Technique
White-ground
Period
c. 500–400 BC
Collection
734 vases
A white slip covers the vessel, allowing polychrome painting in added colours — reds, blues, yellows, greens. The closest surviving approximation to the lost art of Greek panel painting. Most common on lekythoi used as grave offerings, their ethereal beauty perfectly suited to funerary themes.
734 examples
CHALICE, FRAGMENT (EAST GREEK, NAUCRATITE, OUTLINE)
CHALICE, FRAGMENT (EAST GREEK, NAUCRATITE, OUTLINE)
CHALICE, FRAGMENT (EAST GREEK, NAUCRATITE, OUTLINE)
PLATE (EAST GREEK, OUTLINE)
FIGURE VASE, ARYBALLOS (CRETAN, OUTLINE)
Aryballos
CUP, FRAGMENT (EAST GREEK, CHIAN, OUTLINE)
Kylix
BOEOTIAN BIRD CUP (BOEOTIAN, OUTLINE)
Kylix
BOEOTIAN BIRD CUP (BOEOTIAN, OUTLINE)
Kylix
BOEOTIAN BIRD CUP (BOEOTIAN, OUTLINE)
Kylix
BOEOTIAN BIRD CUP (BOEOTIAN, OUTLINE)
Kylix
BOEOTIAN BIRD CUP (BOEOTIAN, OUTLINE)
Kylix
BOEOTIAN BIRD CUP (BOEOTIAN, OUTLINE)
Kylix
BOEOTIAN BIRD CUP (BOEOTIAN, OUTLINE)
Kylix
BOWL (BOEOTIAN, OUTLINE)
AMPHORA, NECK (ATHENIAN GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
Amphora
CUP (ATHENIAN GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
Kylix
KRATER (EAST GREEK GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
Krater
OINOCHOE (BOEOTIAN GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
Oinochoe
KRATER (CYPRIOT, OUTLINE)
Krater
KRATER (CYPRIOT, OUTLINE)
Krater
DOUBLE VASE (ATHENIAN, OUTLINE)
OINOCHOE (ATHENIAN GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
Oinochoe
TANKARD (ATHENIAN GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
CUP (PROTOATTIC, OUTLINE)
Kylix
AMPHORA, BELLY-HANDLED (CYPRIOT, OUTLINE)
Amphora
JUG (CYPRIOT, OUTLINE)
FRAGMENT (EGYPTIAN, OUTLINE)
CUP (IONIAN, OUTLINE)
Kylix
KRATER, FRAGMENT (EAST GREEK, OUTLINE)
Krater
AMPHORA, NECK, FRAGMENTS (EAST GREEK, FIKELLURA, OUTLINE)
Amphora
FRAGMENTS (PROTO-ELAMITE, OUTLINE)
OINOCHOE (CYPRIOT, OUTLINE)
Oinochoe
OINOCHOE (CYPRIOT, OUTLINE)
Oinochoe
CUP (CYPRIOT, OUTLINE)
Kylix
AMPHORA, BELLY (CYPRIOT, OUTLINE)
Amphora
KRATER (CYPRIOT, OUTLINE)
Krater
AMPHORA, BELLY (CYPRIOT, OUTLINE)
Amphora
SARCOPHAGUS, FRAGMENT (EAST GREEK, CLAZOMENIAN, OUTLINE)
KRATER, CALYX (SOUTH ITALIAN, SICILIAN, OUTLINE)
Krater
BOEOTIAN BIRD CUP (BOEOTIAN, OUTLINE)
Kylix
CUP (CORINTHIAN, OUTLINE)
Kylix
PYXIS (CORINTHIAN, OUTLINE)
Pyxis
ARYBALLOS (CORINTHIAN, OUTLINE)
Aryballos
PLATE (ETRUSCO-CORINTHIAN, OUTLINE)
HYDRIA, FRAGMENTS (PROTOATTIC, OUTLINE)
Hydria
HYDRIA, FRAGMENTS (PROTOATTIC, OUTLINE)
Hydria
HYDRIA, FRAGMENTS (PROTOATTIC, OUTLINE)
Hydria
AMPHORA, NECK, FRAGMENTS (PROTOATTIC, OUTLINE)
Amphora
ARYBALLOS (CORINTHIAN, OUTLINE)
Aryballos
LID, FRAGMENT (PROTOATTIC, OUTLINE)
KRATER, FRAGMENTS (PROTOATTIC, OUTLINE)
Krater
KRATER, FRAGMENTS (PROTOATTIC, OUTLINE)
Krater
KRATER, FRAGMENTS (PROTOATTIC, OUTLINE)
Krater
KRATER, FRAGMENTS (PROTOATTIC, OUTLINE)
Krater
KRATER, FRAGMENTS (PROTOATTIC, OUTLINE)
Krater
KRATER, FRAGMENTS (PROTOATTIC, OUTLINE)
Krater
STAND, FRAGMENTS (PROTOATTIC, OUTLINE)
SARCOPHAGUS (EAST GREEK, CLAZOMENIAN, OUTLINE)
FIGURE VASE (EAST GREEK, OUTLINE)
CUP (BOEOTIAN, OUTLINE)
Kylix
Images courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art (CC0)