Bancroft Elementary School
Art Appreciation Program
Presents
“Ajax and Achilles Playing Dice”
Greek Black-Figure Vase Painting
By
Exekias
550-540 B.C.
Lesson Summary:
 This Lesson discusses the Significance of Greek Art and highlights
the art form of painted pottery.
© 2009 Bancroft Art Appreciation Committee
VOLUNTEER CHECKLIST
LESSON INFORMATION
Artist:
Exekias
Art Title:
“Ajax and Achilles Playing Dice”
Period or Style:
Greek Black-Figure Vase Painting
Art Principle:
Contrast
Project/Medium:
Red vase cutouts with black figure stories and meander designs.
PREP-WORK REQUIRED
Discussion:
Familiarize yourself with current lesson details
Materials:
Cut out red vases, enough for class as well as oyster color vase
body background piece. (See example)
Supplies:
Check ahead of time to make sure enough fine and extra-fine black
sharpies and red markers are in cabinet and pencils are sharpened.
PRESENTATION MATERIALS
Printouts:
Student/Parent examples and
meander and motif example
sheets for tables.
In Folder
Lesson Plan:
Exekias
In Folder
Book:
The Greek Potter
In Folder
Images:
Map, Nike of Samothrace, the
Parthenon, Music Lesson-Red
Figure, Geometric Greek
Dipylon Vase, Black-Figure
Gathering Olives, Red-Figure
Psykter, Exekias-Achilles and
Ajax Playing Dice.
On Drive in Cabinet
Activity Materials
One red amphora vase cutout and one oyster colored story panel cutout.
One per student
Pencils, fine and ultra-fine sharpies, red markers, glue sticks, rulers
Plenty at each table
Meander design samples
Enough on tables to
share
© 2009 Bancroft Art Appreciation Committee
2
OBJECTIVES
 To introduce students to the Greek art form of Vase Painting.
 To create a decorative vase with a story picture in the style of Black-Figure
Painting.
PRESENTATION TIMING
 With Upper Grade students, your discussion time may be a bit longer than with
the lower grades. Spend 15 minutes on the discussion portion and 45 minutes on
the art activity. Share with students important facts from the lesson plan and
read from the Greek Potter if desired.
GREEK ART
 The time period of the great Ancient Greek Civilization began with the
Mycenaean’s in 1600BC and ended in 146BC with the Rise of a greater
power, Rome. (Show Map)
 We know a lot about Greek Civilization because of the art left behind as
evidence. Their marble statues (Show ‘Nike of Samothrace’), massive
temples (Show ‘The Parthenon’) and painted pottery (Show ’Music LessonLinos’) still inspire artists today and provide an excellent source of
material about the history, Mythology and daily life of ancient Greece.
 The pictures on pottery show us what the Greeks ate and wore and
entertained themselves.
 The stories of Greek Mythology and important moments in history are
showed in carvings and wall paintings.
 Glorious statues show the Greek reverence for the human body.
 Buildings such as the Parthenon and the Theater at Epidaurus tell us
about Greek religion and public life.
© 2009 Bancroft Art Appreciation Committee
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 Greek art is all around us. Throughout history artists of all kinds have
used the methods, subjects and inspiration of the ancient Greeks in their
work.
 The Romans copied much of their art, and it is the Roman copies of
pottery and sculpture that survives more today than the Greek originals.
 Also, the artists of the Renaissance like Michelangelo were deeply
influenced by Greek art.
BLACK AND RED FIGURE VASE PAINTINGS
 We can learn more about Ancient Greece from its pottery than any other
source. One reason is that there was a lot of it.
 Much of it was found broken, but after archeologists put it back together much
could be learned.
 The pictures painted on vases show us a variety of scenes from athletics,
battles, episodes from mythology and simple everyday activities like weaving,
winemaking and playing games.
 These vases were made from clay and had a variety of shapes.
 They were used for storing oil and wine, carrying water, using as prizes and
some were decorated as ornaments or for religious ceremonies.
 The vases are an attractive example of the art principle of Contrast. The
figures and motifs are striking black against the red clay background.
 There were three main styles of vase painting
 Geometric: This began in around 875BC and featured geometric
shapes such as straight lines, triangles and zigzags painted in bands
around the pot. Simple stick figures of humans and animals were also
painted on the front and back. (Show example: Here is an example of
Geometric Greek Dipylon Vase. It stands 2 meters tall and was used
as a tomb decoration. Bands of dots, zigzags, crosses, stars, hooked
crosses; triangles and checkers fill the space as well as a simple
© 2009 Bancroft Art Appreciation Committee
4
funeral scene with simple stick figures.)
 Black-figure: This technique was developed around 720BC. People
were shown in more detail and began telling stories in their
illustrations. The clay slip they used to paint the figures turned
black after the pot was fired. They sometimes used red and white
color as well. (Show example: This is an example of Black-figure
design showing a scene from country life. Here the farmers are using
sticks to knock off olives from the tees to harvest them and one
farmer is climbing up to get the top ones. Olives were an important
crop to the ancient Greeks along with barley, wheat, figs and nuts.)
 Red-figure: This was developed in Athens in 525BC. They left the
figures blank and painted the background with the slip, which turned
black. This allowed them to add more detail on clothing and hair and
faces making them more lifelike. (Show example: Here is an example
of a red-figure design. It is a Psykter shape, used for cooling wine.
It shows athletes and their trainers practicing in a gymnasium. The
Greek athletes rarely wore clothes. There is also a flute player
shown who plays music for them while they train.)
EXEKIAS
 The ancient Greeks played many types of games, board games, tic-tac-toe and
dice. We have artistic evidence of this with a vase done by a famous vase
painter from Athens called Exekias. (Show Slide)
 It was done in 550BC and shows the Greek Heroes Achilles and Ajax taking a
break from fighting in the Trojan War to play dice. We know it is by Exekias
since it does say “Exekias made me” on it.
 It is done in Black-figure style and Achilles and Ajax have put their shields
aside to take time to play.
 The vase is a belly amphora shaped vase which was used to store grain, oil or
wine.
© 2009 Bancroft Art Appreciation Committee
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ART ACTIVITY
 Students look at the sample art project while listening to instructions.
Emphasize that the student’s art will look different and unique because their
personality will show in their own piece.
 Hand out a vase cut out and oyster colored story panel and have them put their
name and teachers name on the back of the vase.
 Have students sketch with pencil a story with simple figures on the panel. They
could copy examples of Greek vases and make a picture of a race or other Greek
scene. They could also create a simple scene from their own life. Have them go
over their sketch with black sharpies and use red for clothing.
 Glue the panel in the middle of the vase cut out.
 Using a ruler and sharpie draw some horizontal lines on the neck and bottom of
the vase. Fill in the spaces with geometric meander designs and motifs from
example sheet shown or create your own!
 If there is time encourage the students to share.
 Collect the vases and keep safe until the end of the year.
© 2009 Bancroft Art Appreciation Committee
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