Greek Pottery Photos

Greek pottery styles evolved:
  • 1050-900 BCE . . Proto Geometric
  • 900-700 BCE . . . Geometric
  • 800-600 BCE . . . Oriental
  • 620-480 BCE . . . Black Figure
  • 520-320 BCE . . . Red Figure
  • c500 BCE . . . . . . White Ground.
    Examples of the first three ceramic eras are on one page. From 600 BCE onward (Archaic & Classical eras) this index categorizes objects by shape/usage and by painting style.

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    Early Greek Geometric & Oriental Ceramic Vessels Greek terracotta krater with bulls & pokal with sea creature from Mycenae at Antikensammlungen. Munich, Germany Greek ceramic pitcher with birds on cover from late geometric period at Kunsthistorisches Museum. Vienna, Austria Greek terracotta plate with winged Sphinx from Eastern Greece at Antikensammlungen. Munich, Germany
    Greek PSI & PHI Ceramic Figures Mycenaean terracotta psi & phi figurines from Greek mainland at Louvre Museum. Paris, France Greek terracotta flat figures made in Boeotia at Louvre Museum. Paris, France Boeotian terracotta statuette of a woman from Greece at San Antonio Museum of Art. San Antonio, TX
    Greek Ceramic Pyxis
    jewelry boxes featuring horses    		 Greek terracotta Pyxis from Athens at Art Institute of Chicago. Chicago, IL Late Geometric pottery horse pyxis from Athens, Greece at University of Missouri Museum of Art & Archaeology. Columbia, MO Greek terracotta pyxis lid with three horses from Boiotia at Getty Museum Villa. Malibu, CA
    Greek Ceramic Animals & Figures Greek terracotta sphinx made in Boeotia at Louvre Museum. Paris, France Greek terracotta oil flask in shape of owl from Corinth at Antikensammlungen. Munich, Germany Greek terracotta vessel in shape of sandaled foot from Rhodes at Antikensammlungen. Munich, Germany
    Greek Black-Figure Ceramic Painting Style Greek terracotta black-figure vase showing two men playing a board game in Yale Art Gallery. New Haven, CT Greek terracotta black-figure wine cooler with Scythian Archer from Athens at Getty Museum Villa. Malibu, CA Etruscan terracotta black-figure water jar with Herakles & Hydra from Central Italy at Getty Museum Villa. Malibu, CA
    Greek Red-Figure Ceramic Painting Style Greek terracotta red-figure wine cup with man dragging sacrificial goat with purple ribbons from Athens at Getty Museum Villa. Malibu, CA Greek terracotta red-figure water jar with owl & olive branches from Athens at Getty Museum Villa. Malibu, CA Greek terracotta red-figure mixing vessel with theatrical figures from South Italy or Sicily at Getty Museum Villa. Malibu, CA
    Greek White Ground Ceramic Painting Style Greek terracotta white-background drinking cup with Maenad & leopard & snake coiled in hair by Brygos-painter at Antikensammlungen. Munich, Germany Greek terracotta white-ground Lekythos from Athens at Art Institute of Chicago. Chicago, IL Pottery askos decorated with sea monster Skylla from Apulia, Southern Italy at University of Missouri Museum of Art & Archaeology. Columbia, MO
    Painted Amphorae

    two vertical neck handles    		 Greek terracotta black-figure amphoras with horses from Corinth at Antikensammlungen. Munich, Germany Greek terracotta black-figure amphora with Achilles & Ajax Gaming from Athens at Getty Museum Villa. Malibu, CA Greek terracotta red-figure storage jar with an episode from Seven against Thebes from Campania, Italy at Getty Museum Villa. Malibu, CA
    Kraters

    several shapes to mix wine & water    		 Ancient Greek red-figured krator with scenes from Trojan War at Museum of Fine Arts. Boston, MA Greek terracotta black-figure krater with Odysseus escaping from Polyphemos's Cave from Athens at Getty Museum Villa. Malibu, CA Collection of Greek pottery antiquities at Legion of Honor Museum. San Francisco, CA
    Kylix & Kantharos

    wine drinking cups    		 Greek terracotta Kantharos wine cup with face design from Eastern Greece at Antikensammlungen. Munich, Germany Greek terracotta black figure Kylix from Athens at Art Institute of Chicago. Chicago, IL Greek terracotta black-figure drinking cup with Dionysus on a Boat surrounded by Porpoises at Antikensammlungen. Munich, Germany
    Rhyton Cups

    which spill if set down before empty    		 Ram-head Greek ceramic red-figure rhyton attrib. to Brygos Painter at Cleveland Museum of Art. Cleveland, OH Greek rhyton in form of African attacked by crocodile attrib. Sotades at Petit Palace Museum. Paris, France Rhyton in form of head of griffon from Taranto at Petit Palace Museum. Paris, France
    Fish Plates

    for serving seafood    		 Pottery plate painted with fish from Apulia, Southern Italy at University of Missouri Museum of Art & Archaeology. Columbia, MO Ceramic red-figure fish plate from Paestum attrib. to the Asteas/Pylon at Cleveland Museum of Art. Cleveland, OH Grecian terracotta red-figure fish plate at Blanton Museum of Art. Austin, TX
    Oinochoe Wine Jugs

    with verticle handle    		 Greek earthenware Oinochoe with red-figure lion & goose at Potteries Museum & Art Gallery. Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, England Oinochoe jug with animal frieze from Kamiros, Rhodes at British Museum. London, United Kingdom Greek terracotta red figure oinochoe with Persian soldier mocked sitting on a mule made in Athens at British Museum. London, United Kingdom
    Hydria Water Jugs

    handles for carrying & pouring    		 Greek terracotta red-figure Hydria with music students & teacher by Phintias at Antikensammlungen. Munich, Germany Greek terracotta red-figure water jar with owl & olive branches from Athens at Getty Museum Villa. Malibu, CA Greek bronze water jar with Herakles & Eros at Getty Museum Villa. Malibu, CA
    Lekythos Jars

    to store & pour perfume or fine oils    		 Greek terracotta red-figure oil jar with Helen of Troy & Paris from Athens at Getty Museum Villa. Malibu, CA Greek terracotta white-ground Lekythos from Athens at Art Institute of Chicago. Chicago, IL Pottery vase in form of duck from Eastern Greece at University of Missouri Museum of Art & Archaeology. Columbia, MO
    Other Greek Vessels

    various shapes & functions    		 Terracotta Red-figure Greek Patera with atlas handle at Dallas Museum of Art. Dallas, TX Greek terracotta Lekanis from Athens at Art Institute of Chicago. Chicago, IL Ancient Greek Oinochoe pitcher for pouring wine at Museum of World Treasures. Wichita, KS
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    All photos on this page are originals by & copyrighted by Jim Steinhart.
    All rights reserved. Permission required to use.

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