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
Lekythos (oil flask): Laying Out the Body
The Woman Painter
· Lekythos
· 430-420 BCE
Lekythos (oil flask): Offerings at a Tomb
Lekythos
· 430 BCE
White-Ground Lekythos (Oil Vessel): Youths at Tomb
Group R
· Lekythos
· c. 420–400 BCE
Lekythos (Attisch-weißgrundige Lekythos (sog. Huge Lekythos))
Lekythos
· 420-380 v. Chr.
Lekythos (Attische Lekythos)
Gruppe der Huge Lekythoi
· Lekythos
· 420-400 v. Chr.
Lekythos (Oil Jar)
the Reed Painter
· Lekythos
· 410-400 BCE
White-Ground Lekythos (Oil Vessel): Mourners at Tomb
Lekythos
· c. 400s BCE, with modern painting
Weißgrundige Lagynos
150 v. Chr.-20 n. Chr.
White-Ground Lekythos: Visit at Tomb
Lekythos
· 5th century BCE
Frescoed Wall with White Ground and Yellow Center Panel
A.D. 50–79
Attische Lekythos
Lekythos
· 451-475 n. Chr.
Attische, weißgrundige Lekythos
Lekythos
· 451-475 n. Chr.
PYXIS (ATHENIAN GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
Pyxis
PITCHER (ATHENIAN GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
ARYBALLOS (CORINTHIAN, OUTLINE)
Aryballos
ARYBALLOS (CORINTHIAN, OUTLINE)
Aryballos
ARYBALLOS (CORINTHIAN, OUTLINE)
Aryballos
ARYBALLOS (CORINTHIAN, OUTLINE)
Aryballos
ARYBALLOS (CORINTHIAN, OUTLINE)
Aryballos
CUP (UNCERTAIN, OUTLINE)
Kylix
CYLINDER (BOEOTIAN ORIENTALISING, OUTLINE)
AMPHORA, NECK (ITALO-GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
Amphora
AMPHORA, NECK (ATHENIAN GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
Amphora
OINOCHOE (ATHENIAN GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
Oinochoe
CUP (EAST GREEK, OUTLINE)
Kylix
CUP (ATHENIAN GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
Kylix
KANTHAROS (ATHENIAN GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
Kantharos
CUP (BOEOTIAN, OUTLINE)
Kylix
BOEOTIAN BIRD CUP (BOEOTIAN, OUTLINE)
Kylix
AMPHORA, NECK (ATHENIAN GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
Amphora
ARYBALLOS (CORINTHIAN, OUTLINE)
Aryballos
OINOCHOE (ATHENIAN GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
Oinochoe
ARYBALLOS (CORINTHIAN, OUTLINE)
Aryballos
ARYBALLOS (CORINTHIAN, OUTLINE)
Aryballos
ARYBALLOS (CORINTHIAN, OUTLINE)
Aryballos
ARYBALLOS (CORINTHIAN, OUTLINE)
Aryballos
ARYBALLOS (CORINTHIAN, OUTLINE)
Aryballos
KANTHAROS (ATHENIAN GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
Kantharos
ARYBALLOS (CORINTHIAN, OUTLINE)
Aryballos
· -550 to -500
KRATER (ARGIVE GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
Krater
CUP (BOEOTIAN, OUTLINE)
Kylix
RING ASKOS (BOEOTIAN, OUTLINE)
VARIOUS (BOEOTIAN, OUTLINE)
STAMNOS (BOEOTIAN GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
Stamnos
CUP (BOEOTIAN, OUTLINE)
Kylix
AMPHORA, BELLY (BOEOTIAN, OUTLINE)
Amphora
BOEOTIAN BIRD CUP (BOEOTIAN, OUTLINE)
Kylix
CUP (BOEOTIAN, OUTLINE)
Kylix
PYXIS (BOEOTIAN, OUTLINE)
Pyxis
OINOCHOE (EAST GREEK, OUTLINE)
Oinochoe
OINOCHOE (BOEOTIAN GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
Oinochoe
OINOCHOE (EAST GREEK, OUTLINE)
Oinochoe
FRAGMENT (EAST GREEK, OUTLINE)
PYXIS (EAST GREEK, OUTLINE)
Pyxis
OINOCHOE (EAST GREEK, OUTLINE)
Oinochoe
KRATER, FRAGMENT (EAST GREEK, OUTLINE)
Krater
SARCOPHAGUS (EAST GREEK, CLAZOMENIAN, OUTLINE)
CUP (EAST GREEK, OUTLINE)
Kylix
CHALICE (EAST GREEK, CHIAN, OUTLINE)
CHALICE (EAST GREEK, CHIAN, OUTLINE)
Images courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art (CC0)