Column Krater (mixing bowl for wine and water): Four-Horse Chariot and Charioteer; Sphinx and Lions c. 560

Curator: Here we have a column krater, a mixing bowl for wine and water, attributed to the artist Lydos. It's decorated with a four-horse chariot and charioteer, along with sphinxes and lions. Editor: It feels powerfully symbolic, doesn’t it? The black figures against the pale ground give it such stark drama. It feels weighty, literally and figuratively. Curator: Well, kraters like this were central to ancient Greek symposia. They were social and political spaces. The images, like chariots, conveyed aristocratic ideals, projecting power and status. Editor: It’s almost ironic, isn't it? To use a vessel meant for communal enjoyment to actually reinforce social hierarchy. Did everyone grasp that symbolism back then, I wonder? Curator: Good question! Pottery like this was widely circulated, so the imagery played a role in shaping and reflecting collective values. It’s art operating in the social sphere. Editor: So, it was functional art, certainly, but also a billboard for the elite, broadcast widely at ancient parties. I find that blend of utility and propaganda rather compelling. Curator: Indeed, a potent blend. It makes you think about what objects in our own time might be saying, decades or centuries from now. Editor: It certainly does. Thank you for sharing your unique perspective on this mixing bowl. I'm left with much food for thought.