Terracotta fragment of an undetermined shape
Unknown Artist
6th/5th centuries 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
2011.604.6.377
Art Historical Context
This terracotta fragment, hailing from Attic Greece during the Archaic period6th–5th BCE), offers a tantalizing glimpse into one of ancient Athens' most vibrant artistic traditions: vase painting. Produced in workshops that supplied the Mediterranean world, Attic vases were not just functional vessels for wine, oil, or rituals but also canvases for storytelling. Though its exact shape remains undetermined—possibly part of a common form like an amphora or krater—this piece exemplifies the era's masterful pottery, fired in kilns to create durable terracotta prized for its warm, earthy tone. Art...