Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)
Unknown Artist
490–480 BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, Attic · Late 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
2011.604.1.6490a–c
Art Historical Context
This terracotta fragment from a kylix, a shallow drinking cup popular in ancient Greek symposia, to 490–480 BCE, the Late Archaic period in Attic Greece. Produced in Athens at the height of its pottery workshops, such vessels were essential for social gatherings where elite men reclined, drank wine, and discussed philosophy or politics. Though only a piece survives, it exemplifies the fine craftsmanship of Attic terracotta, fired clay valued for its durability and as a canvas for painted decoration. Attic vases from this era mark a pivotal transition from black-figure to emerging red-figure t...