The Terracotta Krater was found in the Dipylon Cemetery in Athens. Eventually acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1914 with a purchase from M.L. Kampanes through the Rogers Fund. There is no records in between the unearthing and the purchase by the MET, holding the questions of is this a "said to be from..." work of art, is there documentation of the unearthing not available to the public, and does the Metropolitan Museum have any right to house this krater? While viewing this krater at the MET is breathtaking and connects so beautifully to collection, I'm not sure if it's worth it in knowing it may have been illegally sourced, some research needs to take place to determine more about the discovery and purchase.
Regardless of its history of ownership, the Terracotta vase itself is an iconic representation of Greek pottery. The vase is considered to be a krater due to its specific shape. Kraters were used in day to day practice in Ancient Greece for holding liquids, but a krater this large in scale was used to mark a grave for a wealthy Athenian. The Terracotta Krater is decorated with a method called slip, which is a mixture of water and clay. Depicted in the top scene is a funerary procession, a deceased man is lying down with his wife and child to his side, surrounded by women with their arms thrown in the air to showcase their grief. In the bottom scene depicts military, including soldiers and horses leading to battle. In both of these scenes, the figures are represented with a strong Geometric style, with heads as perfect circles and torsos as perfect triangles. While clearly representing a narrative, the field feels flat and unrealistic. Another aspect of Geometric art is horror vacui, or fear of empty space, seen with every aspect of the vase being decorated and the gaps between each narrative scene filled with meaner, bands, or motif.
Regardless of its history of ownership, the Terracotta vase itself is an iconic representation of Greek pottery. The vase is considered to be a krater due to its specific shape. Kraters were used in day to day practice in Ancient Greece for holding liquids, but a krater this large in scale was used to mark a grave for a wealthy Athenian. The Terracotta Krater is decorated with a method called slip, which is a mixture of water and clay. Depicted in the top scene is a funerary procession, a deceased man is lying down with his wife and child to his side, surrounded by women with their arms thrown in the air to showcase their grief. In the bottom scene depicts military, including soldiers and horses leading to battle. In both of these scenes, the figures are represented with a strong Geometric style, with heads as perfect circles and torsos as perfect triangles. While clearly representing a narrative, the field feels flat and unrealistic. Another aspect of Geometric art is horror vacui, or fear of empty space, seen with every aspect of the vase being decorated and the gaps between each narrative scene filled with meaner, bands, or motif.
References
“Terracotta Krater.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2019, www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/248904. Accessed 8 Dec. 2023.
Thompson, Erin L. ““Said to Be From…”: Ethics and Hidden Provenance in Long-Established Museum Antiquities Collections.” Bryn Mawr Classical Review, 24 May 2023, bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2023/2023.05.24/. Accessed 9 Dec. 2023.
“Terracotta Krater.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2019, www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/248904. Accessed 8 Dec. 2023.
Thompson, Erin L. ““Said to Be From…”: Ethics and Hidden Provenance in Long-Established Museum Antiquities Collections.” Bryn Mawr Classical Review, 24 May 2023, bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2023/2023.05.24/. Accessed 9 Dec. 2023.