Commenting upon visual documents

1. Commentinguponvisual documents Slaves and slavery

2. A servant Red-figure vase painting is one of the most important styles of figural Greek vase painting. It developed in Athens around 530 BC and remained in use until the late 3rd century BC. It replaced Black-figure vase painting. The most important areas of production, apart from Attica, were in Southern Italy. Attic red-figure vases were exported throughout Greece and beyond. Of the red figure vases produced in Athens alone, more than 40,000 specimens and fragments survive today.

3. The twored figures stand out against the black background of the vase. The narrative sceneispainted on the swollenbelly of an amphora. The neck isnarrow and unadorned. The sceneisframed by a geometricalfrieze. The twoprotagonsits are wearing chitons. The woman on the right issitting on a chair while the servant, painted on the right, is standing and is holding a box thatshepresents to hermistress. Though the twoheads are on the samelevel, the mistressis taller thanher servant. Clay A vessel – a container A pot – a bowl – a jug A krater The handles Water jar (hydria) Winecoolers Be decoratedwith a narrative scene or geometrical patterns

4. What are the differencesbetween the two vases? Is it the same type of representation as the amphora? What do the twoobjectsrevealregardingdomestic services in AncientGreece?

5. The Greek Slaves by Hiram Potterswas first exhibited in the Fine Arts Section of the 1851 Great Exhibition. • This is a marble sculpture in the round. • The slave is to besoldat a Turkish slave market. Sheis standing withherweight on herleftleg in a contraposto. • Sheisgazing down as if ashamed of hernudity.

6. "This celebrated exhibit stood in the middle of the American Section under a specially erected canopy and background of red plush. . . . As one of the most popular exhibits in the exhibition, the figure naturally gave rise to a wealth of comment. 'The Greek Slave is one of the "lions" of the Exhibition and most deservedly so.' 'One of the most exquisite objects in the museum (sic) . . . a centre of a bevy of admiring spectators.' 'In this work a youthful creature of very delicate form is represented in marble. The figure is studied from life and exhibits an extraordinary refinement of imitation. The treatment of the back, especially, is one of the happiest efforts in modern sculpture.’ VOCABULARY Exhibit - An exhibit – an exhibition Display – the displays – be on display A show – showcase The onlookers – the visitors A pedestal A life-likedepiction A well-balanced composition A graceful pose - stance

7. Jean-Léon Jérôme, The Slave Market, 1860s Wouldyousaythatthisworkdenouncesslavery?

8. William Allan, The Slave Market, Constantinople, 1838, National Gallery of Scotland

9. In the (very) background Far (farther) away In the distance, white clouds are piling up in the sky. In the top right-hand corner the painter has painted an Easternpiece of architecture with a gallery and archways. Local people are packed in thisspace, gazingat the main scene. The main sceneisframed by open archways on the right. In the middle, a richly-dressed man ismounting a white horse and dominates the scene. In the bottom right-hand corner, two men are sitting on the ground smoking a pipe after the Oriental fashion. This secondarysceneadds to the exoticism of the wholescene. In the foreground, next to the main figure / In the lower part of the picture a mother and herchild are kneeling in an attempt to deter the master fromseparatingthem.

10. The painterchooses to depict the slave market as a stage full of passions and violence, after the romanticfashion. The sceneis made up of various groups: men trying to bringawayfemale slaves; a mother and herchildwho are beingseparated; servants or slaves beggingmercy to an armedsoldier. The impression of violence isheightened / increased by the use of contrastingcolors and diagonals. The pyramid-like composition, whichwasoftenused by romanticpainters, adds to the dramatic impression thatprevails. Eastern countries Arabic countries Soldiersriding a horse – horesriding A blurred background giving a sense of depth The hectic – eventfulstreets of an Eastern city Free oneselffrom the grip of

11. GRAMMAIRE: dérivation

12. Traduction Un maître sans pitié (pity, mercy) fouette un esclave sans défense. Une femme richement vêtue se tient à côté d’une servante sans chaussures et sans chapeau. La méchanceté et l’égoïsme des puissants maîtres furent sévèrement punis. Les rues de l’antique Constantinople étaient vivantes, colorées et attirantes aux yeux des visiteurs occidentaux habitués à la noirceur et à la saleté des capitales européennes.