White Athenian Vases In The British Museum By A.S. Murray, Ll.D., F.S.A. Keeper of Greek and Roman Antiquities And A.H. Smith, M.A., F.S.A. Assistant in the Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities
London:: Printed By Order Of The Trustees And Sold At The British Museum And By Longmans And Co., 39 Paternoster Row B. Quaritch, 15 Piccadilly; Asher And Co., 13 Bedford Street, Covent Garden Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner And Co., Charing Cross Road And The Oxford University Press, Amen Corner, 1896
Physical Description
10 p., folios 11-37, 27 pl.: illus.; 430 mm. (Folio.)
Contents
[T.p.] - Preface - Introduction - [Plates and descriptive texts].
Responsibility Note
The plates and illustrations are unsigned. The Preface states that the cyclograph by which the photographic plates were made was invented by A.H. Smith.
The text printer is named on the title-page verso: 'London: Printed By William Clowes And Sons, Limited, Stamford Street And Charing Cross.'
Summary Note
The plates show paintings on white-ground Athenian vases; which were made from ca. 520 to ca. 400 B.C. The subjects shown on the vases are taken from ancient Greek myths.
In his Preface A.S. Murray states that most plates 'have been reproduced from negatives taken by means of the cyclograph, an apparatus invented ... with the view of obtaining absolutely correct photographic copies of paintings on vases of a cylindrical shape.' The illustrations in the letter-press text show side views of whole vases.
Provenance
The title-page is stamped, 'Presented By The Trustees Of The British Museum'; receipt of the book is recorded in the 'List of Books Purchased and Presented' appended to the 'Librarian's Report', RA Annual Report for 1897, p. 41).
Binding Note
19th-century quarter brown cloth, fawn papered boards, upper cover carrying white label printed 'White Athenian Vases In The British Museum'; spine unlettered.
Mythology, Greek - Iconography - History
Vase paintings - Paintings - Vases, Greek - Pottery - Lecythi - Jugs (vessels) - Greece - Attica - Athens - History - 5th century B.C. - 4th century B.C.
Collections - Great Britain - London - 19th century
Art history - Catalogues - Great Britain - 19th century
Pictorial works - Photomechanical prints - Great Britain - 19th century