This work is a red figure bell krater design. There are 3 satyrs with lyres advancing from left to right, toward a clothed male figure in a long, patterned garment who is holding 2 flutes. A Satyr is a lustful, drunken woodland god. In Greek art they were represented as a man with a horse’s ears and tail. There are folded/patterned objects hanging from the lyres. Use of line creates defines the figures and the repetitive forms of the lyres, and gives a sense of rhythm to the piece. The generally upright shapes of the 4 figures contribute to the energy of the design, and the diagonal orientation of the first satyr’s leg and arm brings a sense of movement. The presentation of the figures around the krater adds to the impression of a scene in motion.. The red color of the figures derives from the terra-cotta material from which the krater is constructed, and in combination with the glossy black ground created by the glaze, contributes to high tonal contrast. This piece of art is held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, which has a large collection of bell kraters (all of which are red figure). Bell kraters were used for mixing wine and water. The motifs of satyr, lyres and flutes may refer to Dionysiac gatherings. Bell kraters were made in Attica, and in Apulia in southern Italy, and most of the date to the 5th century.
