Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)
Unknown Artist
first half of the 5th century BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, Attic · Archaic/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
2011.604.1.3131
Art Historical Context
This terracotta fragment from a kylix, a shallow drinking cup with two handles popular in ancient Greece, offers a glimpse into the refined world of Attic symposia—elegant drinking parties where intellectuals and elites gathered around the 5th century BCE. to the first half of that century, it bridges the Archaic and Classical periods, a time when Athens flourished as a cultural powerhouse. Crafted from terracotta, the clay was likely wheel-thrown and fired in kilns, showcasing the technical mastery of anonymous Attic potters who produced some of the finest ceramics in the ancient world. Thou...