The Horsehead Amphora is a specific type of amphora, produced in Athens from about 600 BC onwards. They are vessels with a very pronounced belly, decorated with black figure horseheads on both sides. In a single case, one side depicts a woman's head. In contrast to earlier belly amphorae, the painters did not apply a separate frieze on the neck. The decoration was painted within reserved rectangular panels; the remaining vase of the body was painted black. More than 100 such amphorae are known; they were painted by a variety of artists, including ones of mediocre quality.
The amphorae appear to have had a specific meaning or purpose, remains elusive to modern scholarship. Some scholars have suggested that they were grave vases, but not a single specimen was found in a grave context. Should that interpretation be correct, the horses may be connected with Hades, or be symbols of Poseidon in an unusual role as god of the underworld. A further possibility is that the vases served as victory prizes. Erika Simon proposed that they were typical votive dedications using by the Athenian nobility, who also provided the state's cavalry. In that case, the horsehead would be a symbol of social standing. According to John D. Beazley, the vases were part of the Athenian vase painters' repertoire for less than half a century. No stylistic development can be detected. It is possible that they were precursors to the Panathenaic prize amphorae. The Painter of the Aachen horsehead is named for his habit of painting horsehead amphorae.
John Boardman: Schwarzfigurige Vasen aus Athen. Ein Handbuch, von Zabern, 4. edn, Mainz 1994 (Kulturgeschichte der Antiken Welt, Vol 1) ISBN3-8053-0233-9, p.18.
Bettina Kreuzer: Untersuchungen zu den attischen Pferdekopfamphoren, In: Bulletin antieke beschaving. Vol 73, 1998, p.95–114.
Reinhard Lullies in Antike Kunstwerke aus der Sammlung Ludwig. Band 1. Frühe Tonsarkophage und Vasen, von Zabern, Mainz 1979, p.45–46, ISBN3-8053-0439-0.
Black-figure pottery painting, also known as the black-figure style or black-figure ceramic is one of the styles of painting on antique Greek vases. It was especially common between the 7th and 5th centuries BC, although there are specimens dating as late as the 2nd century BC. Stylistically it can be distinguished from the preceding orientalizing period and the subsequent red-figure pottery style.
The Antimenes Painter was an Attic vase painter of the black-figure style, active between circa 530 and 510 BC.
The Providence Painter is the conventional name given to a painter of the Attic red-figure style. He was active around 470 BC.
The Eretria Painter was an ancient Greek Attic red-figure vase painter. He worked in the final quarter of the 5th century BC. The Eretria Painter is assumed to have been a contemporary of the Shuvalov Painter; he is considered one of the most interesting painters of his time. Many of his best works are painted on oinochoai and belly lekythoi. His paintings often depict many figures, moving in groups across all available surfaces. He also painted such vessels as figure-shaped vases or head-shaped kantharoi. Even as the vase shapes he painted on are unusual, his themes are conventional: athletes, satyrs and maenads, and mythological scenes. There are also some careful studies of women. He also painted white-ground vases. A lekythos in New York shows a funeral scene, typical of white-ground painting: Achilles is mourning Patroclus; the nereids bring him new weapons. The Eretria Painter's drawing style influenced later artists, e.g. the Meidias Painter and his school.
The Shuvalov Painter was an Attic vase painter of the red-figure style, active between 440 and 410 BC, i.e. in the High Classical period.
The Piraeus Painter was one of the first Attic black-figure vase painters. He was active between 630 and 600 BC.
The Bellerophon Painter was one of the first Attic black-figure vase painters. His period of activity is dated between 630 and 600 BC.
The Lion Painter was one of the earliest Athens black-figure vase painters. He was active between 630 and 600 BC.
The Panther Painter was a vase painter of the Attic black-figure style. He was probably active at the same time as the Nessos Painter, or shortly thereafter. Both shared a predilection for interlace patterns. The Panther Painter's vases have so far only been found in Attica, but outside Athens, at Vari. It is therefore assumed that he did not live and work in Athens, but only produced for a small local market in Attica. He mainly painted lekanis with animal friezes.
The Anagyros Painter or Anagyrus Painter was a vase painter of the early Attic black-figure style, active in the first quarter of the 6th century BC. His works have only been found in inland Attica, mainly at Vari, but not in Athens itself. It is thus assumed that he was not active within the city and only produced for a very limited rural area. In contrast to many of his contemporaries, he did not paint lekanes but various large formats, such as amphorae, kantharoi, chalices, oinochoai and plates.
The Polos Painter was a vase painter of the Attic black-figure style. His works date to c. 575 to 565 BC.
The Painter of Acropolis 606 was a black-figure vase painter, active around 570–560 BC.
The Ptoon Painter was an ancient Greek vase painter of black-figure style active in Athens in the middle third of the 6th century BC. His real name is unknown. The Ptoon Painter predominantly painted ovoid neck amphorae, spherical '’hydriai’’, and Siana cups. His most distinguishing features are figural palmettes and striking black-and-red patterns on the wings of birds. Along with the Camtar Painter, he was one of the last painters to paint animal friezes. His work is considered of mediocre quality. He often used dotted rosettes for the backgrounds, a feature generally out of use at the time of his activity. The late date of his works is attested by certain details of his plant motifs and figures, which resemble the work of Lydos. His most famous work is the Hearst Hydria, on display in New York City.
Burgon Group is the conventional name given to a group of Attic black-figure vase painters active in the middle third of the sixth century BC.
Group E was a group of Attic vase painters of the black-figure style. They were active between 560 and 540 BC.
The Princeton Painter was an Attic black-figure vase painter, active in the third quarter of the sixth century BC, just after Group E. His real name is not known.
The term Class of Cabinet des Médailles 218, or Class of Cab. Méd. 218 or Class of C.M. 218 describes both a group of Attic black-figure vase painters, and a type of vase they produced. They belong to the final third of the sixth century BC.
The Euphiletos Painter was an Attic black-figure vase painter active in the second half of the sixth century BC.
The Lysippides Painter was an Attic vase painter in the black-figure style. He was active around 530 to 510 BC. His real name is not known.
The Nikoxenos Painter was an Attic vase painter who worked in both the black-figure and red-figure styles. He was active in the end of the sixth and the beginning of the fifth centuries BC. His real name is not known.
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