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
Terracotta head and shoulders of a man
Terracotta head and shoulders of a man
ca. 400–310 BCE
Terracotta head of a man wearing a wreath
Terracotta head of a man wearing a wreath
ca. 400–310 BCE
FRAGMENT (SOUTH ITALIAN, RED-FIGURE)
FRAGMENT (SOUTH ITALIAN, RED-FIGURE)
-400 TO -300
LEKYTHOS, SQUAT (UNCERTAIN, RED-FIGURE)
LEKYTHOS, SQUAT (UNCERTAIN, RED-FIGURE)
Lekythos · -400 TO -300
Red-figure Bell Krater: Woman Holding a Wreath
Red-figure Bell Krater: Woman Holding a Wreath
Krater · 4th century BCE
Rhyton
Rhyton
ca. 400 BCE
Terracotta group of a reclining youth, woman, and child
Terracotta group of a reclining youth, woman, and child
4th–3rd century BCE
Attisch rotfigurige Bauchlekythos (Aryballos)
Attisch rotfigurige Bauchlekythos (Aryballos)
Lekythos · 400-390 v. Chr.
CUP, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
CUP, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
VIENNA 155, P OF · Kylix · -400 TO -300
Base of a terracotta lebes gamikos (jar associated with weddings)
Base of a terracotta lebes gamikos (jar associated with weddings)
Attributed to the Talos Painter · Lebes Gamikos · ca. 400 BCE
ASKOS, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
ASKOS, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
-400 TO -300
Attisch rotfigurige Bauchlekythos mit weißer Bemalung und Vergoldungen
Attisch rotfigurige Bauchlekythos mit weißer Bemalung und Vergoldungen
Lekythos · 400-390 v. Chr.
Terracotta lekanis (covered dish)
Terracotta lekanis (covered dish)
Connected with the Otchët Group · ca. 400 BCE
Attic Red-Figure Squat Lekythos
Attic Red-Figure Squat Lekythos
Lekythos · about 400 B.C.
Attisch rotfigurige Bauchlekythos (Aryballos)
Attisch rotfigurige Bauchlekythos (Aryballos)
Lekythos · 400-390 v. Chr.
CUP, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
CUP, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
VIENNA 155, P OF · Kylix · -400 TO -300
Attisch rotfigurige Bauchlekythos
Attisch rotfigurige Bauchlekythos
Lekythos · 400-350 v. Chr.
Lucanian Red-Figure Vase Fragments (2)
Lucanian Red-Figure Vase Fragments (2)
Creusa Painter · about 400–390 B.C.
Attisch rotfigurige Bauchlekythos
Attisch rotfigurige Bauchlekythos
Lekythos · 400-350 v. Chr.
CUP (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
CUP (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
GROUP Y · Kylix · -400 TO -300
Stamnos (Etruskischer Stamnos)
Stamnos (Etruskischer Stamnos)
Stamnos · 4. Jahrhundert v. Chr.
PELIKE (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
PELIKE (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Group G · Pelike · -400 TO -300
LEKYTHOS, SQUAT (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
LEKYTHOS, SQUAT (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Cleveland Group · Lekythos · -400 TO -300
Skyphos
Skyphos
Attributed to the Xenon Group · Skyphos · ca. 400 BCE
Terracotta neck-amphora (jar) with twisted handles
Terracotta neck-amphora (jar) with twisted handles
the Suessula Painter · Amphora · ca. 400 BCE
Terracotta neck-amphora (jar) with twisted handles
Terracotta neck-amphora (jar) with twisted handles
the Suessula Painter · Amphora · ca. 400 BCE
Chous (Toy Pitcher)
Chous (Toy Pitcher)
Greek; Athens · 400-380 BCE
CUP, STEMLESS (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
CUP, STEMLESS (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Q P · Kylix · -400 TO -300
Volute-krater fragment
Volute-krater fragment
Krater · ca. 400–350 BCE
Volute-krater fragment
Volute-krater fragment
Krater · ca. 400–350 BCE
Terracotta lekythos (oil flask)
Terracotta lekythos (oil flask)
Lekythos · ca. 400–375 BCE
Pyxis with Animal Frieze
Pyxis with Animal Frieze
6256 · Pyxis · 4th-3rd century BCE (Classical-Hellenistic)
FIGURE VASE (SOUTH ITALIAN (?), RED-FIGURE)
FIGURE VASE (SOUTH ITALIAN (?), RED-FIGURE)
-400 TO -300
FIGURE VASE (SOUTH ITALIAN (?), RED-FIGURE)
FIGURE VASE (SOUTH ITALIAN (?), RED-FIGURE)
-400 TO -300
KRATER, BELL (SOUTH ITALIAN, LUCANIAN, RED-FIGURE)
KRATER, BELL (SOUTH ITALIAN, LUCANIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Krater · -400 TO -300
Mixing bowl (calyx krater) with Eros and Dionysos
Mixing bowl (calyx krater) with Eros and Dionysos
The Painter of London F90 · Krater · about early 4th century B.C.
