Black figure pottery is a type of Greek pottery named after the colour of the scenes painted on vessels. It was first produced in Corinth c. 700 BCE and then adopted by pottery painters in Attica, where it would become the dominant decorative style from 625 BCE. Athenian vases then dominated the Mediterranean pottery market for the next 150 years.
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Definition
Timeline
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c. 625 BCEBlack-figure pottery created in Corinth.
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600 BCE - 500 BCEThe first depictions on black-figure pottery of Hercules fighting the centaur Nessos.
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600 BCE - 480 BCEAttic black-figure pottery dominates the greek ceramic market.
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600 BCE - 550 BCELaconia produces black-figure pottery.
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570 BCEFirst signed example of black-figure pottery by Sophilos.
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c. 570 BCE - c. 560 BCEThe black-figure Francois Vase is produced in Attica by Ergotimos (potter) and Kleitias (painter).
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570 BCE - 560 BCEKleitias, one of the masters of black-figure pottery decoration is active.
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560 BCE - 520 BCEChalkidian black-figure pottery is produced in southern Italy.
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545 BCE - 530 BCEExekias, perhaps the greatest black-figure pottery painter is active.
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c. 540 BCEA black-figure vase by Exekias depicts Achilles killing the Amazon Penthesilea.
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c. 530 BCERed-figure pottery style takes precedent over black-figure.
