Drapery—artfully folded fabric—has been used by European artists for centuries, from ancient Greek sculpture to contemporary photography. As I prepare for the studio course I’m leading this Wednesday on sketching drapery after the Old Masters, I’ve been thinking about why…. More»
This could be my favourite Greek drinking vessel ever!
Rhyton (Drinking Vessel) in the Shape of a Donkey Head
c. 460 BC
Greek, Attica
This drinking cup could not have been set down without its contents spilling. It is fashioned after the head of a bridled donkey with a white muzzle, teeth, and ears. Like the naked satyr chasing a fleeing maenad on the vessel’s neck, the donkey belongs to the retinue of the wine god Dionysos. Douris, one of the great Athenian vase painters of first half of the fifth century B.C., decorated this amusing cup.
Source: The Art Institute of Chicago
In the morning, I’m making WAFFLES
This cup has a built-in drinking game: it can’t be put down until empty.