Moses, Henry [Hrsg.]: A collection of antique vases, altars, paterae, tripods, candelabra, sarcophagi, &c.: from various museums and collections (Mailand, 1814)

VASES. 5

seems to be the most probable, and is founded upon the
examination of various specimens. The earth of which the
vases were made was extremely light and porous, and of a
light yellowish red colour. When made and dried, but pro-
bably previously to undergoing the action of the fire, some
instrument rather hard, and capable of containing a portion
of black liquid pigment of a certain consistency, was em-
ployed by the artist in drawing the outline of the figures and
composition. The reason for supposing that the instrument
was pointed and hard, and the pigment rather thick, is, that
upon a careful examination of some vases, a sort of sulcus
or furrow is observable in the centre of the line which is
made by the pressure of the instrument, and which the thick-
ness of the pigment did not fill up: or perhaps the vase it-
self was so porous as to absorb the moisture of the paint
almost immediately. The artist then, probably with a brush,
laid on a coat of the black close to the outline, of a certain
width, and some inferior person filled up the other parts.
The reason for supposing that this plan was pursued, is,
that upon accurately examining the vases, there is almost
always observed to be a thicker coat of the black paint close
to the outline, from one eighth to a quarter of an inch wider
than in the other parts, showing that it had, at the edge of
this first black, been twice laid over. And that this part was
done by the same artist who drew the outline is probable,
because in some instances he has departed from the original
line, particularly in parts of draperies, sometimes painting