Terracotta bell-krater (bowl for mixing wine and water)
ca. 460–450 BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Dimensions
H. 14.5 in. (36.8 cm) diameter 17.5 in. (44.5 cm)
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, Attic · Classical
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1907
Accession Number
07.286.81
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
About this artwork
[Research in progress for Terracotta bell-krater (bowl for mixing wine and water) by Achilles Painter, ca. 460–450 BCE]
Art Historical Context
This elegant terracotta bell-krater, created by the Achilles Painter around 460–450 BCE, exemplifies the refined artistry of Classical Athens. As a vessel designed for mixing wine and water at symposia, its bell shape allowed for easy handling during social gatherings. The Achilles Painter, renowned for his graceful figures and balanced compositions in the red-figure technique, brought a sense of quiet dignity to such functional objects, elevating them to works of art. Measuring just over fourteen inches in height, the krater reflects the cultural importance of communal drinking rituals in ancient Greece. Its decoration, featuring male figures alongside Nike, evokes themes of victory and civic life central to Athenian society during the height of the Classical period. Acquired by the Metropolitan Museum in 1907, this Attic vase offers visitors a tangible connection to the artistic innovations and daily customs of fifth-century BCE Greece.
About the Artist
Achilles Painter
**The Achilles Painter** was a leading Athenian vase painter of the Classical period, active approximately from 470 to 425 BC. His conventional name derives from his name vase, a red-figure amphora (Vatican 16571) now in the Vatican Museums that depicts the hero Achilles in a pensive, armored pose, dated around 450–445 BC. As an Attic artist working in the red-figure technique, he produced works t...