Except for the lower body and the foot, painted black, the large available surface served as a pretext for the painter to draw abstract patterns, vegetal ornaments or figural scenes: on the neck, there is a) a complex floral motif (palmettes, volutes, flowers) b) a simplified Ionian kyma c) a procession of six bearded sea monsters, parading to the left: there are three ketoi, according to the Greek term, on each side, those in the middle being highlighted by the use of white paint. In this case, the decoration is organized in several friezes and panels, one independent from another. The large vessels were probably manufactured expressly for burial, as often confirmed by the subjects selected by the painters. One of the main characteristics of Faliscan red-figure pottery is its high artistic quality, which translates into an impeccable style of drawing, both complicated and precise, in the choice of the subjects, often based on Greek myths, and in elaborate and well-structured composition of the scenes. The impressive shape, enriched with volutes on the upper handles and with moldings on the lip and foot, perfectly fits with the refinement of the figural and subsidiary decoration.

Volute krater download