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 guttus (flask with handle and vertical spout)
Terracotta guttus (flask with handle and vertical spout)
4th century BCE
Terracotta lid of the lebes gamikos 96.9.20 (jar associated with weddings)
Terracotta lid of the lebes gamikos 96.9.20 (jar associated with weddings)
Attributed to the Xenon Group · Lebes Gamikos · 4th century BCE
Terracotta amphora with lid (jar)
Terracotta amphora with lid (jar)
Amphora · 4th century BCE
Volute-krater fragment
Volute-krater fragment
Krater · 4th century BCE
Volute-krater fragment
Volute-krater fragment
Krater · 4th century BCE
Statuette of Aphrodite, fragmentary
Statuette of Aphrodite, fragmentary
4th century BCE
Volute-krater fragment
Volute-krater fragment
Krater · 4th century BCE
Terracotta saucer-shaped lamp
Terracotta saucer-shaped lamp
4th century BCE
Terracotta saucer-shaped lamp
Terracotta saucer-shaped lamp
4th century BCE
Terracotta saucer-shaped lamp
Terracotta saucer-shaped lamp
4th century BCE
Terracotta saucer-shaped lamp
Terracotta saucer-shaped lamp
4th century BCE
Terracotta head of a bearded man
Terracotta head of a bearded man
early 4th century BCE
Fragment of a terracotta relief of a woman and child
Fragment of a terracotta relief of a woman and child
4th century BCE
Male head
Male head
4th–3rd century BCE
Terracotta saucer-shaped lamp
Terracotta saucer-shaped lamp
4th–3rd century BCE
Terracotta saucer-shaped lamp
Terracotta saucer-shaped lamp
4th century BCE
Terracotta trozella (two-handled jar)
Terracotta trozella (two-handled jar)
4th century BCE
Terracotta askos (flask with a spout and handle over the top)
Terracotta askos (flask with a spout and handle over the top)
4th century BCE
Terracotta calyx-krater (bowl for mixing wine and water)
Terracotta calyx-krater (bowl for mixing wine and water)
Krater · 4th century BCE
Terracotta antefix (roof tile) with head of a maenad
Terracotta antefix (roof tile) with head of a maenad
late 4th century BCE
Oinochoe
Oinochoe
Attributed to the Phantom Group · Oinochoe · 4th century BCE
Terracotta bowl
Terracotta bowl
4th–3rd century BCE
Squat lekythos
Squat lekythos
Lekythos · 4th century BCE
Terracotta stand with a satyr
Terracotta stand with a satyr
4th century BCE
Volute-krater fragment
Volute-krater fragment
Krater · 4th century BCE
Volute-krater fragment
Volute-krater fragment
Krater · 4th century BCE
Etruscan Red-Figure Stamnos Fragment
Etruscan Red-Figure Stamnos Fragment
Funnel Group · Stamnos · 4th century B.C.
Terracotta hydria: kalpis (water jar)
Terracotta hydria: kalpis (water jar)
the Erbach Painter · Hydria · early 4th century BCE
Bell-krater fragment
Bell-krater fragment
Krater · 4th century BCE
Terracotta amphora (jar)
Terracotta amphora (jar)
Amphora · 4th century BCE
Terracotta saucer-shaped oil lamp
Terracotta saucer-shaped oil lamp
4th century BCE
Terracotta saucer-shaped oil lamp
Terracotta saucer-shaped oil lamp
4th century BCE
Terracotta saucer-shaped oil lamp
Terracotta saucer-shaped oil lamp
4th century BCE
Volute-krater fragment
Volute-krater fragment
Krater · 4th century BCE
Terracotta ladle-saucer or shovel
Terracotta ladle-saucer or shovel
4th century BCE
Volute-krater fragment
Volute-krater fragment
Krater · 4th century BCE
Volute-krater fragment
Volute-krater fragment
Krater · 4th century BCE
Volute-krater fragment
Volute-krater fragment
Krater · 4th century BCE
Volute-krater fragment
Volute-krater fragment
Krater · 4th century BCE
Lucanian Red-Figure Chous (Shape 3)
Lucanian Red-Figure Chous (Shape 3)
Reggio Group · early 4th century B.C.
Terracotta amphoriskos (oil flask)
Terracotta amphoriskos (oil flask)
Aryballos · 4th century BCE
Terracotta statue of Eros holding an apple
Terracotta statue of Eros holding an apple
late 4th century BCE
Terracotta vase in the form of an ape
Terracotta vase in the form of an ape
4th century BCE
Standing female kithara player
Standing female kithara player
4th century BCE
Terracotta calyx-krater (bowl for mixing wine and water)
Terracotta calyx-krater (bowl for mixing wine and water)
Krater · 4th century BCE
Chariot group
Chariot group
probably 4th century BCE
Horse and rider
Horse and rider
4th–3rd century BCE
Foot of a Red-Figure Oinochoe (Wine Jug)
Foot of a Red-Figure Oinochoe (Wine Jug)
Oinochoe · 300s BCE
Oinochoe
Oinochoe
Oinochoe · 4th century BCE
Jug
Jug
4th century BCE
Terracotta votive statuette of two draped females
Terracotta votive statuette of two draped females
4th–3rd century BCE
Terracotta statuette of a reclining youth
Terracotta statuette of a reclining youth
4th century BCE
Standing youth
Standing youth
late 4th–early 3rd century BCE
Terracotta vase with janiform heads
Terracotta vase with janiform heads
4th century BCE
Terracotta relief of a horseman
Terracotta relief of a horseman
4th century BCE
Terracotta fragment with the upper body of a bearded man
Terracotta fragment with the upper body of a bearded man
4th century BCE
Terracotta head of a woman
Terracotta head of a woman
4th century BCE
Terracotta squat lekythos (oil jar)
Terracotta squat lekythos (oil jar)
Lekythos · early 4th century BCE
Terracotta figurine of a yound woman with articulated arms seated on a chair
Terracotta figurine of a yound woman with articulated arms seated on a chair
4th century BCE
Terracotta fragment of the upper body of a woman
Terracotta fragment of the upper body of a woman
4th century BCE
Images courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art (CC0)