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
FLASK (CYPRIOT, OUTLINE)
CUP (CYPRIOT, OUTLINE)
Kylix
CUP (CYPRIOT, OUTLINE)
Kylix
CUP (CYPRIOT, OUTLINE)
Kylix
CUP (CYPRIOT, OUTLINE)
Kylix
CUP (CYPRIOT, OUTLINE)
Kylix
CUP (CYPRIOT, OUTLINE)
Kylix
CUP, FRAGMENT (EAST GREEK, CHIAN, OUTLINE)
Kylix
AMPHORA, NECK (ATHENIAN GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
Amphora
SKYPHOS (ATHENIAN GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
Skyphos
TANKARD (ATHENIAN GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
AMPHORA, NECK (ATHENIAN GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
Amphora
OINOCHOE (EAST GREEK, OUTLINE)
Oinochoe
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
KANTHAROS (BOEOTIAN, OUTLINE)
Kantharos
SARCOPHAGUS (EAST GREEK, CLAZOMENIAN, OUTLINE)
SARCOPHAGUS (EAST GREEK, CLAZOMENIAN, OUTLINE)
CUP (BOEOTIAN, OUTLINE)
Kylix
BOWL (ATHENIAN GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
ARYBALLOS (CORINTHIAN, OUTLINE)
Aryballos
ARYBALLOS (CORINTHIAN, OUTLINE)
Aryballos
ARYBALLOS (CORINTHIAN, OUTLINE)
Aryballos
ARYBALLOS (CORINTHIAN, OUTLINE)
Aryballos
ARYBALLOS (CORINTHIAN, OUTLINE)
Aryballos
ARYBALLOS (CORINTHIAN, OUTLINE)
Aryballos
ARYBALLOS (CORINTHIAN, OUTLINE)
Aryballos
ARYBALLOS (CORINTHIAN, OUTLINE)
Aryballos
ARYBALLOS (CORINTHIAN, OUTLINE)
Aryballos
ARYBALLOS (CORINTHIAN, OUTLINE)
Aryballos
ARYBALLOS (CORINTHIAN, OUTLINE)
Aryballos
OINOCHOE (CYPRIOT, IRON AGE, OUTLINE)
Oinochoe
PYXIS (ATHENIAN GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
Pyxis
HYDRIA (BOEOTIAN GEOMETRIC, OUTLINE)
Hydria
BOEOTIAN BIRD CUP (BOEOTIAN, OUTLINE)
Kylix
AMPHORA, NECK (PROTOATTIC, OUTLINE)
Amphora
OINOCHOE (ATHENIAN GEOMETRIC)
Oinochoe
Images courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art (CC0)