Terracotta column-krater (bowl for mixing wine and water)
Obverse and reverse, between eyes, mask of Dionysos and of a satyr
During the last quarter of the sixth century B.C., the decoration of many drinking vessels consisted of themes relating to Dionysos, the god of wine. Here the main subject is a mask of Dionysos; a frequent alternative is the mask of a satyr. The popularity of the wine god in Archaic Attic art reflects initiatives of the ruling family, the Peisistratids, that concerned cults, festivals, and public performances involving Dionysos.
This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.