Gorgon Painter
Encyclopedia
The Gorgon Painter was one of the first Attic
black-figure vase painters. He was active between 600 and 580 BC.
The Gorgon Painter is considered as the very productive successor of the Nessos Painter
, whose fanciful style ha adopted, adapted and organised. His conventional name is based on his name vase
, a '’dinos
’’ in the Louvre
(E 874), depicting Perseus
fleeing the gorgon
s. He was the first representative of the animal frieze style in Athens
; painting animal friezes influenced closely by Corinthian precedents. Additionally, he arranged his demonic animals in symmetric patterns. Characteristic of his paintings are lions with box-shaped snouts and manes painted as hatchings or red flames. He rarely painted humans; where he did, they are always accompanied by animals or animal friezes. His name vase is his only piece to depict a complex narrative, but also the first Attic vase to do so at all. Overall, the Gorgon Painter was highly dependent on Corinthian vase painting. His human figures are considered stiff and mannerist. Apart from '’dinoi
’’, he painted an early form of '’lekythoi
’’, resembling Corinthian '’aryballoi
’’, '’olpes’’, plates, '’amphoriskoi’’, '’kothones’’ and '’oinochoai’’. His workshop founded a traidition that can be traced over a long time, especially on '’olpes’’. Imitations of his work are known from Boeotia
.
Attica
Attica is a historical region of Greece, containing Athens, the current capital of Greece. The historical region is centered on the Attic peninsula, which projects into the Aegean Sea...
black-figure vase painters. He was active between 600 and 580 BC.
The Gorgon Painter is considered as the very productive successor of the Nessos Painter
Nessos Painter
The Nessos Painter , was a pioneer of Attic black-figure vase painting...
, whose fanciful style ha adopted, adapted and organised. His conventional name is based on his name vase
Name vase
In classical archaeology, a name vase is a specific "vase" whose painter's name is unknown but whose workshop style has been identified. The painter is conventionally named after the selected "name vase" that embodies his characteristic style, or for one of its distinctive painted subjects, or for...
, a '’dinos
Dinos
In the typology of ancient Greek pottery, the dinos is a mixing bowl. Dinos means "drinking cup," but in modern typology is used for the same shape as a lebes, that is, a bowl with a spherical body meant to sit on a stand...
’’ in the Louvre
Louvre
The Musée du Louvre – in English, the Louvre Museum or simply the Louvre – is one of the world's largest museums, the most visited art museum in the world and a historic monument. A central landmark of Paris, it is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement...
(E 874), depicting Perseus
Perseus
Perseus ,Perseos and Perseas are not used in English. the legendary founder of Mycenae and of the Perseid dynasty of Danaans there, was the first of the mythic heroes of Greek mythology whose exploits in defeating various archaic monsters provided the founding myths of the Twelve Olympians...
fleeing the gorgon
Gorgon
In Greek mythology, the Gorgon was a terrifying female creature. The name derives from the Greek word gorgós, which means "dreadful." While descriptions of Gorgons vary across Greek literature, the term commonly refers to any of three sisters who had hair of living, venomous snakes, and a...
s. He was the first representative of the animal frieze style in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
; painting animal friezes influenced closely by Corinthian precedents. Additionally, he arranged his demonic animals in symmetric patterns. Characteristic of his paintings are lions with box-shaped snouts and manes painted as hatchings or red flames. He rarely painted humans; where he did, they are always accompanied by animals or animal friezes. His name vase is his only piece to depict a complex narrative, but also the first Attic vase to do so at all. Overall, the Gorgon Painter was highly dependent on Corinthian vase painting. His human figures are considered stiff and mannerist. Apart from '’dinoi
Dinos
In the typology of ancient Greek pottery, the dinos is a mixing bowl. Dinos means "drinking cup," but in modern typology is used for the same shape as a lebes, that is, a bowl with a spherical body meant to sit on a stand...
’’, he painted an early form of '’lekythoi
Lekythos
A lekythos is a type of Greek pottery used for storing oil , especially olive oil. It has a narrow body and one handle attached to the neck of the vessel. The lekythos was used for anointing dead bodies of unmarried men and many lekythoi are found in tombs. The images on lekythoi were often...
’’, resembling Corinthian '’aryballoi
Aryballos
An aryballos was a small spherical or globular flask with a narrow neck used in Ancient Greece. It was used to contain perfume or oil, and is often depicted in vase paintings as being used by athletes bathing...
’’, '’olpes’’, plates, '’amphoriskoi’’, '’kothones’’ and '’oinochoai’’. His workshop founded a traidition that can be traced over a long time, especially on '’olpes’’. Imitations of his work are known from Boeotia
Boeotia
Boeotia, also spelled Beotia and Bœotia , is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Central Greece. It was also a region of ancient Greece. Its capital is Livadeia, the second largest city being Thebes.-Geography:...
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