Aesop's Fables by Kirsten Beard

Artist Statement I was inspired by the Ancient Greek tradition of black and red figure pottery for my cover of Aesop's Fables. I wanted to emphasize the historic nature of these stories, many of which predate Aesop by hundreds of years through the oral tradition. Animals and the interactions between man and beast were common subject matter for amphora, kylix, pelike, and other Greek vases of Aesop's time (620 BC-564BC). I have kept the color palette limited, and focused on the red hue that Athenian clay was famed for due to its high iron content. - Kirsten Beard