KX Painter
Encyclopedia
The KX Painter was an Attic
black-figure vase painter. He was active between 585 and 570 BC.
Besides the KY Painter, the KX Painter was the main representative of the Comast Group
, which succeeded the Gorgon Painter
. His conventional name was allocated by John Beazley
. He is considered the better and chronologically somewhat earlier representative of the group. He was the first painter in Athens
to occasionally depict komasts
on his vases, a motif adopted from Corinthian vase painting. He mainly painted skyphoi
, lekanes, kothones and Komast cup
s. In contrast to later representatives of the group, he still mostly painted animals, in a more careful and powerful style than the Gorgon Painter. Some mythological
scenes by him are also known. Especially famous are his small-fornat mythical scenes placed within animal friezes. The KX Painter can be considered the first Attic Painter to achieve a quality at par with that reached in Corinth
, then the dominant centre of Greek vase painting. Imitiations of his works 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 painter. He was active between 585 and 570 BC.
Comast Group
The Comast Group was a group of Attic vase painters in the black-figure style. The works of ist members are dated to between 585 and 570/560 BC....
, which succeeded the Gorgon Painter
Gorgon Painter
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...
. His conventional name was allocated by John Beazley
John Beazley
Sir John Davidson Beazley was an English classical scholar.Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Beazley attended Balliol College, Oxford, where he was a close friend of the poet James Elroy Flecker. After graduating in 1907, Beazley was a student and tutor in Classics at Christ Church, and in 1925 he...
. He is considered the better and chronologically somewhat earlier representative of the group. He was the first painter 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...
to occasionally depict komasts
Komos
The Komos was a ritualistic drunken procession performed by revelers in ancient Greece, whose participants were known as komasts. Its precise nature has been difficult to reconstruct from the diverse literary sources and evidence derived from vase painting....
on his vases, a motif adopted from Corinthian vase painting. He mainly painted skyphoi
Skyphos
In classifying the pottery of Ancient Greece, a skyphos is a two-handled deep wine-cup on a low flanged base or none. The handles may be horizontal ear-shaped thumbholds that project from the rim , or they may be loop handles at the rim or that stand away from the lower part of the body...
, lekanes, kothones and Komast cup
Komast Cup
The Komast cup is a cup shape at the beginning of the development of Attic drinking cups.Drinking cups were introduced to Greece from Levantine predecessors. Komast cups were a development of such Levantine cups, which were widespread especially in Ionia and Corinth...
s. In contrast to later representatives of the group, he still mostly painted animals, in a more careful and powerful style than the Gorgon Painter. Some mythological
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
scenes by him are also known. Especially famous are his small-fornat mythical scenes placed within animal friezes. The KX Painter can be considered the first Attic Painter to achieve a quality at par with that reached in Corinth
Corinth
Corinth is a city and former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Corinth, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit...
, then the dominant centre of Greek vase painting. Imitiations of his works 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:...
.