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
LEKYTHOS, SQUAT (SOUTH ITALIAN, LUCANIAN, RED-FIGURE)
LEKYTHOS, SQUAT (SOUTH ITALIAN, LUCANIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Lekythos
HYDRIA (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
HYDRIA (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Hydria
HYDRIA (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
HYDRIA (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Hydria
HYDRIA (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
HYDRIA (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Hydria
HYDRIA (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
HYDRIA (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Hydria
HYDRIA (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
HYDRIA (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Hydria
KRATER, BELL (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
KRATER, BELL (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Krater
KRATER, BELL (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
KRATER, BELL (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Krater
KRATER, COLUMN (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
KRATER, COLUMN (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Krater
KRATER, BELL (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
KRATER, BELL (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Krater
KRATER, BELL (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
KRATER, BELL (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Krater
KRATER, COLUMN (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
KRATER, COLUMN (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Krater
KRATER, COLUMN (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
KRATER, COLUMN (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Krater
KRATER, COLUMN (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
KRATER, COLUMN (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Krater
KRATER, COLUMN (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
KRATER, COLUMN (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Krater
KRATER, COLUMN (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
KRATER, COLUMN (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Krater
KRATER, COLUMN (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
KRATER, COLUMN (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Krater
KRATER, VOLUTE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
KRATER, VOLUTE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Krater
AMPHORA, PANATHENAIC SHAPE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
AMPHORA, PANATHENAIC SHAPE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Amphora
OINOCHOE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
OINOCHOE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Oinochoe
OINOCHOE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
OINOCHOE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Oinochoe
OINOCHOE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
OINOCHOE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Oinochoe
MUG (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
MUG (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
ASKOS (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
ASKOS (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
PHIALE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
PHIALE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Phiale
ASKOS (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
ASKOS (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
PHIALE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
PHIALE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Phiale
PHIALE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
PHIALE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Phiale
PLATE, STEMMED (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
PLATE, STEMMED (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
KRATER, COLUMN (ETRUSCAN, RED-FIGURE)
KRATER, COLUMN (ETRUSCAN, RED-FIGURE)
Krater
KRATER, COLUMN (ETRUSCAN, RED-FIGURE)
KRATER, COLUMN (ETRUSCAN, RED-FIGURE)
Krater
ALABASTRON (CORINTHIAN)
ALABASTRON (CORINTHIAN)
Alabastron
KANTHAROS (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
KANTHAROS (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Kantharos
EPICHYSIS (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
EPICHYSIS (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
PELIKE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
PELIKE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Pelike
PELIKE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
PELIKE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Pelike
PELIKE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
PELIKE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Pelike
PELIKE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
PELIKE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Pelike
PELIKE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
PELIKE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Pelike
PELIKE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
PELIKE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Pelike
PELIKE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
PELIKE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Pelike
PELIKE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
PELIKE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Pelike
PLATE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
PLATE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
PLATE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
PLATE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
LEKANIS LID (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
LEKANIS LID (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
LEKYTHOS, SQUAT (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
LEKYTHOS, SQUAT (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Lekythos
AMPHORA, BELLY, FRAGMENT (ETRUSCAN, RED-FIGURE)
AMPHORA, BELLY, FRAGMENT (ETRUSCAN, RED-FIGURE)
Amphora
LID (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
LID (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
LEKYTHOS, SQUAT (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
LEKYTHOS, SQUAT (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Lekythos
LEKYTHOS, SQUAT (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
LEKYTHOS, SQUAT (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Lekythos
LEKYTHOS, SQUAT (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
LEKYTHOS, SQUAT (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Lekythos
PLATE, STEMMED (ETRUSCAN, RED-FIGURE)
PLATE, STEMMED (ETRUSCAN, RED-FIGURE)
PLATE, STEMMED (ETRUSCAN, RED-FIGURE)
PLATE, STEMMED (ETRUSCAN, RED-FIGURE)
BOTTLE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
BOTTLE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
PLATE, STEMMED (ETRUSCAN, RED-FIGURE)
PLATE, STEMMED (ETRUSCAN, RED-FIGURE)
KRATER, VOLUTE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
KRATER, VOLUTE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Krater
KRATER, VOLUTE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
KRATER, VOLUTE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Krater
KRATER, VOLUTE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
KRATER, VOLUTE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Krater
KRATER, VOLUTE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
KRATER, VOLUTE (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Krater
SITULA (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
SITULA (SOUTH ITALIAN, APULIAN, RED-FIGURE)
Images courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art (CC0)