Metropolitan Museum of Art Field Trip

Two of artworks that I saw on MET museum field trip are Terracotta Lekythos and Offering Bearer. 

The Terracotta Lekythos is an ancient Greek vessel used for storing oil, often placed in tombs as offerings to the dead. It is made from terracotta, a type of fired clay that was widely used in Greek pottery. The artists shaped the vase on a potter’s wheel, then painted it with a fine slip that turned black when fired in a kiln under specific conditions. This process is part of the “black-figure” technique common in Greek pottery. This process involved painting the background black and leaving the figures in the natural red-orange color of the clay. In class, we’ve explored how art elements of design, this vase reflects the curved outlines of the decorative patterns around the neck and base create rhythm and movement of line. Shape and plane appear in how the flat painted figures are arranged on the rounded surfaces of the vase, giving the illusion of depth on a curved form.. 

The Offering Bearer is an ancient Egyptian sculpture made from painted limestone or wood. It typically shows a young servant woman carrying offerings of food or drink to the tomb of the deceased, symbolizing eternal sustenance in the afterlife.  The sculpture was carved using chisels and polished to a smooth finish before being painted. The figure’s posture is formal, with one foot forward, showing movement. The form is 3D, but the body parts are simplified and stylized. You can see clear planes in how the body is carved, flat surfaces on the skirt and smooth curves on the arms and face.. The artist used value contrast through light and shadow. Artwork shows how ancient artists used line, shape, and color contrast not only for decoration but to express deeper culture.