Kylix (Drinking Cup)
540-530 BCE
Medium
terracotta, black-figure
Dimensions
13 × 28.6 cm (5 1/8 × 11 1/4 in.)
Classification
vessel
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
208272
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
In the center of this scene, a young man dons armor for battle, affixing a shin guard to his left leg. His helmet rests on the ground, and the woman standing before him holds his shield as attendants look on. Approaching riders on rearing steeds and a running youth give the impression of urgency. Because the soldier is not bearded, which indicates youth, and is so much taller than the other figures, which often indicates special status, he may represent the Greek hero Achilles, whose mother, upo...
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...