Terracotta kylix (drinking cup) 490 BC

This terracotta kylix, or drinking cup, was crafted by Euphronios. The visual experience is dominated by the contrast between the lustrous black glaze and the reddish-orange figures. The central scene, a tondo, features a dynamic composition within a circular frame, drawing the eye inward. The figures, rendered with a high degree of anatomical detail, interact within a carefully structured space. Euphronios’s command of line and form is evident in the way the figures are posed and how their bodies convey a sense of movement and tension. The negative space around the figures is just as important, creating a balanced interplay between solid and void. This piece challenges fixed meanings by using a semiotic system of signs which would have been recognized within its cultural and philosophical context. The kylix should be viewed not merely as a functional object but as a site of ongoing interpretation, where form and function intersect with cultural and philosophical discourse.