Red-figure bell krater (wine mixing vessel)
Red-figure bell krater (wine mixing vessel)
Date4th century BCE
Mediumceramic
Dimensionsobject: 10 3/4 x 11 x 11 1/2 in. (27.3 x 27.9 x 29.2 cm)
ClassificationMATERIAL CULTURE
Credit LineSBMA, Gift of Irma Cavat
Object number1991.110
Subject(s)
- mythology
- men
Collection
- Antiquity
Sub-Collection(s)
- Red-figure
- Greek
On View
Not on viewLabel TextSignified by the club in his right hand, the hero Herakles engages in combat with a centaur on this krater. The scene likely represents the story of the centaur Eurytion who tried to claim the daughter of a king in marriage and was killed by Herakles. Kraters were used at ancient symposia, or drinking parties, to mix wine with water to make it less potent. Often decorated with mythological images, they provided the attendees with something to talk about. Stories from myth could offer both escape from everyday life and an allegory for current affairs. The fact that both Herakles and centaurs were well-known for their abuses of alcohol would also not have been lost on the audience. As a result, this krater both encouraged and discouraged wine drinking with its form and decoration, asking its users to take delight in the effects of the beverage but also not lose control of themselves.
