Nicosthenian amphora

Amazonomachy on a Nicosthenian amphora by Nikosthenes and the painter N, around 520 BC. BC, today in the Louvre

Nicosthenic amphora probably decorated by the BMN painter , around 530 BC. BC, today in the Louvre

The Nicosthenic amphora is a special Attic form of the neck amphora , which was made in the late sixth century BC. Was invented by the potter Nikosthenes and was intended for export to Etruria .

The Nicosthenian amphora is based on the Etruscan Bucchero shapes. It is the most characteristic product of the Nikosthenes Pamphaios workshop . The angular amphorae body and the wide, flat handles are striking. The originals in Etruria were black , while the Attic vases were painted in black-figure style . Almost all of the amphorae were found in Caere , while most of Nikosthenes' other products were discovered in Vulci . This suggests that he was producing specifically for the Caere market. This also means that Nikosthenes must have been a particularly enterprising potter who was also able to use product advertising skillfully, and who also had skillful middlemen at work. Along with other forms devised by Nikosthenes or introduced in Athens, the Nicosthenic amphora became his most famous creation.

The tone of the Nicosthenian amphora glowed orange-red and thus contrasted well with the black-figure painting. The decoration of the vases can follow very different patterns. Sometimes the vases were divided into up to three friezes, which were individually painted. Plant and animal friezes were often shown here. Other times, individual images took up the entire body of the vase. Apparently most, if not all, of the known Nikosthenian amphorae were painted by the painter N , who is possibly identical to Nikosthenes. After production was between 530 and 520 BC. BC and was continued by the successor of Nikosthenes, Pamphaios - now the amphorae were painted in red figures - it ended sometime between 500 and 490 BC. Chr.

literature

• John Boardman : Black-Figure Vases from Athens. A handbook (= cultural history of the ancient world . Vol. 1). von Zabern, Mainz 1977, ISBN 3-8053-0233-9 , p. 72.
• Thomas Mannack : Greek vase painting. An introduction. Theiss, Stuttgart 2002, ISBN 3-8062-1743-2 , p. 123.
• Wolfgang Schiering : The Greek clay pots. Shape, purpose and change of form (= Gebr.-Mann-Studio-series ). 2nd, significantly changed and expanded edition. Mann, Berlin 1983, ISBN 3-7861-1325-4 , pp. 37f., 46-48, 152.

Web links

Commons : Nicosthenic Amphorae  - Collection of Images, Videos, and Audio Files

Remarks

1. ↑ Schiering speaks of the "type" and does not want to use the term "variant" for the Nicosthenic amphora.
2. ↑ Running times of the various types of amphora on the website of the University of Giessen - here, however, incorrectly classified under abdominal amphorae.