Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)
500–480 BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, Attic · 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
2011.604.1.7231
Art Historical Context
This exquisite terracotta fragment from a kylix, or shallow drinking cup, comes from the workshop of Makron, one of the most prolific and skilled Attic vase painters of the late Archaic period500–480 BCE). Created ancient Athens, it exemplifies the height of Greek pottery artistry during a time when the city was a cultural powerhouse, bridging the Archaic and Classical eras. Makron, active around 490–480 BCE, specialized in red-figure technique, where figures were outlined in black slip on the natural red clay, allowing for intricate details in anatomy, drapery, and expression—revolutionary fo...
About the Artist
Makron
Makron stands as one of the most prolific masters of Attic red-figure vase painting, active in Athens around 490–480 BC during the late Archaic to early Classical transition.) Little is known of his early life or formal training, as such details remain undocumented for many ancient potters and painters of this era. Exclusively employing the red-figure technique—which allowed for intricate detailin...