The Colors of Clay: Special Techniques in Athenian Vases

This catalogue documents a major exhibition at the Getty Villa that is the first ever to focus on ancient Athenian terracotta vases made by techniques other than the well-known black- and red-figure styles. The exhibition comprises vases executed in bilingual, coral-red gloss, outline, Kerch-style, white ground, and Six’s technique, as well as examples with added clay and gilding, and plastic vases and additions. The Colors of Clayopens with an introductory essay that integrates the diverse themes of the exhibition and sets them within the context of vase making in general; a second essay discusses conservation issues related to several of the techniques. A detailed discussion of the techniques featured in the exhibition precedes each section of the catalogue. More than a hundred vases from museums in the United States and Europe are described in depth.