Terracotta fragment of a kylix: eye-cup (drinking cup)
Unknown Artist
530–520 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
2011.604.3.2425
Art Historical Context
This exquisite terracotta fragment from a kylix, or eye-cup drinking vessel, hails from Attic Greece around 530–520 BCE, during the vibrant Archaic period. Crafted in the workshops of ancient Athens, these cups were essential to symposia—lively social gatherings where elite men reclined, drank wine, and engaged in philosophical discourse. As a fragment, it offers a tantalizing glimpse into the daily rituals and artistic prowess of this era, generously gifted to the Metropolitan Museum of Art Dietrich von Bothmer in 2011. Eye-cups like this one are iconic for their whimsical design: large, sta...