Contextualizing the Red Figure Column Krater - Essay Example

Contextualizing the Red Figure Column Krater The ancient world is characterized by a great deal of fine works of art and profound creativity. History has it that the traditional world had a generation that was creative, original and artistic in nature. Artistic creativity is evidenced by the various artifacts and other traditional forms of art works retrieved from ancient settings (Stokstad and Cothren, 13). Though they may be lying down unused in a museum or an archives center, the ancient artistic works represent a generation and culture of a particular society that developed and created them. One of the most profound works of creative arts is pottery. Pottery has an unforgettable history ranging from traditional African use to Greek use, and pottery was deeply rooted in specific cultures (Stokstad and Cothren, 6). Long time ago, pottery vessels would be used mainly for four functions. These functions include; eating, drinking, cooking and storage purposes. With respect to the artwork under analysis, the Red Figure Column Krater is one form of pottery that has an outstanding history rooted in the culture and lifestyles of the Greeks (Museum of Fine Arts). The Column Krater is made out of ceramic clay, and was mainly used by the Greeks to mix and drink wine. The Column Krater was valued as a special vessel, thus it was used majorly in households to serve wine to esteemed guests. The vessel is estimated to have come into existence around 470BC (Museum of Fine Arts). This paper will contextualize the Red Figure Column Krater within the parent culture. The red figure column krater originated for Greece. It should be understood that Greeks started engaging in pottery as early as the 7th Millennium BC (Museum of Fine Arts). Original use of pots specifically happened at the eastern peninsula of the Mediterranean Sea, in the Neolithic era. There have been various pieces of evidence which suggest that Greek culture might have been the starting point of all form of pottery. Pots made in the era range from the clay-made vessels to bronze-aluminum vessels. Most signatures of the artists behind ancient Greek artistic works have been found either on the vessels themselves are where they were found. Currently, signatures can be seen in ancient pots kept in most of the archives and museums in the world. During the Neolithic era, pottery spread from Athens, the Greek capital, to other nations such as Italy and Spain. A close look at the red figure column krater reveals that the vessel was specifically used by the Greeks for drinking or storage purposes. Evidence in Myrtos in Crete reveals that the artifact might have been first developed in Crete (Museum of Fine Arts). There are numerous signatures of potters, pieces of the vessel and the accessories used in making the vessels. Empirical analysis has shown that the nature, coloring, shape, and origin of the vessels reveal a lot about the parent society. For instance, considering the above attributes of coloring and shape, one could easily notice that the red figure column krater was a work of the wine producing community (Hayes, 19). The vessel was specifically set aside for mixing wine and serving the same to visitors. Though most of the vessels were used outside the household, the column krater was majorly used within a household setting. During this period, the Greeks would design a vessel using various firing techniques to create a more fascinating artistic impression, and remain within the fashions of that period. Thus, it can be seen that the red figure column krater was originally an artistic piece of work of the Greeks, and its point of origin is Greece (Museum of Fine Arts). Evidence and legendary stories assert that the Red Figure Column Krater was one of the most valued works of arts in Greece during ancient times. Primarily, it represented a number of cultural values, ideas and experiences of the Greeks (Freestone and Gaimster, 86,). First, the vessel would be graded as the most conspicuous and valued vessels whenever visitors were around (Museum of Fine Arts). The high value is majorly because the vessel was used in mixing wine and serving the same to guests. Consequently, the Column Krater was highly decorated and refined in model, form and texture, to emerge as a presentable and highly appreciated item of elegance (Museum of Fine Arts). This profound artistic impression was to guarantee that the visitors felt valued in the sense of fashion and elegance. In essence, the decorations on the vessel were meant to preserve the sense of elegance, and to achieve the touch of elegance that was highly desired for important visitors in Greek tradition (Hayes, 20). As mentioned earlier, the Column Krater vessel had special meaning to the Greeks. The ceramic materials used in the smoothening and painting the surface of the vessel were a source of modishness - the intention and impression it were to create (Museum of Fine Arts). Due to the use of the vessel