redfigure

Red-figure is a style of ancient Greek vase painting that emerged in Athens around the start of the 6th century BCE and became the dominant technique for Attic ceramics for several centuries. It developed as a counterpart to the earlier black-figure method, in which figures were painted in black and the red clay served as the background. In red-figure, the opposite is used: the background is covered with a glossy black slip, while the figures are left the natural red color of the clay, allowing for more flexible and detailed representation.

The method involves drawing the outlines of figures with a fine brush and then completing internal details by incising or hesitating lines, often enhanced with additional brushed slips of different colors. The incised lines reveal the red beneath, producing a more naturalistic look to anatomy, movement, and facial expression. This technique also made shading and layering easier, enabling more complex compositions and dynamic scenes. Vases were commonly finished with a black glaze and sometimes included added colors such as white for eyes or garments.

Red-figure pottery depicted a wide range of subjects, including mythological scenes, athletic contests, daily life, and ritual practices. Typical vessel shapes included kylikes, kantharoi, amphorae, kraters, and lekythoi. Major centers were in Athens, with renowned painters such as the Andokides Painter, Euphronios, the Berlin Painter, and Douris contributing to its development. The style remained influential through the classical period and into the Hellenistic era, shaping the visual language of Greek vase painting for centuries.