Black-figure

Black-figure is an ancient Greek pottery style characterized by dark images and designs painted in a glossy black slip on the natural red clay of the vessel. Artists would etch details into the black surface to reveal the underlying red, creating detailed scenes from mythology, daily life, and athletics. This technique was prominent from the 7th to the 5th century BCE before being replaced by red-figure pottery. It allowed artists to produce vivid, contrasting imagery that conveyed stories and symbolism, reflecting the cultural values and artistic innovations of early Greece.