Oxana Kifishina
Moscow State Pedagogical University, Russia
The paper deals with study of floral motifs in the decor system of South Italian red-figured vases. They have got the richest and the most elaborate interpretation since the middle of the 4th century BC, with the adoption of Ornate style in the South Italian vase-painting. At the same time flower motifs have been little studied (only general information on a particular group of plants is represented). But given the fact that the studied material consists of more than 20 000 vases after a large-scale work accomplished by AD. Trendall with his colleagues in detecting South Italian basic vase-painting centers, leading masters, and also the main types of character scenes, it is necessary to go further. The following vectors can be indicated.
• Studies of iconography: a simultaneous comparison of separate antique floral images with descriptions of ancient Greek authors as well as certain forms of known flora (M. Meurer, P. Jacobsthal, H. Baumann). In Apulian interpretations of flower motifs roses, poppy and aracea can be revealed. The method of stylization can also be considered as a problem: Greek vase-painters were inclined to depict “hybrid” plants including elements of different forms. The combination of a lily, a reed and a palm tree is the most typical for the Aegean material — it has been convincingly revealed by L. Morgan. For the South Italian vase-painting we should distinguish combinations of palmettes, roses, aracea and acanthus — it comes from Attic practice, in addition ivy, hyacinth or lily can be observed as well as combinations of faces or busts with flowers. In the Ornate style a “hybrid” flower is included into figurative compositions, in some cases pushing aside and replacing an anthropomorphic
figure.
• Semantic analysis: there are a lot of investigations dealing with cult practice (Sh. Joret, M. Nilsson, J. Murr, T. V. Tsivjan). Nowadays flower subjects are also mentioned. L. I. Akimova established their links with festive occasions, wedding rituals. In a 2007 paper, N. Kei considers scenes with flowers as a “signe de grâce” in Attic vase-painting; most of the author’s observations are applicable for the South Italian vase-painting as well. The analysis of such subjects as the finding of a flower, wedding scenes, depiction of a flower in a naiskos, Eros in the garden (possibly in the Orphic context) represent next research steps.