Terracotta kylix: Siana cup (drinking cup)
ca. 560–550 BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Dimensions
H. 6 3/16 in. (15.7 cm) diameter 9 13/16 in. (24.9 cm)
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, Attic · Archaic
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Fletcher Fund, 1925
Accession Number
25.78.33
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of Archaic Greece with this exquisite terracotta kylix, as a Siana cup, crafted by the Sandal Painter around 560–550 BCE. Hailing from Attic workshops, this drinking cup measures just 6 3/16 inches high and nearly 10 inches across, perfectly sized for the symposia—lively social gatherings where elite men reclined, drank wine, and discussed philosophy or heroism. The Sandal Painter, named for his distinctive motifs, was a master of the black-figure technique, incising details into glossy black slip and adding pops of red and white for vivid contrast. Adorning the cu...