Red-Figure Janiform Kantharos (Two-Sided Head-Shaped Drinking Cup): Satyr and African

c. 470–460 BCE

assigned to Class K

(The Toronto Class)

Culture

Greek, Attic

Medium

ceramic

Measurements

Overall: 19.6 x 17.2 cm (7 11/16 x 6 3/4 in.); Diameter of base: 8.5 cm (3 3/8 in.); Diameter of rim: 15.3 cm (6 in.)

Credit Line

John L. Severance Fund 1979.69

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Location

102B Greek

Did You Know?

This janiform kantharos is unique in juxtaposing heads of a satyr and an African man.

Description

Combining two mold-made faces beneath a pair of vertical handles and a flaring, wheel-made lip, this unusual drinking cup is a variation of the kantharos, a vessel favored by the wine god Dionysos. A snub nose and equine ears identify the satyr, a relatively common type on such vessels. The glossy black face and red hair on the other side are more unusual, apparently meant to show an older African man, with white beard and eyebrows, and wrinkles around the eyes.