During the seventh century b. c.e., Greek artists were heavily influenced by eastern styles of art, especially what they saw produced by the Phoenicians (a
9.32 Dipylon Amphora (Wolfgang Kaehler/Corbis)
Semitic-speaking population originally inhabiting Lebanon, who spread out to colonize the majority of the Mediterranean). Motifs prevalent in Phoenician art included monsters and fantastic beasts such as sphinxes and griffins; rows of grazing or hunting animals such as deer and lions; nude goddess images in clay, ivory, and gold; and vegetal motifs such as flowers and trees. The Greeks adopted these images, most notably in the trading city of Corinth. Here the stark, black linear and geometric designs of the previous period were abandoned in favor of a more colorful and pictorial style. In the Protocorinthian period (up to 625 b. c.e.), jugs' exteriors were often divided into horizontal bands, each serving as the ground line for rows of natural and magical creatures. In more elaborate versions, entire scenes of battle, or mythological scenes, might appear (see Image 6.5).
Around 625, the full Corinthian style emerged. The style is easy to identify, first and foremost by its many colors. On a cream-colored background, black and red humans and beasts covered jugs, amphorai, trinket boxes, etc., the black and red figures themselves further detailed by incision (cutting) that showed up white after firing. Between the humans and animals covering the vessel were rose and flower motifs, giving the entire surface an extremely "busy" feeling.
World History
