Oinochoe (Pitcher)
about 440 BCE
Medium
terracotta, red-figure
Dimensions
H. 19.3 cm (7 5/8 in.) diam. 13.7 cm (5 3/8 in.)
Classification
vessel
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
87654
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Below the pouring spout of this shiny black vessel is a youthful musician holding a seven-stringed lyre, its sound box rendered to look like tortoiseshell. The plectrum, or pick, is tied to the lowermost of the instrument’s two upright bars. A himation, or mantle, falls from his left shoulder. Unusually, he wears leggings. The wreath encircling his head is a common accessory of symposium attendees. Perhaps he has or will perform for the gathering of men.
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...