Vases › Red-figure
Technique

Red-figure

Period c. 530–320 BC
Collection 35588 vases
The technique that revolutionised Greek vase painting. Figures are left in the natural red clay colour while the background is painted black. This allowed painters to use a brush for internal details instead of an incising tool, enabling far greater naturalism, anatomical detail, and emotional expression.
35588 examples
Attic Red-Figure Oinochoe (Shape III, Chous)
Attic Red-Figure Oinochoe (Shape III, Chous)
Group of Boston 10.190 · Oinochoe · about 420 B.C.
Terracotta skyphos (deep drinking cup)
Terracotta skyphos (deep drinking cup)
Attributed to Polion · Skyphos · ca. 420 BCE
Terracotta lekythos (oil flask)
Terracotta lekythos (oil flask)
Attributed to the Triglyph Painter · Lekythos · ca. 420–400 BCE
Two fragments of a terracotta skyphos (deep drinking cup)
Two fragments of a terracotta skyphos (deep drinking cup)
Attributed to the Palermo Painter · Skyphos · ca. 420–400 BCE
Terracotta hydria (water jar)
Terracotta hydria (water jar)
Attributed to the Amykos Painter · Hydria · ca. 420–400 BCE
Terracotta hydria (water jar)
Terracotta hydria (water jar)
Attributed to the manner of the Meidias Painter · Hydria · ca. 420–410 BCE
Attic Red-Figure Lekythos
Attic Red-Figure Lekythos
Meidias Painter · Lekythos · about 420–400 B.C.
Attische rotfigurige Bauchlekythos mit weißer Bemalung und Vergoldung
Attische rotfigurige Bauchlekythos mit weißer Bemalung und Vergoldung
Lekythos · 420-400 v. Chr.
Fragmente einer Loutrophoros (Loutrophoros, Attisch-rotfigurige Loutrophoros (fragmentiert))
Fragmente einer Loutrophoros (Loutrophoros, Attisch-rotfigurige Loutrophoros (fragmentiert))
Loutrophoros · 420-400 v. Chr.
Schale (Attisch rotfigurige Trinkschale (Kylix))
Schale (Attisch rotfigurige Trinkschale (Kylix))
Kylix · 420-400 v. Chr.
Rotfiguriges Alabastron, nicht attisch
Rotfiguriges Alabastron, nicht attisch
Alabastron · 420-400 v. Chr.
Attisch rotfigurige Bauchlekythos, fragmentiert
Attisch rotfigurige Bauchlekythos, fragmentiert
Lekythos · 420 v. Chr.
Terracotta lekythos (oil flask)
Terracotta lekythos (oil flask)
Attributed to the Painter of New York 23.160.41 · Lekythos · ca. 420 BCE
Attic Red-Figure Lekanis Lid Fragment
Attic Red-Figure Lekanis Lid Fragment
about 420–410 B.C.
Terracotta lekythos (oil flask)
Terracotta lekythos (oil flask)
Attributed to the manner of the Bird Painter · Lekythos · ca. 420 BCE
Terracotta hydria: kalpis (water jar)
Terracotta hydria: kalpis (water jar)
the Shuvalov Painter · Hydria · ca. 420 BCE
Lucanian Red-Figure Volute Krater
Lucanian Red-Figure Volute Krater
Palermo Painter · Krater · 415–400 B.C.
Jar (stamnos) depicting Theseus and Ariadne and the banishment of Bellerophon
Jar (stamnos) depicting Theseus and Ariadne and the banishment of Bellerophon
The Ariadne Painter · Stamnos · about 400–390 B.C.
Mixing bowl (column-krater)
Mixing bowl (column-krater)
Painter: Sisyphus Group; associated with the Ariadne Painter · Krater · about 400–390 B.C.
Skyphos (Drinking Cup)
Skyphos (Drinking Cup)
Greek; Athens · Skyphos · 410-400 BCE
Terracotta squat lekythos (oil flask)
Terracotta squat lekythos (oil flask)
Attributed to the manner of the Meidias Painter · Lekythos · ca. 410 BCE
Attic Red-Figure Squat Lekythos
Attic Red-Figure Squat Lekythos
Lekythos · about 410–400 B.C.
Mixing bowl (bell krater) with Perseus, Athena, and Hermes
Mixing bowl (bell krater) with Perseus, Athena, and Hermes
the Tarporley Painter · Krater · about 400–385 B.C.
Jar
Jar
550–400 B.C.
Attic Red-Figure Skyphos Fragment (Corinthian Shape)
Attic Red-Figure Skyphos Fragment (Corinthian Shape)
Meidias Painter · Skyphos · about 410–400 B.C.
Attic Red-Figure Hydria
Attic Red-Figure Hydria
Painter of London E543 · Hydria · 410–400 B.C.
Attic Red-Figure Kantharoid Skyphos
Attic Red-Figure Kantharoid Skyphos
Aison · Skyphos · about 410 B.C.
