produced some extremely beautiful examples, such as the
Sphinx in the Third Vase Room (E 788). But it is not till the end of the third
century B.C. that reliefs almost entirely supplant painting on vases.
It may not be out of place here to call attention to the fact that these
later stages were in many respects archaistic, illustrating the principle that art
which has worn itself out tends naturally to become merely imitative. Not
only may the moulded vases of black ware be regarded as a return to the
bucchero or other moulded vases of which numerous examples are to be seen in
the Etruscan Saloon, but we can trace also in many other points the influence
of ideas derived from an early phase of art. Thus the vases F 523-541,
exhibited in cases 44-45, are a return to the technique of B 681-700 in the
Second Vase Room ; the rosettes so commonly seen on the Apulian vases
seem, like those universally employed on the Corinthian ware, to be intro-
duced merely with a view to filling up spaces ; while in the lower shelves
of cases 44-47 may be seen examples of vases that are evidently direct
imitations of the Geometrical and other early fabrics.
As the whole of Southern Italy gradually fell under the dominion of
Rome in the third and second centuries before Christ, the specimens of strictly
Greek vases gradually become fewer and fewer, and indeed, on such examples
as we possess, Roman influence is often apparent, in the way of inscriptions
or even subjects. Instances will be discussed later, but it may be well here
to mention a remarkably interesting painted vase, apparently a survival of the
old Greek method, but bearing inscriptions in Latin, which is published in the
Rdmische Mittheiiungen for 1887 (vol. ii.), pi. 10, p. 221 ff. Again, our phiale
F 542 recalls the Pompeian wall-paintings both in subject and treatment, and
is probably not earlier than the second century B.C. From this time onward,
pottery becomes purely Roman, and is indeed only represented by the Samian
(so-called) and Arctine fabrics, which do not come within the scope of the
present volume.
The characteristics of these later vases, together with those of the earlier
fabrics included in this volume, will be dealt with more fully in the latter part of
the Introduction. It may, however, be advisable here to notice certain common
features which all the vases of this period may be said to display. They are
throughout distinguished by a perpetual striving after effect rather than beauty,
and this is seen in all classes: in the size and splendid appearance of Apulian
products, the largeness of style and bold drawing of Lucanian artists, and the
highly-coloured Campanian vases ; while the later Apulian and the vases of
black ware are chiefly remarkable for variety or exaggeration of shapes, and the
tendency to mar the effect by the addition of reliefs or otherwise.
Common to all vases alike is the fondness for ornamental patterns, such as
the egg-pattern, wave-pattern, maeander, palmettes, and wreaths of laurel,
fflyrfle, or ivy. The choice seems to be guided by certain rules, as much as on
the black-figured vases. On the large bell-shaped craters the decoration almost
invariably consists of a laurel-wreath round the lip, maeander below the designs,