DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.8577#0285
CATALOGUE 265
clay are usually due, not to the composition of the clay, but to irregularities
in the atmospheric conditions within the kiln. It may be that the bright green
clay of which a few vases are made1 is a peculiar variety which would not in
any circumstances turn brown, but it is certainly not the hall-mark of any
particular fabric.2 It is equally certain that any attempt to classify Corinthian
vases on evidence of this kind is necessarily valueless; distinctions can be
drawn, and a classification carried out,3 but for the reasons already stated, the
result will have no significance.
Corinthian clay is always clear in colour: it is easily distinguishable from
that of most Italian imitations by this criterion alone, for these are usually made
of a clay which is not simply darker than the normal Corinthian, but which is
also muddy-looking. Likewise, Corinthian clay is never red; red, that is to say,
like the clay of Attic vases in the full sixth century. The vases with a strong
red surface are always slipped: the red colour was applied when the surface
of the vase was dry so that it did not amalgamate with the clay; it is therefore
easily distinguishable as an outer layer, and is sometimes separable from the
actual surface of the vase. Red pigment was never mixed with the clay. There
are a few Corinthian vases of the late period which are as red as Attic vases of
the early sixth century: in these cases the red colour was produced intention-
ally by firing, and in one of these instances part of the vase has retained the
normal greenish colour (see on no. 1444). In all these cases the colour would
be abnormally light for an Attic vase after the time of Sophilos. There are
vases of strong red clay which are often regarded as Corinthian, but in every
case known to me these must be attributed on independent grounds to some
other fabric (see ch. xiii).
It is the same with questions of texture; some "vases are smooth, like Proto-
corinthian; others comparatively rough. This is the result, not of any qualities
inherent in the clay, but of the treatment to which the clay is subjected. We
can tell this because the greater part of a vase will often be smooth and lus-
trous, while the rest will be dull and rough. This is frequently noticeable on
the upper part of olpai like those illustrated in pis. 12,1; 13,5. Drastic cleaning
frequently removes the polished surface and gives the vase a very rough
appearance.4 Varnish is black or brown; sometimes, owing to firing, bright
red. Usually it is not very lustrous, but there are Corinthian vases which
show the same brilliant lustre as Protocorinthian (cf. no. 803 and ff.). The
1 e. g. nos. 30 b, 1072. at Aegina and Thebes, I realized that all the finer
2 The pinax signed by Timonidas is of a yellower variations of colour are fortuitous.
clay than the vase no. 1072, signed by the same 4 If one judged by the quality of the surface one
artist. would say that nos. 1009 and 1040 were certainly
3 Cf. Pottier, Vases de Terre Cuite ii, 423 ff. I may, products of different workshops; but the surface of
perhaps, say that I formerly attached importance to no. 1009 has suffered, probably from over-cleaning,
these distinctions, but after studying the immense and both are by the same artist.
quantities of Protocorinthian and Corinthian pottery
3575 m m
clay are usually due, not to the composition of the clay, but to irregularities
in the atmospheric conditions within the kiln. It may be that the bright green
clay of which a few vases are made1 is a peculiar variety which would not in
any circumstances turn brown, but it is certainly not the hall-mark of any
particular fabric.2 It is equally certain that any attempt to classify Corinthian
vases on evidence of this kind is necessarily valueless; distinctions can be
drawn, and a classification carried out,3 but for the reasons already stated, the
result will have no significance.
Corinthian clay is always clear in colour: it is easily distinguishable from
that of most Italian imitations by this criterion alone, for these are usually made
of a clay which is not simply darker than the normal Corinthian, but which is
also muddy-looking. Likewise, Corinthian clay is never red; red, that is to say,
like the clay of Attic vases in the full sixth century. The vases with a strong
red surface are always slipped: the red colour was applied when the surface
of the vase was dry so that it did not amalgamate with the clay; it is therefore
easily distinguishable as an outer layer, and is sometimes separable from the
actual surface of the vase. Red pigment was never mixed with the clay. There
are a few Corinthian vases of the late period which are as red as Attic vases of
the early sixth century: in these cases the red colour was produced intention-
ally by firing, and in one of these instances part of the vase has retained the
normal greenish colour (see on no. 1444). In all these cases the colour would
be abnormally light for an Attic vase after the time of Sophilos. There are
vases of strong red clay which are often regarded as Corinthian, but in every
case known to me these must be attributed on independent grounds to some
other fabric (see ch. xiii).
It is the same with questions of texture; some "vases are smooth, like Proto-
corinthian; others comparatively rough. This is the result, not of any qualities
inherent in the clay, but of the treatment to which the clay is subjected. We
can tell this because the greater part of a vase will often be smooth and lus-
trous, while the rest will be dull and rough. This is frequently noticeable on
the upper part of olpai like those illustrated in pis. 12,1; 13,5. Drastic cleaning
frequently removes the polished surface and gives the vase a very rough
appearance.4 Varnish is black or brown; sometimes, owing to firing, bright
red. Usually it is not very lustrous, but there are Corinthian vases which
show the same brilliant lustre as Protocorinthian (cf. no. 803 and ff.). The
1 e. g. nos. 30 b, 1072. at Aegina and Thebes, I realized that all the finer
2 The pinax signed by Timonidas is of a yellower variations of colour are fortuitous.
clay than the vase no. 1072, signed by the same 4 If one judged by the quality of the surface one
artist. would say that nos. 1009 and 1040 were certainly
3 Cf. Pottier, Vases de Terre Cuite ii, 423 ff. I may, products of different workshops; but the surface of
perhaps, say that I formerly attached importance to no. 1009 has suffered, probably from over-cleaning,
these distinctions, but after studying the immense and both are by the same artist.
quantities of Protocorinthian and Corinthian pottery
3575 m m