Rare Attic Figural Footed Kylix

£ 1,800.00

A rare Ancient Greek terracotta black-figure kylix from Attica, featuring D-shaped handles and a low pedestal foot. Both handles and foot are covered in black slip. The centre of the vessel is unglazed with a small black dot within a circle. The rest of the interior is glazed in black. Below the rim is a band of palmettes, separated by tendrils. Under the palmettes is a wavy border going all around the kylix. On one side there are the figures of two dancers. They are depicted in lively movement with what looks like fillets around them and they appear to be facing each other. The motifs on these cups were drawn with diluted glaze.

Date: Circa 6th – 5th century BC
Condition: Very fine, intact, some crazing to the glaze on the interior and exterior surfaces of the vessel, a chip to one handle and minor chipping to the rim.

SOLD

Product Code: GS-16
Category: Tags: , , , , ,

The scene depicted might be referred to the Dionisyan celebration of life trough music, dance and obviously wine. Symposia were the most popular occasions in which men gathered to eat, drink and sing together but also to have various conversations about philosophy, politics or poetry. Kylixes were common Greek wine-drinking vessels, usually enriched with depictions of dancers, musicians or wine grapes.

To discover more about the Symposium, please visit our relevant blog post: The Art of Drinking Together, or the Symposium.

 

Dimensions W 15.7 x H 7 cm
Region

Southern Europe

Greek Mythology

Dionysus

Pottery

Terracotta