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, NECK (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
RED-LINE P
· Amphora
· -525 to -475
AMPHORA, NECK (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
Amphora
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
ATHENS 581 II, CLASS OF
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
AGORA P 24327, GROUP OF by BEAZLEY
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
LITTLE-LION CLASS
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
COCK GROUP
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
ATHENS 581 II, CLASS OF
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
ATHENS 581 II, CLASS OF
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
ATHENS 581 II, CLASS OF
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
ATHENS 581 II, CLASS OF
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
KYATHOS, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
VATICAN G 57, GROUP OF
· -525 to -475
KYATHOS, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
-525 to -475
KYATHOS, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
-525 to -475
KYATHOS, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
-525 to -475
CUP, LITTLE MASTER BAND (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
Kylix
· -575 to -525
CUP (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
Kylix
· -550 to -500
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
ATHENS 581 II, CLASS OF
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
ATHENS 581 II, CLASS OF
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
ATHENS 581 II, CLASS OF
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
CUP, LITTLE MASTER BAND (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
VILLA GIULIA 3559, GROUP OF
· Kylix
· -575 to -525
LEKYTHOS, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
ATHENS 581 II, CLASS OF
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
KYATHOS, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
-525 to -475
KYATHOS, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
-525 to -475
MASTOID (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
VATICAN G 57, GROUP OF
· -550 to -500
CUP, LITTLE MASTER LIP (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
Kylix
· -575 to -525
CUP, LITTLE MASTER BAND (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
BMN P
· Kylix
· -550 to -500
CUP A (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
Kylix
· -550 to -500
CUP C (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
Kylix
· -550 to -500
CUP A (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
Kylix
· -550 to -500
CUP, LITTLE MASTER LIP (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
Kylix
· -575 to -525
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
ATHENS 581 II, CLASS OF
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
CUP, LITTLE MASTER LIP, FRAGMENTS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
Kylix
· -575 to -525
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
ATHENS 581 II, CLASS OF
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
ATHENS 581 II, CLASS OF
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
ATHENS 581 II, CLASS OF
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
CUP, LITTLE MASTER BAND (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
Kylix
· -575 to -525
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
ATHENS 581 II, CLASS OF
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
ATHENS 581 II, CLASS OF
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
CUP, LITTLE MASTER BAND (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
TLESON P
· Kylix
· -575 to -525
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
ATHENS 581 II, CLASS OF
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
ATHENS 581 II, CLASS OF
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
ATHENS 581 II, CLASS OF
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
ATHENS 581 II, CLASS OF
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
CUP C (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
Kylix
· -550 to -500
CUP, LITTLE MASTER BAND (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
Kylix
· -575 to -525
CUP (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
Kylix
· -575 to -525
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
ATHENS 581 II, CLASS OF
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
ATHENS 581 II, CLASS OF
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
KYATHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
-525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
LITTLE-LION CLASS
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
LITTLE-LION CLASS
· Lekythos
· -500 to -450
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
LITTLE-LION CLASS
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
PYXIS, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
Pyxis
· -575 to -525
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
LITTLE-LION CLASS
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
LITTLE-LION CLASS
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
SKYPHOS, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
KLEITIAS
· Skyphos
· -600 to -550
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
LITTLE-LION CLASS
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
PYXIS, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
Pyxis
· -575 to -525
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
LITTLE-LION CLASS
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
LEKYTHOS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)
LITTLE-LION CLASS
· Lekythos
· -525 to -475
Images courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art (CC0)