Terracotta fragment of a lamp
Unknown Artist
525–480 BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Classification
Vases|Terracottas
Culture & Period
Greek, Attic · 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
2011.604.6.313
Art Historical Context
This terracotta fragment of a lamp, created between 525 and 480 BCE in Attic Greece, offers a glimpse into the everyday artistry of the Archaic and early Classical periods. Produced in the region around Athens, such objects reflect the sophisticated pottery traditions of the time, when terracotta was widely used for both functional items and decorative works. As part of the Metropolitan Museum Greek and Roman Art collection, this piece highlights how ordinary household goods often carried the same attention to form and material as more elaborate vases. Terracotta lamps like this one played an...