Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art

About this Work

This drinking cup depicts young men putting on their armor on both the interior and exterior of the vessel. The subject matter illustrated on drinking cups often served as points for discussion. Since the aristocratic men gathered at symposia would have been required to participate in military activity, this subject matter would have been particularly appropriate. Moreover, heroic warfare was often the subject of the musical and poetic performances which were presented during the symposium. This cup is also a fine example of the red-figure technique and calls attention to the skill of the vase-painter in presenting the human figure in a variety of naturalistic poses—these themes, too, could have stimulated conversation.