Attic Red-Figure Kylix
Attic Red-Figure Kylix
Meidias Painter · Kylix · about 410 B.C.
Attic Red-Figure Askos
Attic Red-Figure Askos
about 410 B.C.
Squat Lekythos (oil flask): Seated woman, swan and Eros
Squat Lekythos (oil flask): Seated woman, swan and Eros
Lekythos · c. 400 BCE
Terracotta neck-amphora (jar) with twisted handles
Terracotta neck-amphora (jar) with twisted handles
Attributed to the Suessula Painter · Amphora · ca. 400 BCE
Pitcher (oinochoe) fragment
Pitcher (oinochoe) fragment
Oinochoe · about 400–380 B.C.
Red-Figure Squat Lekythos (Oil Vessel): Eros and Woman
Red-Figure Squat Lekythos (Oil Vessel): Eros and Woman
Lekythos · c. 400–380 BCE
Red-figure Rhyton (forgery?)
Red-figure Rhyton (forgery?)
c. 400 BCE
Calyx Krater (mixing bowl for wine and water): Exotic Dancer
Calyx Krater (mixing bowl for wine and water): Exotic Dancer
the Nikias Painter · Krater · c. 400 BCE
Red-Figure Calyx-Krater (Mixing Vessel): Medea in Chariot (A); Telephos with Baby Orestes (B)
Red-Figure Calyx-Krater (Mixing Vessel): Medea in Chariot (A); Telephos with Baby Orestes (B)
Policoro Painter · Krater · c. 400 BCE
Mixing bowl (bell-krater) with comic athletes in a palaestra
Mixing bowl (bell-krater) with comic athletes in a palaestra
Krater · about 400–380 B.C.
Red-figure Bell Krater: Youth Crowned by Nike
Red-figure Bell Krater: Youth Crowned by Nike
the Tarporley Painter · Krater · c. 400-380 BCE
Attic Red-figure Squat Lekythos: Eros and Woman
Attic Red-figure Squat Lekythos: Eros and Woman
Lekythos · c. 400-375 BCE
Bell Krater with Satyrs and Maenads and Three Draped Men
Bell Krater with Satyrs and Maenads and Three Draped Men
8193 · Krater · ca. 390-380 BCE (Late Classical)
FRAGMENT (SOUTH ITALIAN, RED-FIGURE)
FRAGMENT (SOUTH ITALIAN, RED-FIGURE)
-400 TO -300
Attisch rotfigurige Bauchlekythos (Aryballos, rf.)
Attisch rotfigurige Bauchlekythos (Aryballos, rf.)
Lekythos · 400-376 v. Chr.
Attisch rotfigurige Bauchlekythos mit weißer Bemalung und Vergoldungen
Attisch rotfigurige Bauchlekythos mit weißer Bemalung und Vergoldungen
Lekythos · 400-390 v. Chr.
Attisch rotfigurige Bauchlekythos (Aryballos)
Attisch rotfigurige Bauchlekythos (Aryballos)
Lekythos · 400-390 v. Chr.
Attisch rotfigurige Bauchlekythos
Attisch rotfigurige Bauchlekythos
Lekythos · 400-350 v. Chr.
Attisch rotfigurige Bauchlekythos
Attisch rotfigurige Bauchlekythos
Lekythos · 400-350 v. Chr.
Miniature Panathenaic Amphora
Miniature Panathenaic Amphora
16462 · Amphora · early 4th century BCE (Classical)
PELIKE, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
PELIKE, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Pelike · -400 TO -300
Bell Krater with Scenes of Eros and Standing Youth
Bell Krater with Scenes of Eros and Standing Youth
2701 · Krater · early 4th century BCE (Classical)
Pyxis with Bust of a Dog
Pyxis with Bust of a Dog
6256 · Pyxis · 4th century BC (Classical)
CUP, STEMLESS, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
CUP, STEMLESS, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
GROUP YZ (III) UNASSIGNED · Kylix · -400 TO -300
PELIKE (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
PELIKE (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Group G · Pelike · -400 TO -300
CUP, STEMLESS (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
CUP, STEMLESS (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Q P · Kylix · -400 TO -300
CUP, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
CUP, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
VIENNA 155, P OF · Kylix · -400 TO -300
CUP, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
CUP, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
VIENNA 155, P OF · Kylix · -400 TO -300
CUP (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
CUP (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
GROUP Y · Kylix · -400 TO -300
Bell Krater
Bell Krater
18713 · Krater · 4th century BCE (?) (Classical-Hellenistic)
OINOCHOE (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
OINOCHOE (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Oinochoe · -400 TO -300
KRATER, BELL (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
KRATER, BELL (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
FERRARA T 376 B, GROUP OF · Krater · -400 TO -300
KRATER, BELL (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
KRATER, BELL (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
KERCH · Krater · -400 TO -300
Images courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art (CC0)