Pioneer Group

As a pioneer group, too ( The ) pioneers in modern research, a group of ancient vase painters of Athens of the red-figure style is called.

Once was probably invented in the pottery workshop of Andokides by the Andokides Painter, Red-figure style, some vase painters experimented with the new style. These early experimental painters belonged next to the Andokides painter example Psiax, Paseas and Goluchow painters, all still used the previous Black figure style next to the red-figured style.

The pioneer group not experimented yet, but with the style of painting as such ( Boardman: the mechanics), but with its possibilities ( Boardman: the essence ). John Boardman described the group as " the most interesting of all the painters who worked in each potter's district of Athens, not only because of its artistic merits, but also for their spirit and togetherness as a group ." It is absent, as in all vase painters, although a written tradition and you have to rely solely on archaeological sources in assessing the pioneer group, but appear the pioneers as the first association, or at least as the first artistic movement of Western art. The reconstruction of their career to, their common goals and their rivalry is considered by many as "The Triumph of archaeological research."

The most important representatives of the group were Euphronios, as the best Greek vase painters - applies Smikros, Euthymides, Phintias, Hypsis, the Dikaios - painter and the Sosias painter - at least the red-figured style. What was different from their predecessors and successors, the fact that they were " complete artist ". John D. Beazley referred Smikros indeed as " not good artist ", but this is true only within the group. The drawings and compositions of the group were characterized by a prominent quality. In particular, the representation of the anatomical details and conditions reached a hitherto unheard bloom. The narrative content of the images exceeds anything that has been created up to that date by the artists. With fondness she painted vases larger types such as craters, amphoras and hydria Psyktere, but were also on smaller objects such as bowls and plates masters of their craft.

Of particular interest is their Schreibfreudigkeit. Many of their vases were provided with labels that describe some of the characters, favorite inscriptions represented or even scraps of language, as in modern comics, contained. In addition to a particularly successful anatomical study Euthymides boasted in an inscription almost " as [ it ] never Euphronios " could. This begat in a very special way by the rivalry within the group. In many places you can tell the painters of their pride as artists and craftsmen as well as citizens. Euthymides expressed his pride often with signatures from that and then were probably never as often as within the group. Sometimes he added his own name to that of his father also. Euthymides itself is on two vases of the group that could not be assigned unambiguously painter, greeted ( " chaireto Euthymides " and " Euthymides chaire "). On a vase of Phintias a lyre player is described as Euthymides and a woman cheers to this. Smikros turns on a vase themselves as drinkers is and will probably also depicted on a vase of Euphronios in the same way. Apparently recorded the artists not only symposium scenes, but also belonged to the middle class who could afford it. Or else, they would like to belong and therefore put themselves in this way dar. Smikros is called in Euphronios also a favorite inscription. Other frequently mentioned ephebes on such inscriptions were Leoagros, Philiades Phayllus, Sosia ( Sosis ) and Antias.

Draw Risch also several similarities in the group can recognize. All have in common that they interest in colors, such as Had White for the skin of women lost. Also they used apart from Euphronios, no effort on the presentation of complicated Gewandt pattern in the style of black-figure painters. Hair outlines are no longer scored and at the best work the use of the relief line was one of them. The representation of objects as shields approaches a true linear perspective foreshortening, which do not succeed in anatomical details. New painting techniques are developed. So standing figures are shown in three-quarter view Alan, one leg is in profile, shown another in front view. This technique was even ahead of the sculptors of a generation. Nevertheless, none of the artists are able to show a head in profile and the body in the Frontalansich without distorting it unnatural. The frontal views of female breasts are reproduced consistently anatomically wrong.

Some of painters like Euphronios and Phintias initiated at a later stage in their careers own pottery workshops. Potter had as the owner of the workshops more prestige and importance than the vase-painters employed by them. Many of the most important painters of the next generation can be seen as a student of the pioneer group today. These include the Kleophrades Painter, the Berlin Painter and Onesimus, who worked in the pottery workshop of Euphronios. Also on around the time of the pioneer group painters such as active shell Oltos, the Nikosthenes painter and Epiktetos practiced the pioneers of a major impact.