The Lesche of the Knidians: The Niobid Painter
and the Louvre Krater

Lourvre Calyx Krater Drawn by E. Janis

The masterpiece of the Niobid painter, a calyx krater from the Louvre (c. 460-450 B.C.), is considered to be closely connected to the composition and style of the paintings by Polygnotos at Delphi. Pausanias describes the figures of the Lesche paintings as being either above or below another, some figures standing and others seated on rocks. The figures, like the figures on the Louvre krater, were distributed over a hilly terrain, using multiple ground lines. The Niobid krater from the Louvre is considered to be one of the first reflections of this new style (Spivey 1991: 111) and is the only vase painting by the Niobid Painter to use multiple ground lines. Polygnotos was considered the leader in this new movement of pictorial space and perspective.