sed to pour liquids during elaborate burial ceremonies to honor the wealthy. Another main function of pottery in many cases is to tell a story, which is exactly what Artemis Slaying Actaeon intends. The vase depicts the goddess of the hunt, Artemis, slaying a hunter Actaeon, whom accidentally intruded on her bathing while on a hunt. On the other hand, Woman and Maid is intended as a remembrance of a wealthy woman, and depicts an offering of a chest of valuables from a slave girl to the deceased. Just at first glance of these two vases, one can tell that they were crafted in very different styles, giving a distinct look to each. The contrast of light and dark on the two vessels are what stand out to make each piece unique. Anyone can notice that while Artemis Slaying Actaeon is mostly black, the Woman and Maid is very a luminous white. This contrast has to do with different sculpting techniques during the classical period. At the end of the early classical period, when the vase depicting Artemis was made, red-figure vessels were very popular. This meant that the pottery was covered in black glaze and then figures were carved away revealing the natural red color of the clay. Used later in the high classical period was a technique called white-ground. Used on the Woman and Maid, this meant using highly refined glaze on a vase that made it turn white, and then painting colors onto it in egg-based tempra paint. Another ...