Hydria
Hydria
Attributed to the Workshop of the Creusa Painter · Hydria · ca. 400–375 BCE
Jug
Jug
4th century BCE
Attic Red-Figure Lebes Gamikos
Attic Red-Figure Lebes Gamikos
Lebes Gamikos · about 400 B.C.
Volute-krater fragment
Volute-krater fragment
Krater · ca. 400–350 BCE
Mixing bowl (calyx krater) depicting a youthful Herakles at a shrine
Mixing bowl (calyx krater) depicting a youthful Herakles at a shrine
The Jena Painter · Krater · about first quarter of 4th century B.C.
Rhyton in the Form of a Ram's Head
Rhyton in the Form of a Ram's Head
15919 · 4th-2nd century BCE or modern (Hellenistic or modern)
Fragment of a terracotta calyx-krater (mixing bowl)
Fragment of a terracotta calyx-krater (mixing bowl)
Attributed to the Black Fury Painter · ca. 400–380 BCE
Volute-krater fragment
Volute-krater fragment
Krater · ca. 400–350 BCE
OINOCHOE (ETRUSCAN, RED-FIGURE)
OINOCHOE (ETRUSCAN, RED-FIGURE)
Oinochoe · -400 TO -300
Fragment of a terracotta calyx-krater (mixing bowl)
Fragment of a terracotta calyx-krater (mixing bowl)
Attributed to the Black Fury Painter · ca. 400–380 BCE
Attisch rotfigurige Bauchlekythos
Attisch rotfigurige Bauchlekythos
Lekythos · 400-367 v. Chr.
Volute-krater fragment
Volute-krater fragment
Krater · ca. 400–350 BCE
FIGURE VASE (SOUTH ITALIAN (?), RED-FIGURE)
FIGURE VASE (SOUTH ITALIAN (?), RED-FIGURE)
-400 TO -300
Lucanian Red-Figure Amphora Fragment, Panathenaic Shape
Lucanian Red-Figure Amphora Fragment, Panathenaic Shape
Amykos Painter · Amphora · about 400 B.C.
KRATER, BELL, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
KRATER, BELL, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Krater · -400 TO -300
Volute-krater fragment
Volute-krater fragment
Krater · ca. 400–350 BCE
Terracotta pelike (jar)
Terracotta pelike (jar)
Pelike · ca. 400–350 BCE
Red-figure Squat Lekythos: Palmette Decoration
Red-figure Squat Lekythos: Palmette Decoration
Lekythos · 400 BCE-300 BCE
PELIKE, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
PELIKE, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
CompareGROUP G · Pelike · -400 TO -300
CUP, STEMLESS, FRAGMENT (SOUTH ITALIAN, RED-FIGURE)
CUP, STEMLESS, FRAGMENT (SOUTH ITALIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Kylix · -400 TO -300
OINOCHOE (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
OINOCHOE (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
FAT-BOY GROUP · Oinochoe · -400 TO -300
Attisch rotfigurige Bauchlekythos (Aryballos, rf.)
Attisch rotfigurige Bauchlekythos (Aryballos, rf.)
Lekythos · 400-376 v. Chr.
LEKYTHOS, SQUAT (SOUTH ITALIAN, CAMPANIAN, RED-FIGURE)
LEKYTHOS, SQUAT (SOUTH ITALIAN, CAMPANIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Lekythos · -400 TO -300
Attisch-rotfigurige Pelike
Attisch-rotfigurige Pelike
Pelike · 400-376 v. Chr.
Images courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art (CC0)