Terracotta Bell Krater (mixing Bowl) (c.350 BC) by Ancient Greek Pottery

Terracotta Bell Krater (mixing Bowl) - Ancient Greek Pottery - c.350 BC

Artwork Information

TitleTerracotta Bell Krater (mixing Bowl)
ArtistAncient Greek Pottery
Datec.350 BC
Mediumterracotta
Art MovementClassical
Current LocationMetropolitan Museum of Art (Met), New York City, NY, US

About Terracotta Bell Krater (mixing Bowl)

The “Terracotta Bell Krater (mixing Bowl)” is a significant piece of Ancient Greek Pottery dated to around 350 BC. This artifact is crafted from terracotta and belongs to the Classical art movement. Its decoration fits within the Red-figure series, a style of Greek vase painting characterized by red figures against a black background. The krater falls under the genres of mythological painting and utensil, highlighting its dual function as both an object of artistic expression and a practical item used for mixing wine and water. This historical pottery is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, New York, USA.

The artwork features a broad, bell-shaped body with two handles on the sides, typical of a krater’s design for mixing drinks. The scene depicted on the vessel shows figures illustrated in the red-figure technique, with the rest of the background in black glaze. This particular krater appears to portray human figures in ancient Greek attire, suggesting a social or ritualistic scene which might be steeped in mythological narrative, although without more context about the scene, we can just appreciate the figures’ stately poses and detailed drapery. The upper and lower parts of the vessel are adorned with intricate patterns, and the piece’s overall form and decoration are exemplary of ancient Greek ceramic artistry.

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