The Berlin Painter
The Berlin Painter has been credited with over 300 vases, dating from 500 to 480 B.C. He is known for his distinctive approach to Late Archaic Red-Figure vase painting, which differs from the previous Black-Figure compositons of the Early Archaic.
History
The first generation of Archaic painters were known as the "Pioneers". They were the first to fully develop the Red-Figure style, and in some aspects even master it. Late Archaic painters focused on simplifying the Red-Figure style. They paid less attention to minor anatomy and facial features. Instead, their interest focused on composition. The figure became the most important aspect of the vase, not ornamental decoration. Any ornamental decoration still remaining helps to identify the artist or workshop of the piece.
Red-Figure Technique
Red-Figure technique came into use around 530 B.C. In Red-Figure technique, the background is painted black and the ornaments and figures are left in the natural orange/red color of the clay. This allowed the artist to show foreshortening and overlapping limbs more easily. It also allowed the artist to show detail in facial expressions and clothing.
Red-Figure technique was achieved though several steps, the first being the actual shaping of the vase. After the vase was shaped, it was burnished. Sometimes ocher was applied to the vase during burnishing to intensify the color of the clay. Next, a preliminary sketch was made on the surface of the vase. Figures and ornaments were first outlined in black-gloss (relief line), and the background was painted black.
Attributes of the Berlin Painter
The Nolan amphora itself was quite popular with the Berlin Painter. While he did work with Neck, Belly and Panathenic amphorae, more Nolan amphorae were produced in his workshop than in any other. An amphora usually contained oil or wine.
Second, the Berlin Painter preferred the use of single figure compositions. His interest was in clean, immaculate compositions.The Berlin Painter was not exclusive to this, but even amphorae that do contain two or more figures read as a single unit.
Third, the Berlin Painter uses little or no subsidiary ornaments, sometimes only using meanders. The Berlin Painter’s patterns are very distinctive. They consist of meanders combined with a boxed "X".
Fourth, the anatomy of figures were usually comprised of linear patterns. Also, the Berlin Painter depicts his figures in a geometrical field
The Berlin Painter’s subject matter consists of scenes of daily life or scenes of mythology. Satyrs are a common mythological theme in Greek vase painting, and are usually depicted ithyphallic and sexually promiscuous. The Berlin Painter also conveys these images, and John Boardman states "the Berlin Painter’s (satyrs) rarely raise more than an eyebrow". (Boardman, John. Athenian Red Figure Vases, The Archaic Period)
Contemporaries of the Berlin Painter, such as Kleophrades, had their own preference in vases and subject matter. As a whole though, Late Archaic painters generally focused on simplification of the Red-Figure technique, even if differences in style can be seen.
