Kylix Fragment: Frontal Torso and Right Hand c. 490

Editor: This is a fragment of a kylix, or drinking cup, by Makron. It's a small piece, depicting a frontal torso and a right hand. What's striking is how intimate the fragment feels, despite its size and incompleteness. How should we interpret this? Curator: Think about the function of the kylix itself. It’s a vessel for communal drinking, often used in symposia, gatherings that were exclusively male. How might this context inform our understanding of the figure depicted? Is there a suggestion of eroticism? How does its fragmentary nature alter that reading? Editor: I never thought about the connection to the male gaze and the symposium. Thanks, that adds another layer! Curator: Exactly! Considering the historical context shapes the way we confront art and its underlying social narratives.