Terracotta column-krater (bowl for mixing wine and water)

Attributed to the Pan Painter
ca. 470–460 BCE
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 157
Obverse, Dionysos followed by attendant satyr
Reverse, satyr with skyphos (deep drinking cup)

A pupil of Myson, the Pan Painter was one of the best artists of his generation. Here he depicts Dionysos, the god of wine, enfolded in an ample cloak and crowned with a large ivy wreath, evidently on his way to a specific destination. The satyr behind him carries a cushioned stool, a kantharos—the drinking vessel most characteristic of Dionysos—and a branch of ivy. On the reverse, a satyr seems to welcome them with a skyphos. The god is subtly juxtaposed with his helpers who, despite their meticulous grooming and obedient service, do not entirely overcome their animal natures.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Terracotta column-krater (bowl for mixing wine and water)
  • Artist: Attributed to the Pan Painter
  • Period: Classical
  • Date: ca. 470–460 BCE
  • Culture: Greek, Attic
  • Medium: Terracotta; red-figure
  • Dimensions: H. 14 7/8 in. (37.8 cm)
    diameter of mouth 13 1/16 in. (33.2 cm)
  • Classification: Vases
  • Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1916
  • Object Number: 16.72
  • Curatorial Department: Greek and Roman Art

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