Terracotta fragment of a stemless kylix (drinking cup)
Unknown Artist
mid-5th century BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, Attic · 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
2011.604.1.8628
Art Historical Context
This terracotta fragment from a stemless kylix, or drinking cup, hails from mid-5th century BCE Attic Greece, the heart of the Classical period Crafted by an unknown artist, it exemplifies the everyday elegance of Athenian pottery, produced in workshops that supplied both homes and symposia—lively gatherings where elites reclined, drank, and debated philosophy or politics. Stemless kylikes like this one were a fashionable innovation, their low, wide profile allowing easy handling while resting on a table, a shift from earlier stemmed designs. Terracotta vases were wheel-thrown and fired in ki...