Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)
Unknown Artist
second quarter of the 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
2011.604.1.1196
Art Historical Context
This terracotta fragment from a kylix, or shallow drinking cup, hails from Attic Greece in the second quarter of the 5 century BCE, during the height of the Classical period.ed by an unknown artist, it exemplifies the exquisite pottery tradition of ancient Athens, where kilns produced some of the finest ceramics of the ancient world. Kylikes like this one were essential for symposia—lively social gatherings of elite men featuring wine, conversation, and entertainment—often featuring painted scenes on their interiors and exteriors that captured myths, daily life, or athletic pursuits. Though o...