Artists and Signatures in Ancient Greece

This book offers insight into Greek conceptions of art, the artist, and artistic originality by examining artists' signatures in ancient Greece.

Jeffrey M. Hurwit (Author)

9781107105713, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 30 June 2015

237 pages, 88 b/w illus. 15 colour illus.
26.2 x 18.5 x 1.7 cm, 0.73 kg

The Greeks inscribed their works of art and craft with labels identifying mythological or historical figures, bits of poetry, and claims of ownership. But no type of inscription is more hotly debated or more intriguing than the artist's signature, which raises questions concerning the role and status of the artist and the work of art or craft itself. In this book, Jeffrey M. Hurwit surveys the phenomenon of artists' signatures across the many genres of Greek art from the eighth to the first century BCE. Although the great majority of extant works lack signatures, the Greek artist nonetheless signed his products far more than any other artist of antiquity. Examining signatures on gems, coins, mosaics, wall-paintings, metalwork, vases, and sculptures, Hurwit argues that signatures help us assess the position of the Greek artist within his society as well as his conception of his own skill and originality.

Part I. On the Status, Originality, and Difference of the Greek Artist: 1. Euthykartides' toes: signatures and the status of the Greek artist
2. Greek exceptionalism in the ancient world
Part II. Who Signed What, Where, How?: 3. Gems
4. Coins
5. Architecture
6. Wall- and panel-painting
7. Mosaics
8. Vases
9. Metalwork
10. Sculpture
Part III. Speculation: 11. Why?
Glossary
Appendix: ancient sources.

Subject Areas: Classical history / classical civilisation [HBLA1], Ancient history: to c 500 CE [HBLA], History of art: ancient & classical art,BCE to c 500 CE [ACG]