Terracotta fragment of a kylix: eye-cup (drinking cup)
Unknown Artist
540–520 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
2011.604.3.2339
Art Historical Context
This terracotta fragment from a kylix, or eye-cup drinking vessel, hails from Attic Greece during the Archaic period540–520 BCE). Produced in Athens, the heart of ancient Greek pottery innovation, kylikes were essential for symposia—lively social gatherings where elite men reclined, drank wine, and debated philosophy. The "eye-cup" design, with its distinctive staring eyes painted on the exterior, created a playful illusion: when lifted to the lips, the cup seemed to gaze back like a masked face, blending utility with whimsy. Crafted in terracotta—a durable fired clay—via wheel-throwing and b...