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Painted on the interior of this small kylix, a man squats over a vessel, staring to his left with his oversized eyes. He may be wearing a cloak, which appears behind him and perhaps covering his arms, but it is pushed open to reveal his nude body, with the genitals particularly emphasized. The man’s bare feet are planted on a painted ground line. His shaggy hair projects from the sides of his head, perhaps indicating a bald spot on the top, and he has a short beard. Painted bands encircle the interior near the rim, but the field behind the figure is plain, showing the cream color of the clay. Minimal black paint appears on the two horizontal loop handles. The exterior is decorated by a row of painted petals at the rim and black paint on the ring foot. A diptini (painted inscription) appears on the bottom of the foot. This kylix belongs to a group of cups, plates, and pyxides known as the “Wide Group” after the first scholar to publish them, Sam Wide. All the known examples are relatively small and generally have single figure depictions on the interior, with limited painted decoration on the exterior. The single figures are sometimes deities, particularly Herakles, or comedic figures, as in this case. The word painted on the bottom, ΘΕΣΠΙΩΝ (Thespion), could be related to the polis of Thespiae in Boeotia and might be read as “Of the Thespians.” The small vessels seem to have been created for use as votive offerings.

Page data

Page
1
Source index
0
Type
photo
Media ID
6aed64c79b25c7eb
Size
unknown

Document data

ID
32070
Core
obj
Type
object
DTO data
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    "id": "32070",
    "sourceUrl": "https://purl.thewalters.org/art/48.2708",
    "contentType": "object",
    "stage": "normalized",
    "title": "Kylix with Grotesque Figure",
    "description": "Painted on the interior of this small kylix, a man squats over a vessel, staring to his left with his oversized eyes. He may be wearing a cloak, which appears behind him and perhaps covering his arms, but it is pushed open to reveal his nude body, with the genitals particularly emphasized. The man’s bare feet are planted on a painted ground line. His shaggy hair projects from the sides of his head, perhaps indicating a bald spot on the top, and he has a short beard. Painted bands encircle the interior near the rim, but the field behind the figure is plain, showing the cream color of the clay. Minimal black paint appears on the two horizontal loop handles. The exterior is decorated by a row of painted petals at the rim and black paint on the ring foot. A diptini (painted inscription) appears on the bottom of the foot. This kylix belongs to a group of cups, plates, and pyxides known as the “Wide Group” after the first scholar to publish them, Sam Wide. All the known examples are relatively small and generally have single figure depictions on the interior, with limited painted decoration on the exterior. The single figures are sometimes deities, particularly Herakles, or comedic figures, as in this case. The word painted on the bottom, ΘΕΣΠΙΩΝ (Thespion), could be related to the polis of Thespiae in Boeotia and might be read as “Of the Thespians.” The small vessels seem to have been created for use as votive offerings.",
    "provenance": "Charles D. Kelekian, New York, by 1951, [mode of acquisition unknown] [inv. no. 203]; Beatrice A. Kelekian, New York, 1982, by bequest; Walters Art Museum, 1992, by bequest.",
    "date": "2nd half 5th century BCE (Classical)",
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    "dimensionsRaw": "H: 1 × W with handles: 5 9/16 × Diam: 3 5/8 in. (2.5 × 14.2 × 9.2 cm)"
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Context sent to Scholar

Document identity
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    "localId": "32070",
    "label": "Kylix with Grotesque Figure",
    "core": "obj",
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Document source metadata
{
    "id": "32070",
    "sourceUrl": "https://purl.thewalters.org/art/48.2708",
    "contentType": "object",
    "stage": "normalized",
    "title": "Kylix with Grotesque Figure",
    "description": "Painted on the interior of this small kylix, a man squats over a vessel, staring to his left with his oversized eyes. He may be wearing a cloak, which appears behind him and perhaps covering his arms, but it is pushed open to reveal his nude body, with the genitals particularly emphasized. The man’s bare feet are planted on a painted ground line. His shaggy hair projects from the sides of his head, perhaps indicating a bald spot on the top, and he has a short beard. Painted bands encircle the interior near the rim, but the field behind the figure is plain, showing the cream color of the clay. Minimal black paint appears on the two horizontal loop handles. The exterior is decorated by a row of painted petals at the rim and black paint on the ring foot. A diptini (painted inscription) appears on the bottom of the foot. This kylix belongs to a group of cups, plates, and pyxides known as the “Wide Group” after the first scholar to publish them, Sam Wide. All the known examples are relatively small and generally have single figure depictions on the interior, with limited painted decoration on the exterior. The single figures are sometimes deities, particularly Herakles, or comedic figures, as in this case. The word painted on the bottom, ΘΕΣΠΙΩΝ (Thespion), could be related to the polis of Thespiae in Boeotia and might be read as “Of the Thespians.” The small vessels seem to have been created for use as votive offerings.",
    "provenance": "Charles D. Kelekian, New York, by 1951, [mode of acquisition unknown] [inv. no. 203]; Beatrice A. Kelekian, New York, 1982, by bequest; Walters Art Museum, 1992, by bequest.",
    "date": "2nd half 5th century BCE (Classical)",
    "citationUrl": "https://purl.thewalters.org/art/48.2708",
    "rightsUri": "CC0",
    "language": "en",
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    "dimensionsRaw": "H: 1 × W with handles: 5 9/16 × Diam: 3 5/8 in. (2.5 × 14.2 × 9.2 cm)"
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Document source extras
{
    "cul": "Greek",
    "inscriptions": "[Inscription] painted on underside of foot: ΘΕΣΠΙΩΝ. [Transliteration]: Thespion.",
    "med": "terracotta; painted (Sam Wide Group)",
    "creator_ids": [
        "6256"
    ],
    "collection_ids": [],
    "exhibition_ids": []
}
Page context
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