VASES. The most numerous class of ancient vases are those painted vases of dried or baked clay which have of late years been discovered by thousands in Etruria, southern Italy, Sicily, Greece, and some of the Grecian islands. Such vases are frequently found in tombs, catacombs, and other depositories of the dead. The period during which the art of vase painting completed its development from the rudest elements to the highest per fection, is comprised in the three centuries before the Christian rera, from tr. a. 600 to about 200.
The most convenient criterion for classify ing the ancient vases is their style of painting, which alone affords a obvious distinction, and also marks the different stages of the art. They may be thus classed as follows t 1. Vases with paintings in the Egyptian style. The vases are of a pale yellow colour, on which the figures, generally of animals or flowers, are painted in a black or brown colour, sometimes with the addition of purple or white tints. Grace is entirely wanting. These vases occur most frequently in the tombs of Volci in Etruria, and in those of Nola; and they are supposed to have been made about B. 0. 500.
2. Vases with paintings in the archaic or ancient style. The vases of this class have black figures on a red ground, and the figures are no longer mere animals and ornaments of the vessels, but contain scenes taken from the stories about the gods and heroes of Greece, and from the occurrences of ordinary life. The form of these vases, which is usually that of the amphora, has a freedom and elegance of proportions which are wanting in those of the first class ; and they vary greatly in size. The peculiarities of the de. signs are strong outlines of the main parts of the human body, and the expression of the highest degree of physical strength. In the representation of animals, especially horses, there is sometimes a considerable degree of boldness and beauty. The majority of vases of this class are generally believed to have been made previous to the year B. a. 430.
3. Vases with painting in the severe style. In the vases of this class the figures are red, the natural colour of the clay, on a beautiful black ground. The most striking features in
the design are a certain moderation and har mony. The drapery forms varied and rich folds, though they show a conventional regu larity. The heads are worked with great care, and sometimes are truly graceful ; the hands and feet are better drawn than on the vases of the former classes. The subjects repre sented are the same as those on the vases of the second class, but repose is more frequent than action. The forms of the vases are elegant, and they present great variations both in shape and size. They occur most frequently in Etruria and at Nola. Vases of this class aro commonly assigned to the period from B. a. 460 to 420.
4. 'Vases nith paintings in the beautiful style. In all the vases which are regarded as the true representatives of this period, all harsh ness and severity of style have disappeared: liveliness in the composition, perfect freedom in action and movement, as well as in the drapery, are the essential characteristics of this style. The colour of the figures, as in the third class, is the natural red of the clay, and white is used to represent a variety of things, such as ribbons, garlands, the flames of torches, and the like. The inscriptions too are usually painted in white. Vases of this class are not often found in Etruria: they are most frequent in Nola, Sicily, and Attica. The vases of this class, which show the highest perfection of the art, appear to belong to the period beginning with the year B. C. 400. .
5. Vases with paintings in the rich style.
These differ but little from the preceding class, and are often difficult to assign with certainty. The designs are frequently exe cuted with considerable carelessness, and show the sinking condition of the art. The best specimens of this class of vases are of extraordinary beauty, but the worst of them are so bad that they can scarcely be regarded, as the works of Greeks.
There is a large collection of these vases, including all the classes, in the British Museum.