Kantharos (Wine Cup)
300-275 BCE
Medium
terracotta, Late Gnathia ware
Dimensions
15.4 × 18 × 13.3 cm (6 1/8 × 7 1/8 × 5 1/4 in.)
Classification
drinking vessel
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
182
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This cup is an example of Gnathia ware, named after the ancient town (modern Egnazia) where the first examples were found. Gnathia ware is characterized by polychrome motifs and patterns created by applying purple-red, yellow, and white directly on top of black gloss before the vessels were fired.
About the Artist
Ancient Greek
The artist known simply as "Ancient Greek" represents the anonymous masters of Attic vase painting, a cornerstone of Classical Greek art from the Archaic and Classical periods (circa 700–300 BCE). Little is known of their personal life, as ancient Greek potters and painters rarely signed their works or left biographical traces; early life and training remain not well documented. These creators ope...