Terracotta fragment of a column-krater (bowl for mixing wine and water)
Unknown Artist
mid-5th century BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, Attic · 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
2011.604.2.466
Art Historical Context
This terracotta fragment from a column-krater, dating to the mid-5th century, offers a glimpse into the vibrant of Classical Attic Greece. Column-kraters were essential vessels for symposia—lively social gatherings where elite men mixed wine with water, fostering conversation, poetry, and philosophy. Produced in Athens during the height of its Golden Age, these wide-mouthed bowls with distinctive column-shaped handles were often lavishly painted, showcasing the red-figure technique that revolutionized Greek pottery by allowing finer details in figures and narratives. Though only a fragment su...