Terracotta hydria: kalpis (water jar)
early 4th century BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Dimensions
H. 17 3/16 in. (43.6 cm); diameter of mouth 6 9/16 in. (16.7 cm); diameter of foot 6 1/16 in. (15.4 cm)
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, Attic · Classical
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Fletcher Fund, 1956
Accession Number
56.171.56
Tags
Art Historical Context
This elegant terracotta hydria, or water jar, known as a kalpis, was crafted in Athens during the early fourth century BCE, a time when Greek vase painting reached refined heights in the Classical period. Standing just over seventeen inches tall, the vessel would have been both functional—used for carrying and pouring water—and a showcase for mythological storytelling. Its red-figure decoration, typical of Attic workshops, features Aphrodite and Poseidon alongside lively maenads and satyrs, evoking themes of divine love, the sea, and Dionysian revelry that resonated deeply with ancient Greek a...