Grand Tour Attic-Style Red-Figure Kylix, 18th Century

A Grand Tour Attic-Style Red-Figure Kylix, probably 18th…
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A Grand Tour Attic-Style Red-Figure kylix, probably 18th century, the upper side decorated to the centre with a satyr playing double flutes and maenad dancing and playing castanets, the underside with Europa and the bull to one side, two youths around a column krater to the other, and palmette scrolls around the handles, 13 cm high, 45.5 cm wide (across the handles)

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  • Kylix - A kylix is an ancient Greek pottery vessel, with a wide shallow cup usually with tow handles, on a stem with a foot. The interior of the cup, called the tondo provided an almost flat surface for painted decoration.
  • Krater - A Greek krater is a large vessel that was used in ancient Greece for mixing wine and water. The word "krater" comes from the Greek word "kraino," which means "to mix." In ancient Greece it was considered bad form to drink undiluted wine.

    Kraters were used in symposia, or Greek drinking parties, where they were placed in the centre of the room and used to mix wine with water. The mixture was then poured into individual cups and served to the guests.

    Kraters were often elaborately decorated with scenes from mythology or daily life, and could be made from a variety of materials, including ceramic, bronze, and marble.

    There were several different types of kraters in ancient Greece, and they can be grouped according to the shape of the two handles, or of the vessel itself:

    • A Volute krater has handles shaped like the volutes on an Ionic capital, whereas a column krater has columnar handles.
    • A calyx krater is shaped flower bud, while a bell krater is shaped like a bell.
    Kraters were an important part of Greek social and cultural life, and their decoration and style evolved over time as Greek art and society changed.
  • Palmette - A decorative motif used in the decoration of ceramics, textiles and furniture, based loosely on the palm leaf and sometimes used with the anthemion, from which it is often difficult to distinguish. The form of the palmette varies from ornate to simplistic.
  • Satyr - A creature from Greek mythology with goat-like features, including a bearded face and horns, a man's torso, hairy legs and cloven hooves and a tail. As attendants of Bacchus, satyrs sometimes carry grapes or pitchers of wine. As spitis of fertility they may carry a cornucopia or basket of fruit.

    They are also used to portray lust, and are often depicted with a leering expression. As well as being depicted singly or in a group in sculpture and candelabra, they also appear as motifs on ceramics, glass, silver and gold objects.

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