Terracotta fragments of a kylix (drinking cup)
Unknown Artist
second quarter of the 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
2011.604.1.190a, b
Art Historical Context
These terracotta fragments from a kylix, or shallow drinking cup, hail from Attic Greece during the second quarter of the5th century BCE—the height of the Classical period. Crafted by an unknown potter and painter, this everyday vessel exemplifies the exquisite pottery tradition of ancient Athens, where terracotta was wheel-thrown, fired, and often adorned with vibrant red-figure decoration (though specifics here are lost to fragmentation). Such kylikes were essential at symposia, intimate male drinking parties that blended socializing, philosophy, and revelry, offering a window into the socia...