Terracotta pyxis (box)
ca. 465–460 BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Dimensions
H. 4 3/4 in. (12.1 cm) H. with cover 6 3/4 in. (17.2 cm)
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, Attic · Classical
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1907
Accession Number
07.286.36a, b
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite terracotta pyxis, by the Penthesilea Painter around 465–460 BCE, exemplifies the refined artistry of Classical Attic Greece. A small cylindrical box standing just 6¾ inches tall with its lid it served as a luxurious container for cosmetics, jewelry, or trinkets, reflecting the daily elegance of wealthy Athenian women. The Penthesilea Painter, anonymous master named after a famous vase depicting the Amazon queen's mythical defeat by Achilles, was a leading figure in late red-figure vase painting—a technique where figures were outlined in black slip on a red clay ground, allowing ...