Kylix (cup)

From the seventh century until the second century BCE, the Etruscans occupied much of present-day central Italy, known then as Etruria. The Etruscans treasured Greek vases that demonstrated the exceptional artistic skill of Greek painters and potters, and the proximity between Etruria and the Greek colonies in the south enabled the mass importation of these objects. The significant extent to which they valued these vessels is reflected in the Etruscan style, which strove to emulate Greek painterliness. 

This kylix depicts two satyrs, half-man and half-goat hybrids, who are actively engaged in preparing for the symposium. The creature on the viewer’s left can be seen leaning on an amphora, the vessel for wine, while the other fills the hydria with water. Although not illustrated, these two liquids are then poured into the krater (vase) where they are mixed and subsequently served to the Greek men in attendance. As a follower of Dionysus, god of theater and wine, satyrs are often portrayed as mischievous and frequently intoxicated. Thus, their involvement in symposium activities is particularly appropriate. The satyr is a popular figure within both Greek and Roman culture, and the figure is important to Warren’s collection both in terms of its links to a culture of excess and its function within the broader category of bronze sculptures such as the dancing satyr.