Terracotta fragment of a closed shape
Unknown Artist
4th century BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, South Italian, Apulian · Classical
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Dietrich von Bothmer, Distinguished Research Curator, Greek and Roman Art, 2011
Accession Number
2011.604.12.22
Art Historical Context
This terracotta fragment from a closed-shape vase offers a glimpse into the vibrant of South Italian Greek pottery in the 4 century BCE. Hailing from the Apulian region—centered around ancient Taranto, a thriving Greek colony in modern-day Puglia—this piece exemplifies the Classical period's fusion of Greek artistic traditions with local Italic influences. Closed shapes like amphorae, lekythoi, or hydriai were essential for storing oils, perfumes, or wines, often serving both practical and ritual purposes in daily life and funerary rites. Apulian vases are renowned for their elaborate red-fig...