The Eucharides Painter Shoemaker Vase

Brief Identification[]

This Greek vase, originating from Athens between 500-470 BCE, stands at 40cm and depicts an artisan shoemaker making new shoes for a Greek aristocrat and another Greek nobleman standing to the right. The vase utilizes the ancient pottery decorating technique of black-figure painting and was given the name The Shoemaker Vase by historians. Unlike most other Attic Amphorae vessels, this particular Pelike's purpose has yet to be determined, but historians believe the vase could serve some religious purpose since “some have been found in graves and sanctuaries” and could have “contained oil or wine or even the ashes of a departed relative” [See McKiernan 2013]. The Shoemaker's vase was purchased in 1905 and currently resides at the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology in Oxford, England

Technical Evaluation[]

This vase, being crafted in the Athens region of Ancient Greece is classified as an Attic Vase Painting vessel and comes from a common ancient pottery decoration technique called black-figure painting. The process began with digging the necessary iron-rich clay from local sources and allowing it to age for six months in large excavated pits [See Noble 1960,12]. After the clay aged for the required time, the potter's wheel helped the artisan shape the clay for the main section of the vase with the handles being added afterward [See Noble 1960,13]. The painting process consisted of two coats beginning with the application of the black paint, then red and white allowing the unaltered portions of the vessel to remain the color of the clay after the firing was completed [See Noble 1960,13]. The final step, the firing process, consisted of three key steps: oxidation, wood burning, and reoxidation. Oxygen was introduced to the kiln at 800 °C (1472 °F), then the temperature was raised to 945 °C (1733 °F) with reduced oxygen and increased water vapor [See Noble 1960,13]. Finally, the kiln was cooled to 875 °C (1607 °F), reoxidized, and gradually allowed to cool until the vase was ready for removal [See Noble 1960,13].

Though pottery and ceramics have existed for many years before Athens in areas like China, the specific technique of “oxidizing and reducing atmosphere during firing to achieve special effects” was relatively new during this period [See A Brief History of Ceramics and Glass]. At the time of this vase's creation, black-figure painting was approaching its 200 year anniversary after its invention in Corinth in the 7th century BC [See Beazley 1986 CE, 1]. Though Athens was not the only civilization to utilize this technique, their creations are considered “the apex of this evolution” [See A Brief History of Ceramics and Glass].

Local Historical Context[]

Athens was one of the most powerful and wealthy city-states in the region, the birthplace of democracy, and the center of ancient western philosophy. Like other societies, social stratification existed with citizens receiving the greatest benefits and the bottom classes consisted of slaves and poor workers. The existence of the vase is quite odd according to the University of Oxford since Greeks often used pottery decorations to depict “heroic, mythical and elite subject matters” [See Shoemaker Vase]. The life of a common artisan would not likely have been a heavily desired art piece in Athens, but the Aegian islands like Rhodes did have some interest in the pottery.

The man who created the shoemaker’s vase is responsible for multiple other Attic vases utilizing both red and black figure techniques. There was also no name provided on his artwork, so historian J. D. Beazley gave the potter the name Eucharides [See British Museum]. Eucharides likely belonged to the artisan class in Athens, and he was successful in his field which is evident by his works being given to the victors in the Panathenaic games [See British Museum].

The beginning of the 5th century BCE marked the major conflict between the Greek city-states and the Persian Empire. The largest empire of the time led by Xerxes sparked the 50 year long Persian Wars with the Greek city-states. Athens, being one of the wealthiest and most powerful city-states, was expected to repel the invaders, but failed and burned at the hands of Xerxes in 480 BCE. Given that the pottery process takes nearly six months, Eucharides was likely interrupted in his work and forced to flee from Athens like many others during the city's fall. The destruction of the city likely led to the destruction of large swaths of Athenian art and pottery, however, pottery is unique in its durability. If the pottery was broken, it could be reassembled later if enough pieces survived the inflicted damage. The focus on art during a heated war with Persia could also allude to Athens' aversion to taking action against the foreign army and instead focusing on domestic affairs.

World-Historical Significance[]

The shoemaker vase is a great indicator of the social hierarchy in the world of ancient Greece. The two customers come to the shoemaker’s shop wearing “elegant togas or hirnation” indicating they belong to the eupatridae or aristocracy [See McKiernan 2013]. Conversely, the shoemaker is bearded and wears clothing only below his torso making him a member of the artisan (demiourgoi) class, and "therefore confirming his lowlier status and the arduous nature of his work" compared to the other men [See McKiernan 2013]. Art that depicts the social structure of Athens and everyday life aides in understanding Hellenistic culture as a whole and fills in gaps that ancient texts omitted.

Although the vessel's exact use is disputed, it resembles other Pelike vessels that were used to hold wine and other liquids. The unique depiction of an artisan instead of warriors or heroes found a market and was able to travel to the edge of the Greek controlled region.

The vase also serves as an example of the change in the common pottery decorating techniques from black-figure to red. Red-figure painting, invented in 530 BC eventually replaced black-figure during the 5th century BC due to its greater ability to show details by using brushes instead of making incisions in the clay [See Metropolitan]. Eucharides was likely one of the last Athenian artisans to use the black-figure technique and his work offers historians a glimpse of how Hellenistic art changed over time.

Bibliography[]

Beazley, J. D. The Development of Attic Black-Figure. Vol. Rev. ed, University of California Press, 1986.

Beazley, J. D. “Three New Vases in the Ashmolean Museum.” The Journal of Hellenic Studies, vol. 28, 1908, pp. 313–318.

McKiernan, M. “The Eucharides Painter Shoemaker Vase c.500–470 BC.” OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE -OXFORD-, no. 2, 2013, p. 87.https://academic.oup.com/occmed/article/63/2/87/1376997

Noble, Joseph V. “The Technique of Attic Vase-Painting.” American Journal of Archaeology, vol. 64, no. 4, 1960, pp. 307–318.

Oakley, John H. “Greek Vase Painting.” American Journal of Archaeology, vol. 113, no. 4, 2009, pp. 599–627.

A Brief History of Ceramics and Glass. https://ceramics.org/about/what-are-engineered-ceramics-and-glass/brief-history-of-ceramics-and-glass

British Museum, "The Eucharides Painter," "https://research.britishmuseum.org/research/search_the_collection_database/term_details.aspx?bioId=96782

Department of Greek and Roman Art. “Athenian Vase Painting: Black- and Red-Figure Techniques.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/vase/hd_vase.htm (October 2002

Metropolitan Museum of Art, "Athenian Vase Painting", http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/vase/hd_vase.htm.

“Shoemaker Vase.” Shoemaker Vase | Ashmolean Museum, www.ashmolean.org/shoemaker-vase.http://www.beazley.ox.ac.uk/tools/pottery/shapes/pelike.htm