Attic Red-Figure Cup

Epiktetos

about 510 B.C.

Terracotta

J. Paul Getty Museum

Reclining on a couch, a balding man tilts his head back and sings, accompanying himself on the lyre. Several features of the scene, such as the couch, the pillow, and especially the wreath the man wears, reveal that he is a participant at a symposion or drinking party. Many Greek vases, especially elaborate cups, were designed for use at such parties. Therefore, vase-painters frequently decorated these vessels with scenes of revelry and drinking. The circular area or tondo on the interior of a cup often presented challenges for Greek vase-painters. Some drew a line across the circle to create an artificial ground-line for their figu