during important events such as parties and celebrations, the combination of a smooth, fine-ceramic surface and the colored painting would intently foster jovial moods of celebration. In particular, the fact that the vessel would be used in mixing and serving wine implies that the culture or way of life of the Greeks involved celebrations in form of parties. As a symbol of value and elegance to the Greek society, the Column Krater takes the form of a decorative depiction in red color, against a black background. The essence of the red-colored paintings sitting on a black background is to create a sharp contrast of red and black colors. The contrast makes the red-colored figural paintings more visible since red is a brighter color, compared to the dull nature of the black background. This decorative figural depiction is attuned to the elegance display of the decorative painting on the surface of the fine ceramic vessel, making it look elegant, and in tune with the jovial mood of a party or celebration for which the vessel was used to serve wine (Museum of Fine Arts). As a matter of fact, there are various linkages of historical events to the existence of the Red Figure Column Krater. During the start and progressive development of the artifact, Greece, with its capital in Athens, was ruled by a king. Though most of the centers for producing pottery vessels were within the kings palace, others were spread across the whole nation because there were no forms of restrictions to produce these vessels. In fact, it should be noted that it is during the Middle Bronze Age that the Red Figure Column Krater found its way into the international arena (Freestone and Gaimster, 87). During this time, the vessel was sold abroad beyond the borders of Greece. Besides, it is during the Late Bronze Age that the artifact gained more popularity. Industrialization had kicked in, and the growth of small cities, and small towns aided the recognition of this vessel (Freestone and Gaimster, 87). With time, designing of the vessel changed correspondingly to new demands, given that the world was quickly changing to a more ‘tech-wise’ situation that would otherwise render the vessels out-dated. As previously acknowledged, the Red Figure Column Krater was a symbol of elegance that was valued in the Greece society. In any party or celebration, the vessel would not miss. Occasional use of the vessel also included any dining table that hosted esteemed guests. Absence of the vessel could equally imply the absence of wine, which in the Greece society, would be a ‘half-baked’ form of celebration that was otherwise forbidden (Hayes, 31). Essentially, the Column Krater was associated with style and class. Wine was a valued form of drink that was not just to be served at any other party. It was served at special parties and celebrations. This implies that the vessel was perceived as an iconic representation of special events. When brought on a serving table, the vessel was used to represent class and respect for the guests. Most of the artifacts originating from ancient times have got no clear artist (Stokstad and Cothren, 13). Despite the fact that the origin of an artifact can be traced back to the parent culture, it is sometimes difficult to determine the maker of the item, especially when it contains no inscribed names (Freestone and Gaimster, 86). However, most of the pottery vessels have some signatures on them representing the creating artists. To date, there has been no artist credited for creation of the Red Figure Column Krater. Despite presence of signatures on pieces of the vessels and other places, there has been little about the original creator of the vessel. However, researchers, historians and scholars are still striving to determine the first creator of the Column Krater. In summary, the Red Figure Column Krater is a symbol of elegance, representing a celebratory and jovial mood during a party or other important celebrations. The vessel represents the culture of Greeks, specifically how they used the vessel in parties, celebrations and serving guests. The color, contrast, and tone show the visual attractiveness of the decorative paintings. The lines, spacing between the decorative paintings and the size of the decorative figures show the beauty of paintings on the smooth surface of the fine ceramic material that creates the vessel. All these artistic components all meant to enhance the beauty of the vessel. Essentially, the Column Krater is an iconic representation of the ancient Greek cultures, specifically the wine-drinking culture. Works Cited. Freestone, Ian and Gaimster, David. Pottery in the Making: World Ceramic Traditions. London: British Museum Society. 1997. Print. Hayes, Carol. Pottery of Ancient Greece: Ancient Art and Traditions. New York: Shire Books, 2012. Print. Museum of Fine Arts. Houston. Syriskos Painter, Red Figure Column Krater, Houston, 2 October 2014. Stokstad, Michael and Cothren, W. Maxwell., Art History. New York: Prentice Hall. 2003. Print. Read More