Terracotta rim fragment of a kylix: eye-cup (drinking cup)
Unknown Artist
525–510 BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, Attic · Archaic
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Dietrich von Bothmer, Distinguished Research Curator, Greek and Roman Art, 2011
Accession Number
2011.604.1.5755
Art Historical Context
This delicate terracotta rim fragment from an Attic Greek kylix, or eye-cup drinking vessel, dates to 525–510 BCE, the late Archaic period. Crafted in the vibrant pottery workshops of ancient Athens, eye-cups were popular symposion wares—shallow cups used in all-male drinking parties where revelers reclined and shared wine mixed with water. The "eye" in eye-cup refers to the signature large, staring eyes painted on the exterior, transforming the cup into a playful, mask-like face when raised to the lips, adding whimsy to social rituals. Though only a rim survives, it exemplifies Attic terraco...