Terracotta fragment of a Little Master cup (drinking cup)

Art Historical Context

This delicate terracotta fragment comes from a Little Master cup, a type of elegant drinking vessel crafted in Attic Greece during the second quarter of the th century BCE, in the Archaic period. Produced in Athens, these cups were sympotic wares—used in lively social gatherings where wine flowed and stories were shared. As a fragment, it offers a tantalizing glimpse into ancient craftsmanship, likely featuring the black-figure technique where figures were painted in glossy black slip and incised to reveal red clay beneath. Little Master cups represent a specialized innovation by anonymous At...