from Thetis cabinet (one-of-a-kind)
Black-Figure Kylix with Miniature Erotic Scenes, ca. 550–500 BC
This finely crafted kylix features a band of miniature decoration, illustrating intimate scenes of men and women in various positions of sexual intercourse, a subject often linked to the symposium culture of ancient Greece. These erotic depictions, while explicit in nature, are rendered with the elegance and stylization characteristic of black-figure pottery. The imagery reflects themes of desire and companionship, echoing the social and private dimensions of Athenian life. Both sides of the kylix bear the same composition, a balanced and symmetrical design inspired by Attic prototypes widely exported throughout the Aegean and the western Mediterranean.
This particular kylix, created for a private collection in 2004, is based on scholarly studies such as Eros Kalos, which examines the role of erotic art in Greek antiquity.
Dimensions H: 9.5cm, RimD: 13.5cm, MaxL: 19cm
Reference: Eros Kalos: An Essay on Erotic Elements in Greek Art, Nagel Publishers, Geneva, 1965, pp. 146-147.