Greek, Attica

This drinking cup (kylix) is an example of the elaborately painted vessels used during symposia in ancient Greece. The broad, shallow bowl with two handles atop a pedestal base permitted the drinker to maintain a recumbent pose while drinking, as was customary in a symposium. The decorative elements of this kylix demonstrate the Athenian use of imagery to inform, engage, and entertain. Between the large, painted eyes are a satyr and a maenad, followers of the wine god Dionysos. This mythological allusion communicates the intended function of the vessel as a wine cup. The very act of bringing the cup to the drinker’s mouth transforms the cup into a mask; the painted eyes become the drinker’s, the handles turn into ears, and the round base converts into an open mouth.