Decorative arts

• What are frescoes?


  wall paintings
• What were mycenaean frescoes influenced by?

  earlier frescoes from Crete in the Minoan Age
• Where would frescoes have been painted in the Mycenaean age?

  - mostly found in the palace in the megaron

  - some found in houses, workshops and public buildings (e.g. temples/shrine rooms)

  - private houses
• What could frescoes depict?

  - farming

  - natural imagery

  - women/goddesses

  - bull leaping

  - mythical creatures
• How would a fresco be painted on a wall?

  - initially athick layerof lime plaster- then afiner layerof plaster- before this dried,colourswould have been painted on using natural and manufactured products-stringwould have been used to set out lines during the composition
• How were the following colours obtained for frescoes and what was their purpose within the painting?

  black

  mycenaean blue

  red

  white

  yellow

  green

  black:- carbon (charcoal)- outlining other colours

  mycenaean blue:- dye: indigo, shellfish, paint: copper compound- backgrounds (to show off), dolphins, water

  red:- dye: insect eggs/madder, paint: haematite (semi-precious stone)- male skin colour (showed they went outside)

  white:- lime (the plaster)- female/goddess skin colour, background for contrast

  yellow:- dye: onion skins/saffrons, paint: ochre- lions, accent, colour, hills

  green:- mix blue and yellow, ground malachite- accent colour, patterns, details
• Where were particularly admired frescoes found?

  Akrotiri
• Where was Akrotiri? How was it destroyed?

  - Santorini

  - destroyed in a fire
• Describe what is depicted in this fresco from akrotiri

  - fisherman with strings of fish

  - shaved head painted blue >> indicates his youth

  
• ask erin for the fresco qs
• Jewellery


  What jewellery have been found at major graves- rings (made from gold)

  - beads (moulded from gold or carved from gemstones, amber, ivory)
• Jewellery


  What were signet rings and what was often depicted on them?- gold, engraved with images

  - often religious scenes, but precise meaning unclear
• Jewellery


  What does this Tiryns signet ring depict- demeter in the form of an eagle- 4 attendants with lion heads>> symbolises the 4 seasons>> symbolises demeter´s power- bees >> nectar offered to the gods- cup/cornucopia >> full of fruits- made withrepoussetechnique

  
• Jewellery


  Describe the technique of repoussemalleable metalshaped byhammeringthe reverse side to create adesign
• Jewellery


  What was the repousse technique used for?- signet rings

  - vapheio cups
• Jewellery


  Pyxissmallstorage box, often with alidto holdcosmeticsorjewellery
• Jewellery


  Inlay- one metal heated and laid over another

  e.g. lion hunt dagger

  e.g. swords - handle covered and elaborately patterned with gold
• Jewellery


  Cloisonneesolderingof wire intometaland then putting glass orgemstonesin the pattern
• Jewellery


  Granulationa surface is covered inspherulesorgranulesif precious metal
• Jewellery


  Filigreeornamental work offine(silver or gold)wireformed intodelicate tracery
• Who did the Mycenaeans imitate their pottery from?

  the Minoans
• How did the Mycenaeans make their pottery?


  - basic shape made on apotter´s wheelwithpatterns applied- aniron-rich slipwas then added- this became various shades from red to black depending on thetempof thekiln
• Name the 4 main types of storage vessels

  - Pithoi

  - Amphorae

  - Stirrup jar

  - Krater
• Storage Vessels


  Pithoi1. How large could these jars be?2. What did they contain?3. How were they stored?4. What were some additional issues?1. - over1.5mhigh- weighed2 tonneswhen filled

  2. - liquid- food

  3. -partially buriedin the ground to keep the contents ascoolandfreshas possible

  4. - often containsoil>> fire hazard>> many ancient cities suffered from hugeblazes

  
• Storage Vessels


  Amphorae1. How do these differ from Pithoi?2. What do amphorae tell us about Mycenaeans?3. What patterns were depicted on amphorae?1. - smaller

  - narrower neck

  - more elaborately painted

  
  

  2. - mycenaeans liked to decorate their pots

  
  

  3. - marine and plant life

  - geometric patterns

  
• Storage Vessels


  Stirrup jar1. Where does this jar get its name?2. How would these jars been used?3. How were they decorated?1. the handle which resembles stirrups on a horse

  2. store oil or wine

  3. precise geometry design
• Storage Vessels


  Kraters1. How were these vessels used?mixing water and wine
• Storage Vessels


  What could be depicted on storage vessels?- double axes

  - spirals

  - leaves

  - chariot racing

  - bulls

  - human figures
• Storage Vessels


  What other types of storage vessels have been found from this period?- squat three-handled jars made from alabaster

  - miniatures vases for perfume

  - burial caskets + bath tubs
• Drinking Vessels

  What is a kylix?cups withlong stemsandtwo small handles
• Drinking Vessels


  What was found at Vapheio near Sparta?the Vapheio cups
• Drinking Vessels


  What is depicted on both Vapheio cups? How do these cups differ from many other cups?- one cup shows the capture of bulls with a man tying a rope around the bull´s leg without any sign of struggle

  - in the other, one bull is caught in a net while another two attack hunters, one of whom flees
• Drinking Vessels


  Where could the Vapheio cups have originally come from?What is the argument for this'- fromCreteand were made in the minoan times- as theirqualitysurpasses other early mycenaean cups
• Drinking Vessels


  What is another famous cup?- golden cup from Mycenae- named the"cup of Nestor"after Nestor´s golden cup with a pair of golden doves on each handle described in the iliad
• Drinking Vessels

  What were rhyta?- made from pottery or metal- roughlycone shaped, with many taking the form of animal heads- liquid was designed to fall through ahole at the bottomor themouth of the animal head
• Drinking Vessels


  Rhyton prescribed sourceThe Gold Rhyton, Grave Circle A Mycenae
• Drinking Vessels


  Gold RhytonWhy do you think a lion was chosen for this Rhyton?- meant for the rulers of Mycenae

  >> so to make it look more impressive and intimidating
• Drinking Vessels


  Gold RhytonHow was this rhyton made?How was it used?- made fromsheets of gold,hammeredinto shape-liquidwould have been poured through the top of thehead, with it flowing out through thenuzzle
• What were the human figurines found in Mycenaean cities?

  - toys as they were found in children´s tombs

  - used in religious worship

  - offerings to the gods
• What are three particular styles of human figurines which are easily recognisable?

  - phi

  - psi

  - tau