Skyphos Vs Ajax

Pottery from Ancient Greece has not only served as holding substances, it has told many stories throughout history. Through the processes of black figure and red figure painting, stories of all kinds are told. In a seemingly simple process of carving and heating, stories have been told and passed down for centuries straight from the decorative amphoras and kraters. Ajax and Achilles Playing a Game and Skyphos with the Return of Hephaestus to Olympus both tell stories that the ancient Greeks followed for centuries. Although these two pieces of art tell different stories, they have a lot in common. They not only have similar functions, such as storing or transporting wine or water, but also similar style.
Black figure and red figure technique differ in many ways, but share some similarities. Ajax and Achilles Playing a Game was created in the Greek Archaic Period, around 525–520 BCE by an artist by the name of Exekias. It was made using the black figure technique, which the painter would place slip on a bare background of the pottery, …show more content…
Ajax and Achilles tells a story about two great Greek heroes from Homer’s Iliad. Exekias expresses this scene in an incredibly elegant way. This story is set back during the Trojan War during the Bronze age. Exekias’ vase tells the magnificent tale of Achilles and Ajax playing a game of dice during a moment of relaxation. The style of this vase creates a sense of flow and conversation throughout the piece. We are able to follow the conversation through the score of the game. Exekias remarkably included the names of these two great heroes above them. A feeling of understanding is obtained by reading their body language throughout their game. Both men sit with their armour and weapons behind them, while Achilles holds his spear loosely and Ajax grasps his tightly. Achilles appears to be winning, while Ajax is losing, which has also been thought to be a metaphor for the