Six technique
The Six technique , also Sixsche technique , is a special form of Greek vase painting . In this way of painting, the figures in matt colors - white, brown and red - and by scratches were applied to the black clay slip before the vessels were burned. This technique is the exact reverse of black-figure vase painting , but its execution differs considerably from red-figure vase painting .
Originally the Sixian technique was only used for smaller vases, towards the end of the 6th century BC. The potter Nikosthenes probably introduced the technique in his workshop for larger picture carriers as well .
This technique is named after the Dutch archaeologist Jan Six .
method
In contrast to the purely black-figure technique, the lines (with the six technique) were not always scratched from the covering color to the clay. Using this technique, the vases are first painted in white, later in other colors (before the firing process). The lines (Six technique) were scratched, if at all, before firing. Purely black-figure technique (scratching until the clay becomes visible) leaves rougher edges, the lines have been incised in a straight line and go under the paint so that the underlying clay becomes visible. With the Six-Technique these incised, "rough" edges are not present. They are smooth and the glazing does not appear "broken through", which gives various possibilities that they:
- not scratched, but only pre-painted and finished after the firing process,
- have already been scratched before the firing process, d. H. either the lines were gently scratched into the still wet "paint" (the clay slip / gloss tone), or
- the vases were scratched deep enough before the glossy black shade was applied. This black gloss shade then did not completely fill the pre-scored lines; H. the pre-scored lines were visible after the firing process, whereby one could also scratch so deep that the clay base color was visible. Then these lines or outline drawings were filled in with color and painted (polychromy). However, this does mean that when the paint is peeled off / damaged, it exposes the underlying black sheen. In addition, there are exceptions in the form, insofar as, for example, no scratches but only paintings were made.
literature
- Jan Six : A rare vase technique. In: Journal of Hellenic Studies . Vol. 30, 1910, pp. 323-326.
- Beth Cohen : The Colors of Clay. Special Techniques in Athenian Vases. J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles CA 2006, ISBN 0-89236-571-4 .
