Bilingual amphora

Around the end of the 6th century BC, the black-figure technique had reached its developmental peak and it was now unable to fulfil the needs of the ceramists who sought to capture the anatomical features and curves of the body in a more natural way. This led to the invention of the red-figure technique, which inverted the earlier technique, reserving the figures while the rest of the surface of the vessel was covered with a black varnish. When this change came about, there were a small number of vessels, known as bilingual vessels, that impressively brought together both techniques. This is one of those vases. On the side with the red figures, there is a divine assembly of Artemis, Leto and Ares, attracted by the sound of Apollo’s zither. On the opposite side, done using the old technique, Dionysus, flanked by two maenads and two satyrs, tends to the jug with the sacred wine. A branch of ivy, endless and fruitful, extends upwards and towards both sides of the depiction.