Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)
Unknown Artist
490–470 BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, Attic · Late Archaic/Early 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
2011.604.1.6939
Art Historical Context
This terracotta fragment from a kylix, a shallow drinking cup popular in ancient Greece, offers a glimpse into the vibrant symposia—elegant drinking parties where philosophers, poets, and elites gathered. Dating to 490–470, it hails from Attic Greece, the heart of Athens during the Late Archaic to Early Classical period. This transitional era bridged the stylized forms of Archaic art with the more naturalistic ideals of Classical sculpture, coinciding with the Persian Wars and Athens' rising cultural dominance. Crafted in terracotta, the medium of choice for Greek vases, this piece exemplifie...