This is a cup that was used for drinking wine at a symposion or drinking party. The scenes on it depict young men at school discussing music and rhetoric. The interior shows two students locked in conversation while the exterior displays scenes from within the school itself, a portico represented by two columns. Along the walls of the portico are lyres and a flute as well as a writing tablet and both columns are inscribed with the words “beautiful boy” in ancient Greek (ho pais kalos). 

The technique with red figures on black background was developed in Athens toward the end of the sixth century BCE. It involved painting the entire surface of the pot except the design with a thin mixture of clay and water called a slip. Details inside the reserved silhouette of the design were added by applying the slip with a variety of extremely fine brushes.  When the pot was fired, the painted surfaces became a glossy black, while the reserved design remained the natural red color of the clay. On this kylix, painted lines were used to articulate the figures, describe drapery folds, and pick out details such as facial features, hair, or the lines of lyres.