Blackfigure

Black-figure is a style of ancient Greek vase painting that flourished from the 7th through the 5th centuries BCE, primarily in Athens and Corinth. In this technique figures and motifs were painted in a glossy black slip on the natural red clay of the ceramic body; during firing, the slip turned black while the background remained the reddish color of the clay. Details were incised with a sharp tool to reveal the red beneath, and later white and purple pigments could be added for contrast.

The technical process required a three-stage kiln firing, involving controlled reduction, oxidation, and re-reduction, to achieve the contrast between black figures and red ground. The painter relied on incision to create fine lines and textures, with some added pigments for emphasis.

Originating in the Cyclades and Corinth around 700–600 BCE, black-figure painting spread to Attica, where it became dominant. It was practiced by artists such as Exekias, Euphronios, and the Nessos Painter, and commonly appeared on large storage vases (amphorae) and drinking vessels (kylikes, kantharoi), depicting mythological scenes, battles, and everyday life.

By about 530 BCE, the later red-figure technique developed in Athens began to supplant black-figure, offering greater detail through brushwork. Black-figure remained valued for early masterpieces and is essential for understanding early Greek iconography and vase-painting conventions.