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Eye Cup (Kylix) with Satyrs, Maenads, and Gorgoneion
Satyrs and maenads cavort together on each side of the kylix (cup for drinking wine), while single satyrs flank the handle on each side. The shape and decoration of this kylix add a whimsical element to drinking from the cup: when raised to the face, it acts like a mask, with the central couple acting as the nose, giving the drinker enormous eyes, turning the handles into ears, and creating a comically long mouth and wide lips from the stem to the base. The large eyes may also have had a protective function, to ward off bad luck or perhaps even intoxication. The gorgoneion (Gorgon head) medallion in the center of the cup would have been revealed as the drinker consumed the wine.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.
Henry Walters, Baltimore, [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
Conservation
| Date | Description | Narrative |
|---|---|---|
| 7/27/1987 | Treatment | x-ray |
Geographies
Greece, Attica (Place of Origin)
Measurements
H: 3 11/16 × W with handles: 11 1/4 × Diam: 8 3/4 in. (9.3 × 28.6 × 22.3 cm)
Credit Line
Acquired by Henry Walters
Location in Museum
Not on view
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
48.34