Terracotta lekythos (oil flask)
ca. 430 BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Dimensions
H. 12 1/2 in. (31.8 cm)
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, Attic · Classical
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Walter C. Baker, 1971
Accession Number
1972.118.145
Tags
Art Historical Context
This elegant terracotta lekythos, crafted by the Thanatos Painter around 430 BCE, exemplifies Attic Greek vase painting from the Classical period. Standing just over 12 inches tall, served as an oil flask, typically used in funerary rituals to hold perfumed oil for anointing the deceased. The Thanatos Painter, named for his poignant depictions of the god Thanatos (Death), specialized in white-ground lekyoi—vases with a pale clay slip background that allowed delicate colors and details to shine, evoking a sense of ethereal mourning. The artwork likely features women at a tomb, a common motif r...