The Art of Vase-Painting in Classical Athens

Rating:
Summary: art of vase- Painting in clasical athens by martin roberts
Review: sorry may englis is not good

Rating:
Summary: Excellent overview
Review: This book has a slightly deceptive title: the period discussed is larger (as it includes the late archaic as well, 530-480, seen as the pinnacle of the 'art' of Athenian vase-painting) and it is mainly limited to the red-figure technique. It has been written by an very knowledgeable scholar, who has at close hand witnessed the development of the study of vase-painting over the last half century and who has managed to keep an open mind. This results in a highly readable account of the development of this important witness to the painting and drawing skills of this important period, which defined the way we see 'classical'.
The open mind results in the incorporation and open yet critical assessment of many of the latest insights, such as the chronological debate initiated by Vickers and Francis. Nowhere one gets the impression the author is copying a text he hasn't carefully considered himself, and his criticism is always careful and constructive.
Some criticism could be made as regards the scope of the study: matters like use, trade, production or the lesser painters get little or no attention. This is a conscious choice of the author, as expressed in the title ('art'); many in archaeology may find this an outdated approach. As long as there are 300 pages packed with useful information I'm not complaining.
Another point of criticism could be the lack of clear dates. In my view, the framework of red-figure vasepainting, also through studies like Oakley's Phiale Painter and Achilles Painter and the work of Lezzi-Hafter on the Eretria Painter and the Shuvalov Painter, to mention only two prominent scholars, makes it possible to date nearly any red-figure vase within 10 years. Robertson consciously avoids this, which is a pity because it clarifies chronological relations between different painters. But this is a minor point.
For specialists in the field (to whom I reckon myself) it is a helpful overview, for the beginner it may be slightly overwhelming. Illustrations, although there are 300 of them, do not sufficiently illuminate the wealth of the material and the book is best enjoyed alongside, or after reading Boardman's lavishly illustrated histories of Attic Red Figure in the Thames and Hudson series.