Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)
Unknown Artist
late 6th century BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, Attic · Archaic
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
2011.604.1.470
Art Historical Context
This delicate terracotta fragment from a kylix, or shallow drinking cup, hails from Attic Greece in the late 6th BCE, during the Archaic period. Produced in Athens—the epicenter of ancient Greek pottery—this piece would have been part of a vessel used in sympos, lively social gatherings where elite men reclined, drank wine, and discussed philosophy, poetry, and. Though only a fragment survives, it exemplifies the craftsmanship of Attic workshops, where potters and painters collaborated to create functional yet beautifully decorated wares. Terracotta, fired clay valued for its durability and w...