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
Fish Plate
Fish Plate
34636 · mid-late 4th century BCE (Late Classical-early Hellenistic)
Proto-Paestan Red-Figure Calyx Krater
Proto-Paestan Red-Figure Calyx Krater
Painter of Louvre K 240 · Krater · about 360 B.C.
Terracotta hydria (water jar)
Terracotta hydria (water jar)
Attributed to the Olcott Painter · Hydria · ca. 360–330 BCE
Terracotta bell-krater (mixing bowl)
Terracotta bell-krater (mixing bowl)
Attributed to the Whiteface Painter · Krater · ca. 360–330 BCE
Volute-krater fragment
Volute-krater fragment
Krater · ca. 360–340 BCE
South Italian Red-Figure Skyphos Fragment
South Italian Red-Figure Skyphos Fragment
Lecce Painter · Skyphos · about 360–350 B.C.
Terracotta column-krater (mixing bowl)
Terracotta column-krater (mixing bowl)
Attributed to the Varrese Painter · Krater · ca. 360–340 BCE
Volute-krater fragment
Volute-krater fragment
Krater · ca. 360–340 BCE
Apulian Red-Figure Pelike
Apulian Red-Figure Pelike
Berkeley Painter · Pelike · about 360 B.C.
Volute-krater fragment
Volute-krater fragment
Krater · ca. 360–340 BCE
Krater with a Woman's Head and Floral Ornaments
Krater with a Woman's Head and Floral Ornaments
5208 · Krater · mid 4th century BCE (Late Classical-early Hellenistic)
Fragmentary Apulian Red-Figure Pelike
Fragmentary Apulian Red-Figure Pelike
Suckling - Salting Group · Pelike · about 360–350 B.C.
Lekythos with Knucklebone Players and Attendants
Lekythos with Knucklebone Players and Attendants
6379 · Lekythos · mid 4th century BCE (Late Classical)
Apulian Red-Figure Askos
Apulian Red-Figure Askos
360–350 B.C.
Attic Red-Figure Pelike, Kerch Style
Attic Red-Figure Pelike, Kerch Style
Painter of the Wedding Procession · Pelike · about 360 B.C.
Apulian Red-Figure Oinochoe (shape 3)
Apulian Red-Figure Oinochoe (shape 3)
WATERSPOUT GROUP · Oinochoe · about 360 B.C.
Volute-krater fragment
Volute-krater fragment
Krater · ca. 360–340 BCE
Apulian Red-Figure Calyx Krater Fragment
Apulian Red-Figure Calyx Krater Fragment
Suckling - Salting Group · Krater · about 360–350 B.C.
Apulian Red-Figure Chous (Shape 3)
Apulian Red-Figure Chous (Shape 3)
BLACK FURY GROUP · about 360 B.C.
Hydria (Water Jar)
Hydria (Water Jar)
the Iliupersis Painter · Hydria · 360-350 BCE
Volute-krater fragment
Volute-krater fragment
Krater · ca. 360–340 BCE
Volute-krater fragment
Volute-krater fragment
Krater · ca. 360–340 BCE
Paestanischer, rotfiguriger Kelchkrater
Paestanischer, rotfiguriger Kelchkrater
Krater · 360-340 v. Chr.
Calyx-krater, fragments
Calyx-krater, fragments
Krater · ca. 360–340 BCE
Three fragments of a terracotta calyx-krater (mixing bowl)
Three fragments of a terracotta calyx-krater (mixing bowl)
Krater · ca. 360–340 BCE
Volute-krater fragment
Volute-krater fragment
Krater · ca. 360–340 BCE
Volute-krater fragment
Volute-krater fragment
Krater · ca. 360–340 BCE
Volute-krater fragment
Volute-krater fragment
Krater · ca. 360–340 BCE
Volute-krater fragment
Volute-krater fragment
Krater · ca. 360–340 BCE
Volute-krater fragment
Volute-krater fragment
Krater · ca. 360–340 BCE
Pelike (jar): Mythical Easterner Fighting a Griffin
Pelike (jar): Mythical Easterner Fighting a Griffin
Group G · Pelike · c. 350 BCE
Drinking cup (kylix) with Athena, Herakles, and Eros
Drinking cup (kylix) with Athena, Herakles, and Eros
Kylix · 380–350 B.C.
