Black and Red Figure Amphoras

Corinthian black-figure amphora with animal friezes, from Rhodes 625-600 B.C. British Museum, London.

Ankokides Painter, Ajax and Achilles playing a game (Attic bilingual amphora) from Orvieto, c. 525-520 B.C. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Black-figure side

Red-figure side

Black-Figure Technique: In early Greek pottery, the silhouetting of dark figures against a light background of natural, reddish clay.

Red-Figure Technique: In later Greek pottery, the silhouetting of red figures against a black background; the reverse of the black-figure technique. (Gardner)

These images and techniques are great inspiration for printmaking and even embroidery and even fiber art work (ie sashiko in my musings blog). Martha Miller had a nice example of Blackwork and lino cutting on her blog at http://www.marthamillerart.blogspot.com/. (look for her blackwork post.)

(sorry the photographs are a little fuzzy today)