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
2011.604.1.6873
Art Historical Context
This terracotta fragment from a kylix, or shallow drinking cup, hails from Attic Greece during the Late Archaic to Early Classical period (490–470 BCE). in Athens, the epicenter of ancient Greek pottery, such vessels were essential for symposialively social gatherings where elite men reclined, drank wine, and debated philosophy or politics. Though only a fragment survives, it exemplifies the exquisite craftsmanship of Attic workshops, where potters and painters collaborated to create functional art that doubled as storytelling canvases. Attic kylikes from this transitional era often featured ...