HOW TO VIEW A VASE

In the exam, you will be asked to describe a Greek

vase. There is definitely a wrong and a right way to
do this.

THE WRONG WAY

Avoid leaping from one part of the vase to another,
describing one thing here and another thing there.
If you do this, you will end up confusing yourself as
well as the examiner.

THE RIGHT WAY

Try to work through the following steps.
1. Start by writing down the shape of the vase, e.g.
calyx krater.
2. Then, if you know the reason, write down why it is
called a ‘calyx’ krater.
3. List the potter and painter.
4. List the style: black-figure, red-figure or white-
ground
5. Give the approximate date, e.g. c500 B.C.
6. Give the size of the vase.
7. Note any descriptions.
8. Now you can start describing the vase. Start at the
top of the vessel and work your way down to the
bottom. If the vase has been decorated with a
continuous narrative, i.e. a story that goes all the
way around the vase, there are two ways to
describe it:
 a) Describe the story the way the artist has painted it,
i.e. from the left of the vase to the right, or
b) Pick out a central character, describe that character,
and then describe in one direction followed by the
other. Whatever you decide to do, finish describing
one figure as best you can, before moving on to the
next one. Be consistent.

Naming Vases

Vases are named after:

· The name of the painter if the painter has signed the vase, eg
Euphronios
· The name of the person who found the vase eg Francois.
· The name of the potter where the potter is known and the
painter has not signed the base, eg Kleophrades Painter
· The subject matter of his best known work, eg Achilles Painter,
Niobid Painter
· The place where the artist’s best work is kept, eg Berlin
Painter.

Writing on vases

Some of the vases we study have inscriptions on

them. These could be:
· Signatures of potters and painters
· Naming the figures, or explaining the scene
· Saying ‘So and so is beautiful’ eg Kalos inscriptions
· Decoration (sometimes just meaningless letters).