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The Mask of Warka
The mask of Warka, the first almost complete and life-size depiction of the human face in history, with respect to its anatomical details. It is made of marble and is about 20 cm tall. The eyes may have been inlaid with shells and lapis lazuli...

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A Gallery of Mesopotamian Religion
Mesopotamian religion was informed by the belief that humans were co-workers with the gods in maintaining the order created at the beginning of time and so religious expression was integral to daily life in ancient Mesopotamia in how they...

Definition
Ancient Greek Pottery
Greek pottery has four main types: Geometric, Corinthian, Athenian Black-figure, and Athenian red-figure pottery. Pottery vessels were made for everyday use such as the two-handled amphora for storage, the single-stem kylix cup for drinking...

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Greek Vase Painters & Potters
We know the names of some potters and painters of Greek vases because they signed their work. Generally a painter signed his name followed by some form of the verb 'painted', while a potter (or perhaps the painter writing for him) signed...

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François Vase
The François Vase is named after Alessandro François who found the vase in Chiusi in Etruria (central Italy) in 1845 CE. This Athenian volute-krater dates from c. 570-565 BCE and is signed by the potter Ergotimos and the painter Kleitias...

Definition
Mesopotamian Art and Architecture
Ancient Mesopotamian art and architectural works are among the oldest in the world, dating back over 7,000 years. The works first appear in northern Mesopotamia prior to the Ubaid Period (c. 5000-4100 BCE) and then developed in the south...

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Portland Vase Scene Panorama
A panoramic view of the scene decorating the celebrated Portland Vase. The exact significance of the scenes are not known but many scholars believe the vase to show scenes from the wedding of Peleus and Thetis from Greek mythology. 1st century...

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Ajax and Achilles, Francois Vase
A detail from the handle of one of the finest surviving examples of Attic black-figure pottery, the Francois Vase (570-565 BCE) depicting Ajax carrying the body of Achilles during the Trojan War. (Archaeological Museum, Florence)

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A Vase of Flowers by Gauguin
An 1896 oil on canvas still-life, A Vase of Flowers, by Paul Gauguin (1848-1903), the French post-impressionist painter. Painted in Tahiti and illustrating the artist's interest in still life continued wherever he lived, although it was often...

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Flowers in a Blue Vase by Cézanne
An 1873-5 painting in oils, Flowers in a Blue Vase, by Paul Cézanne (1839-1906), the French post-impressionist artist. Here Cézanne is keen to show texture, form, and the bright colours and their reflections and shadows. This was painted...