Apulian Red-Figure Stemless Kylix
Apulian Red-Figure Stemless Kylix
Painter of the Fleischman Phlyax Cup · Kylix · 360–350 B.C.
Apulian Red-Figure Skyphos Fragment
Apulian Red-Figure Skyphos Fragment
Skyphos · about 360–350 B.C.
Apulian Red-Figure Bell Krater Fragment
Apulian Red-Figure Bell Krater Fragment
Iliupersis Painter · Krater · about 360 B.C.
Trick amphora-rhython
Trick amphora-rhython
Amphora · 370–350 B.C.
Volute-krater fragment
Volute-krater fragment
Krater · ca. 360–340 BCE
Stamnos
Stamnos
The Painter of the Oxford Ganymede · Stamnos · 400–350 B.C.
Volute-krater fragment
Volute-krater fragment
Krater · ca. 360–340 BCE
Volute Krater for a Deceased Warrior
Volute Krater for a Deceased Warrior
8587 · Krater · ca. 345-325 BCE (Late Classical)
Red-Figure Kylix (Drinking Cup): Artemis and Stag
Red-Figure Kylix (Drinking Cup): Artemis and Stag
Clusium Group · Kylix · c. 350 BCE
Apulian-style Red-figure Kotyle
Apulian-style Red-figure Kotyle
c. 350-300 BCE
Apulian Red-figure Kantharos: Eros Pursuing a Hare
Apulian Red-figure Kantharos: Eros Pursuing a Hare
Kantharos · c. 350-300 BCE
Mixing bowl (calyx-krater)
Mixing bowl (calyx-krater)
the Darius Painter · Krater · about 340–330 B.C.
Knob-handled patera
Knob-handled patera
about 340–330 B.C.
Drinking cup (skyphos) showing an athlete with a wreath
Drinking cup (skyphos) showing an athlete with a wreath
Errera Painter · Kylix · about 340–330 B.C.
Mixing bowl (calyx-krater)
Mixing bowl (calyx-krater)
Painter: the Darius Painter · Krater · about 340–330 B.C.
Apulian Red-Figure Volute Krater Fragment
Apulian Red-Figure Volute Krater Fragment
Darius Painter · Krater · about 350–325 B.C.
Apulian Red-Figure Bell Krater Fragment
Apulian Red-Figure Bell Krater Fragment
Darius Painter · Krater · about 350 B.C.
Apulian Red-Figure Oinochoe Fragment
Apulian Red-Figure Oinochoe Fragment
Oinochoe · about 350 B.C.
Krater m. Knotenhenkeln (Apulische Amphora a colonnette)
Krater m. Knotenhenkeln (Apulische Amphora a colonnette)
Amphora · 350-300 v. Chr.
Apulian Red-Figure Krater Fragment
Apulian Red-Figure Krater Fragment
Krater · about 350 B.C.
South Italian Red-figure Fish Plate
South Italian Red-figure Fish Plate
350-320 BCE
Loutrophoros (Container for Bath Water)
Loutrophoros (Container for Bath Water)
the Varrese Painter · Loutrophoros · 350-340 BCE
Paestan Red-Figure Neck Amphora
Paestan Red-Figure Neck Amphora
Amphora · about 350 B.C.
Fish Plate
Fish Plate
the Dotted Stripe Painter · 350-330 BCE
Apulian Red-Figure Closed Vessel Fragment
Apulian Red-Figure Closed Vessel Fragment
about 350 B.C.
Fish Plate
Fish Plate
Probably by the Heligoland Painter · 350-325 BCE
Apulian Red-Figure Bell Krater Fragment
Apulian Red-Figure Bell Krater Fragment
Krater · about 350 B.C.
South Italian Red-figure Fish Plate
South Italian Red-figure Fish Plate
350-320 BCE
Images courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art (CC0)