Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)
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
2011.604.1.6499
Art Historical Context
This terracotta fragment of a kylix, or drinking cup, was created by the Colmar Painter in Athens around 490–480 BCE. Produced during the Late Archaic period, it belongs to the vibrant tradition of Attic vase painting preserved in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Greek and Roman Art collection. The kylix form was central to Greek social life, especially the symposium, where participants shared wine and conversation from elegantly shaped vessels. Terracotta provided an ideal medium for such works—affordable, workable, and capable of capturing fine details through painted decoration. As a fragm...