Description
| ITEM | Kantharos, Saint-Valentin Class |
| MATERIAL | Pottery |
| CULTURE | Greek |
| PERIOD | 4th Century B.C |
| DIMENSIONS | 128 mm x 184 mm x 133 mm |
| CONDITION | Good condition. Reassembled from the original fragments, in one handle a restored missing fragment |
| PROVENANCE | Ex German private collection, K.M., 2023, from the estate of private collection of F.M., France, since at least 2011. |
The Greek kantharos is a distinctive type of drinking vessel that was especially popular in ancient Greece, primarily associated with the god Dionysus, the deity of wine, festivity, and ecstasy. The kantharos is characterized by its deep, often rounded bowl, tall, looped handles that extend above the rim, and its pedestal or footed base, which made it both a functional and ornamental object. Used in various settings—from religious ceremonies to the communal symposium (drinking party)—the kantharos symbolized rebirth and the god’s power to transcend life and death, becoming an essential item for celebrating Dionysian rituals.
Typically decorated with either a black-glaze or painted in the red-figure style, many kantharoi feature designs relevant to Greek mythology or everyday life, depicting images of gods, animals, or floral motifs. The black-glaze version, in particular, provided an elegant, glossy finish, making it both striking and practical for its intended ceremonial use. In red-figure examples, artists had more freedom to illustrate narrative scenes involving Dionysus, his satyrs, or other figures from the Bacchic retinue. Such designs transformed the kantharos into more than just a vessel—it became a storytelling medium, revealing aspects of Greek beliefs, values, and artistic skills.
