Red swan group
The group of the red swan , also the red swan group and the group of the red swans is a Greek-ancient ceramic genre and probably also an artist group of Lower Italian ceramics .
The Red Swan group was named after their favorite motif, red swans. In addition, other animals such as snakes, pigs, fish or dogs, Eros , objects such as kantharoi or amphorae were painted. However, these decorations are applied much less often. The outer sides of bowls were decorated with ornaments, usually with a wreath of bay leaves. This motif is one of the characteristics of the group, although it also occurs in the same and similar form in the xenon genus . Purely ornamental decorations occur, but are rare. Almost exclusively footless bowls and plates were decorated. With this type of ceramic, the colors were applied to the vessels, which were covered with a dark gloss shade . This shape is reminiscent of Gnathia vases and the Xenon genus. The relationship to these two genres is unmistakable, especially to the latter there was a close connection. Since the research of John D. Beazley , the view has prevailed that the two groups should be considered separately from one another. Recently, this judgment was questioned by some researchers and a direct connection is suspected. For example, there is a very close match between the production and the painting style. The paintings of the group of the red swan as well as of the xenon genus, unlike the vases of the Gnathia genus, are only done in red. In addition, there are the already mentioned similarities in the use of ornaments. This is contradicted by the fact that vases of the xenon genus since the end of the 5th century BC Vases of the group of the red swan were not produced before the middle of the 4th century BC. Can be dated. A temporary parallel production in the workshops of Apulia and Peastums is therefore obvious. However, research into these vase types is not as advanced as other areas, such as Attic vase painting or red-figure vase painting in southern Italy .
literature
- Rolf Hurschmann : Xenon genus. In: The New Pauly (DNP). Volume 12 / II, Metzler, Stuttgart 1996-2015, ISBN 3-476-01470-3 , Sp. 628-628.
- Konrad Schauenburg : Studies on Lower Italian vase painting . Volume 3. Ludwig, Kiel 2001, ISBN 3-933598-12-5 , pp. 36-43.
