{"product_id":"9789042945555-composition-in-athenian-black-figure-vase-painting-the-chariot-in-profile-type-scene","title":"Composition in Athenian Black-Figure Vase-Painting","description":"\u003cmeta content=\"text\/html; charset=utf-8\" http-equiv=\"Content-Type\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe 'Chariot in Profile' 'Type Scene'\u003cbr\u003eAll Athenian black-figure vases – unique masterpieces as well as       mass-produced vases – reflect the conventions of Athenian pictorial       language. The starting point for this study is that knowledge of       this pictorial language provides a better comprehension of the       meaning of the representations. Athenians in the 6th century BCE knew       its conventions intimately, and one can assume they could easily       understand vase-paintings because a few elements or a specific       combination of elements were sufficient for them to identify the whole       picture. The modern viewer, however, can only approach the intuitive       knowledge of the ancient viewer by studying and analysing the surviving       images.              This study focuses on mass-produced vases, because large numbers provide       vital statistical evidence for understanding the meaning of gestures,       attributes, and other details, which makes it possible to deduce the       rules of Athenian pictorial language and to recognise what is       usual and normal, or unusual and exceptional. The methodology is       demonstrated in an introductory case study of the type scene ‘Fighting       men separated’. Since the visual artists’ use of pictorial       language resembles the way in which in oral poetry a singer tells       the story by using type scenes, formulaic verses, and epitheta       ornantia while adding, omitting, or varying details and names, in       this study terms are used that are borrowed from literary studies of       Homer’s oral poetry like type scene (the compositional schema or       general arrangement of a depiction), subtypes, and typical       elements (e.g., figure types, attributes, gestures, and other       details).               In this study the imagery of more than 1,200 Athenian black-figure       vase-paintings of the type scene ‘Chariot in profile’ is       examined. Three subtypes are distinguished: ‘Hoplites and other       men leaving’ (with a hoplite and charioteer in or near the chariot, and       representations with an unarmed man instead of the hoplite in or near       the chariot), ‘Wedding procession’ (with a woman as passenger in the       chariot and a man holding the reins), and ‘Apotheosis of Herakles and       divine departures’ (with Herakles and Athena in or near the chariot, and       related representations of gods driving chariots).                             The conclusions of this investigation are that Athenian vase-painters       composed their paintings according to a commonly understood system of       pictorial language; that they were free to make variations,       additions, and omissions, but stayed within the boundaries of the system       and did not randomly add or omit figures; that innovative compositions       were based upon existing compositions with a related meaning, since new       images had to be easily and quickly understandable by the public; and       that typical elements could have different meanings depending on       their context. Since the painters composed the paintings according to a       commonly understood system of pictorial language, knowledge of       this system will help the modern viewer to understand the deeper       meanings of paintings that at first sight are hard to grasp.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Rarewaves","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55168934412662,"sku":"9789042945555","price":107.15,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0092\/7504\/8033\/files\/orig_11970188_19793807_20241216075050.jpg?v=1737383807","url":"https:\/\/www.rarewaves.com\/products\/9789042945555-composition-in-athenian-black-figure-vase-painting-the-chariot-in-profile-type-scene","provider":"Rarewaves.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}