Darius underworld workshop
As Darius underworld workshop (also Darius underworld workshop ) is the classical archeology of a manufacture of potters and vase painters, which was located in the Greek city of Taranto and was founded in the second half of the 4th century BC. Was operated. Some of the most important artisans in this field were active in it. The group, whose works belong to the Apulian vase painting , is named after two members who are recognized as particularly outstanding, who are referred to by the emergency names Dareios painter and underworld painter .
precursor
There are two stylistic groups whose work leads directly to the work of the Dareios Underworld group. One group depicts scenes from the grave cult, the other from the world of myths. The most important predecessors from the first group are the Gioia del Colle painter and the painter of Copenhagen 4223 . Both painters decorated a large number of large preserved vases. In doing so, they used quasi canonical themes , especially for volute craters : Naïskos scenes on the front and grave steles on the back. Many of the volutes have mask handles, the lower handle approaches can end in swans. The figures in Naïskos have become more and more statuesque over time and are reminiscent of statues by the sculptor Lysipp .
The two groups are connected in their works by the painters of the Berlin Branca group . If they also show grave steles on the back, they depict mythological genre scenes on the front. The Branca painter particularly stands out here . He always tries to show something new in his pictures. The Hippolyte painter is also a representative of the mixed style. He is responsible for some of the best work done in his day. The Hippolyte painter is a master of garment design and uses opaque white to a large extent in his pictures.
The second group includes artists like the Laodamia painter , who often divides his large pictures into two zones and skillfully builds up tension. The De Schulthess painter was only recognized as an independent artist for a relatively short time. For example, it shows a unique episode from the Trojan War over Helena's arrival in Troy .
The vases show the painters to be familiar with classical literature and Greek mythology. Theater scenes identify them as participants in the social life of their poleis . They are happy to show lesser known myths or scenes that are not common. All of this anticipates the properties and working methods of the Dareios underworld workshop.
The Darius painter and his circle
The Darius painter cannot be overestimated in his skill and importance. He has a decisive influence on the entire red-figure vase painting after him. Its effect also spreads to other regions, especially Campania, through employees and students . He was the first to use the possibilities of the monumental grave vases - especially craters - of up to 150 cm in height. The rules of composition he introduced became canonical for all employees and successors. It shows myths that no one else ever portrays, such as the story of the daughters of Anios . Similar to the poets of tragedy, he derives other pictorial themes from classical myths or uses the famous poets for the dramas. In addition, there are some of the very few representations with current references to vases. Such is the depiction of a battle of the Persian king Darius I , which may have parallels to the current events surrounding Alexander the Great . He also shows Dareios on his name vase among his loyal followers and advisers during a council meeting on the occasion of the Ionic uprising or the Persian wars . He often names the people shown with inscriptions.
The painters in his workshop always show the master's influence, but their works are seldom more than mass-produced goods that reproduce the same motifs over and over again. Only the Perrone painter and the Phrixos painter emerge as individual artists. But the Phrixos painter also mainly produced fish plates in series.
Successor of the Darius painter
The most important successor of the Darius painter is the underworld painter. An influence of the painter of Louvre MNB 1148 can be seen especially in Lekythen . In terms of the overall layout, the composition of the pictures, he is the direct successor of the Darius painter. He is a painter who pays great attention to details, which is what sets him apart from his master. It is not uncommon for his figures to be reminiscent of early Hellenistic sculptures. However, his faces are not as good as those of other artists, and his legs are usually unnaturally thin. When it comes to robes, he values patterns. The painter's late work shows a rapid decline in craftsmanship; it is possible that these are only products from his workshop.
Small vase shapes
The workshop is best known for its representative, large vases. But these only make up a small part of the manufactory's oeuvre. More than 2000 of the ascribed works, after all about every fifth of the Apulian vases of the red-figure style, were of medium and small format. They are based on the “simple style”, carry on older traditions and only slightly adapt to current tastes. The painters apparently enjoyed a good education, which is why their products give a uniform image. However, this does not allow them to hide the mass production from which they originate. Around 1000 vases alone show women's heads.
The Truro Pelike Painter , the Haifa Painter and the Lucera Painter are masters of the medium-sized form and they mainly decorate amphorae with Naïskos scenes. Later painters in this field no longer have this artistic class. Painters like the flat head painter , who got his name after an artistic weakness, or the painter from Vienna 751 have massive problems with the representation of the figures. Feet become chunky, faces are difficult to recognize as such.
The alabastras protrude from the small shapes . In addition, especially Kantharoi and Rhyta are decorated more elaborately. If their accessories are still quite detailed, imaginative and of high quality, the figures shown are quite uniform. Most of the small vases are represented by the already mentioned women's head vases . These include the painter from Zurich 2660 , the Winterthur group , the Armidale painter , the Monopoli group and their last representative, the painter of the Kassel bowl , for the workshop.
literature
- Arthur Dale Trendall : red-figure vases from southern Italy and Sicily. A manual . Von Zabern, Mainz 1991, ISBN 3-8053-1111-7 ( Cultural History of the Ancient World , Vol. 47), pp. 101–111.
