Terracotta fragments of kylikes (drinking cups)
Unknown Artist
520–500 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
2011.604.1.4232a–c
Art Historical Context
These terracotta fragments from kylikes, or wide drinking cups, hail from Attic Greece during the late Archaic period (520–500 BCE). Crafted by an unknown potter and painter, they exemplify the exquisite vase-making tradition of ancient Athens, where such vessels were essential for symposia—lively social gatherings of elite men sharing wine, poetry, and conversation. Now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's and Roman Art Department, pieces were generously gifted in 2011 Dietrich von Bothmer, a renowned curator. Though incomplete, the fragments preserve the vibrancy of Attic black-figure...