Terracotta rhyton (vase for libations or drinking)
ca. 460 BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Dimensions
length 5 9/16 in. (14.2 cm); diameter of lip 4 in. (10.2 cm)
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, Attic · Classical
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1941
Accession Number
41.162.33
Tags
About this artwork
This distinctive Greek vessel combines the functional form of a drinking cup with the ornamental shape of an animal head, exemplifying the rhyton type popular in ancient Athens. Created around 460 BCE and attributed to the Painter of London E 100—an artist identified through stylistic analysis—this terracotta vessel demonstrates the technical sophistication and artistic playfulness of Classical Greek pottery. The rhyton form, originally developed in the Near East and Persia, was adopted by Greek...