The artwork, titled “Terracotta Kylix – Siana Cup (drinking Cup),” crafted by Ancient Greek Pottery around c. 575 BC, is a testament to the Archaic period’s artistic endeavors. Fabricated from terracotta, this piece exemplifies the Black-figure technique prominent in its era, melding utilitarian function with intricate mythological adornment. It is part of the mythological painting and utensil genre and finds its home in the esteemed Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met) in New York City, NY, US.
The artwork presented is a drinking cup, demonstrating elegant form and function with two handles and a broad bowl atop a pedestal foot. The exterior of the cup showcases a procession of horsemen, meticulously rendered in the black-figure style where figures are painted in black atop the natural red of the terracotta. The figures are infused with a sense of motion and vitality, accentuated by the juxtaposition of the dark riders against the lighter background. The glossy black bands around the lower section of the cup highlight its form, drawing the eye towards the detailed mythological scene that encircles the upper section. The Kylix, with its combination of art and utility, embodies the cultural and aesthetic values of Ancient Greece during the Archaic period.