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): Offerings at a Tomb
Lekythos
· 430 BCE
Lekythos (oil flask): Laying Out the Body
The Woman Painter
· Lekythos
· 430-420 BCE
White-Ground Lekythos (Oil Vessel): Youths at Tomb
Group R
· Lekythos
· c. 420–400 BCE
Lekythos (Attische Lekythos)
Gruppe der Huge Lekythoi
· Lekythos
· 420-400 v. Chr.
Lekythos (Attisch-weißgrundige Lekythos (sog. Huge Lekythos))
Lekythos
· 420-380 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, weißgrundige Lekythos
Lekythos
· 451-475 n. Chr.
Attische Lekythos
Lekythos
· 451-475 n. Chr.
AMPHORA, BELLY (AEGINETAN, BRONZE AGE, OUTLINE)
Amphora
ARYBALLOS (CORINTHIAN, OUTLINE)
Aryballos
BOWL (ATHENIAN GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
PYXIS (ATHENIAN GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
Pyxis
SKYPHOS (CORINTHIAN GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
Skyphos
· -750 to -700
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 (PROTOATTIC, OUTLINE)
Amphora
OINOCHOE (ATHENIAN GEOMETRIC)
Oinochoe
CUP (PROTOATTIC, OUTLINE)
Kylix
AMPHORA, NECK (ITALO-GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
Amphora
AMPHORA, BELLY-HANDLED (ATHENIAN GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
Amphora
OINOCHOE (ATHENIAN GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
Oinochoe
KANTHAROS (ATHENIAN GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
Kantharos
CUP (ATHENIAN GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
Kylix
AMPHORA, NECK (ATHENIAN GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
Amphora
BASKET (ATHENIAN GEOMETRIC)
Kantharos
ARYBALLOS (CORINTHIAN, OUTLINE)
Aryballos
ARYBALLOS (CORINTHIAN, OUTLINE)
Aryballos
ARYBALLOS (CORINTHIAN, OUTLINE)
Aryballos
ARYBALLOS (CORINTHIAN, OUTLINE)
Aryballos
PLATE (EAST GREEK, OUTLINE)
PLATE (EAST GREEK, OUTLINE)
OINOCHOE (EAST GREEK, OUTLINE)
Oinochoe
AMPHORA, NECK (EAST GREEK, FIKELLURA, OUTLINE)
Amphora
AMPHORA, NECK (EAST GREEK, FIKELLURA, OUTLINE)
Amphora
AMPHORA, NECK (EAST GREEK, FIKELLURA, OUTLINE)
Amphora
PLATE (EAST GREEK, OUTLINE)
AMPHORA, BELLY (EAST GREEK, FIKELLURA, OUTLINE)
Amphora
PYXIS (BOEOTIAN GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
Pyxis
BOEOTIAN BIRD CUP (BOEOTIAN, OUTLINE)
Kylix
CUP (BOEOTIAN, OUTLINE)
Kylix
OINOCHOE (EAST GREEK, OUTLINE)
Oinochoe
BOEOTIAN BIRD CUP (BOEOTIAN, OUTLINE)
Kylix
BOEOTIAN BIRD CUP (BOEOTIAN, OUTLINE)
Kylix
PYXIS (BOEOTIAN GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
Pyxis
AMPHORA, NECK (BOEOTIAN GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
Amphora
BOEOTIAN BIRD CUP (BOEOTIAN, OUTLINE)
Kylix
BOEOTIAN BIRD CUP (BOEOTIAN, OUTLINE)
Kylix
SARCOPHAGUS (EAST GREEK, CLAZOMENIAN, OUTLINE)
SARCOPHAGUS (EAST GREEK, CLAZOMENIAN, OUTLINE)
OINOCHOE (EAST GREEK, OUTLINE)
Oinochoe
SARCOPHAGUS, FRAGMENT (EAST GREEK, CLAZOMENIAN, OUTLINE)
Images courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art (CC0)