The study of Greek vases is ubiquitous, with new volumes published every year. Lissarrague (l'Ecole des Haute Etudes en Sciences Sociales), who specializes in Attic imagery, here focuses on the meaning behind the images depicted on vases, explaining his work as "a miscellany, an anthology, a bouquet of images." The excellent full-color photographs are crisp in detail and are the main reason to purchase this title. Lissarrague has published "many collective works" and authored The Aesthetics of the Greek Banquet. Boardman (emeritus, Oxford), on the other hand, has a virtual lock on the record for most books published on Greek vases, having written four of the five titles on "painted pottery" in the Thames & Hudson "World of Art" series. One of the top scholars in his field, he is also blessed with a talent for writing cogently. He tackles the large view of the subject "to provide a history of the craft that goes beyond the physical appearance of the vessels," explaining what might "be taken for granted or ignored." His illustrations are nowhere near as detailed or flashy as those in Lissarrague's book, but they sufficiently illustrate his comments. Lissarrague's book is recommended where scholars need topnotch illustrations of Greek vases; Boardman's is necessary for any library hoping to maintain a high-quality classical studies or art collection. Mary Morgan Smith, Northland P.L., Pittsburgh Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
