Technique
Black-figure
Period
c. 620–480 BC
Collection
21495 vases
Figures painted in black slip on the natural red clay, with details incised through to the clay beneath. Invented at Corinth but perfected at Athens, where Exekias brought it to its supreme achievement. The technique demands extraordinary precision with the incising tool.
21495 examples
AMPHORA, BELLY, TYPE B (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
Psiax
· Amphora
· -550 to -500
SKYPHOS, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
THESEUS P
· Skyphos
· -525 to -475
HYDRIA, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
Psiax
· Hydria
· -550 to -500
CUP, LITTLE MASTER BAND (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
Kylix
· -550 to -500
ARYBALLOS (CORINTHIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
Aryballos
AMPHORA, BELLY, FRAGMENTS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
PRINCETON GROUP
· Amphora
· -550 to -500
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
DIOSPHOS P
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
AMPHORA, BELLY, TYPE B (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
PRINCETON P
· Amphora
· -550 to -500
ARYBALLOS (CORINTHIAN)
Aryballos
· -550 to -500
ALABASTRON (CORINTHIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
Alabastron
ARYBALLOS (CORINTHIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
Aryballos
FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
-550 to -500
AMPHORA, BELLY, TYPE B (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
WÜRZBURG 243, P OF
· Amphora
· -550 to -500
AMPHORA, BELLY, TYPE B (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
TARQUINIA RC 3984, P OF
· Amphora
· -550 to -500
FRAGMENTS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
PLATE, FRAGMENTS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
-525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
VATICAN G 52, GROUP OF
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
VATICAN G 52, GROUP OF
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
PHANYLLIS GROUP A by HASPELS
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
OINOCHOE (ETRUSCO-CORINTHIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
LEAFLESS GROUP by TUNA-NÖRLING
· Oinochoe
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
PHANYLLIS GROUP A by BEAZLEY
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
PHANYLLIS GROUP
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
Group E
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
PHANYLLIS GROUP B by BEAZLEY
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
PHANYLLIS GROUP B
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
PHANYLLIS GROUP E
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
PHANYLLIS GROUP E
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
PHANYLLIS GROUP E
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
ARYBALLOS (CORINTHIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
Aryballos
ARYBALLOS (CORINTHIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
Aryballos
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
PHANYLLIS GROUP
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
COCK GROUP
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
COCK GROUP
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
COCK GROUP
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
COCK GROUP
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
HYDRIA (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
DOLPHIN GROUP
· Hydria
· -550 to -500
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
SAPPHO P
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
ALABASTRON (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
SAPPHO P
· Alabastron
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
CRACOW PELEUS, GROUP OF THE
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
CRACOW PELEUS, GROUP OF THE
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
CRACOW PELEUS, GROUP OF THE
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
CAPODIMONTE GROUP
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
CUP, LITTLE MASTER BAND, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
AGORA P 1241, P OF
· Kylix
· -550 to -500
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
CAPODIMONTE GROUP
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
CAPODIMONTE GROUP
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
CAPODIMONTE GROUP
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
CUP, LITTLE MASTER BAND, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
CENTAUR P
· Kylix
· -575 to -525
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
GELA P
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
CAPODIMONTE GROUP
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
CAPODIMONTE GROUP
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
GELA P
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
CUP, SIANA, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
Kylix
· -575 to -525
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
GELA P
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
GELA P
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
HYDRIA (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
ANTIMENES P
· Hydria
· -550 to -500
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
GELA P
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
AMPHORA, BELLY, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
HORSE HEAD AMPHORAE
· Amphora
· -600 to -550
AMPHORA, NECK (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
HORSE HEAD AMPHORAE
· Amphora
· -600 to -550
AMPHORA, BELLY (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
HORSE HEAD AMPHORAE
· Amphora
· -600 to -550
LEKANIS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
PANTHER P
· -600 to -550
Images courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art (CC0)