Red–figure kylix with athlete scene
Who would attend a Greek symposium?
In Ancient Greek, symposion literally means ‘drinking together’. At these informal gatherings to which only men with the rights of a citizen were invited, there was certainly plenty of drinking. The countless mixing vessels, jars, jugs and drinking cups are material evidence of that. Besides drinking, men at symposia discussed philosophy, religion, politics, war and sports. We are well-informed about all this thanks to the writings of Plato and Xenophon.
How were Greek figural vessels made?
Figural vessels were fired and decorated in several stages. First they were fired in a high-oxygen atmosphere, which turned the iron-rich clay red. Then the figural areas were covered with a clay slip. After that, the vessels were fired in a low-oxygen atmosphere, which turned the slip black. Finally, the details of the figures were scratched into the black slip with a needle. The details on the red figures were applied with a brush dipped in clay slip and then fired in a low-oxygen atmosphere.
What is depicted on Greek figural vessels?
Greek tableware is often decorated with figures from Greek mythology or daily life. This red-figure drinking vessel portrays young athletes with a strigil (a scraper for removing sweat and dirt from the body).
When did these Greek figural vessels come to Ghent?
The majority of intact Greek figural vessels are found in Etruscan graves. The Etruscan elite had taken over the practice of the symposium and also used the pottery as grave goods. From the end of the 18th century onwards, countless such graves were opened and the vessels were sold on the European (and later the American) antiques market. The items in Ghent probably come from Vulci, and found their way into the university’s collection in 1840 through Joseph Roulez, a professor of Graeco-Roman history.
