An essential vessel for anyone wishing to partake in
the Bacchic pastime of wine-drinking, this wide-
mouthed bell krater was specifically designed for
holding large quantities of liquid; as it was considered
barbaric for wine to be drunk neat (and a privilege
only enjoyed by Bacchus/Dionysus and his entourage
who could handle such a level of intoxication) wine
would be mixed with water, usually 1 part to 3. As
such, craters provided an ideal large surface area for
decoration, and as wine was of utmost importance to
the Symposium, kraters would usually take centre
place, and as such, the decoration of such vessels
were geared towards such gatherings and attempted
to provide subject matter for philosophical debate, or
more usually, for titillation.
The obverse of this vessel depicts three nude male
figures, standing resplendent in their musculature,
showing off the efforts of their rigorous athletic
training. The lack of attributes help to identify these
men as athletes and not heroes or gods, as well as
the fact that two of the men hold long thin sticks, the
disciplinary rods of trainers. The men seem to be
conversing, the two on the right with their hands
raised, possibly in objection to something that the
man on the left has done.
The reverse shows another conversation taking
place, this time between a man and a woman. The
man on the left is clothed, the placement of his cloak
suggesting that he is either a public speaker or a
philosopher (although the latter is usually indicated
by an unkempt appearance.) He rests upon his
walking stick as he converses with his female
companion. Her right hand is raised with her fingers
spread. It could be that she is showing him a number,
a price, maybe for her as the depiction of her breasts
through her chiton could suggest that she is a
prostitute. Indeed, she does have a rather knowing
smile upon her face.
- (SF.047)
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