Red-Figure Kylix (Drinking Cup): Dionysos and Satyr (I); Satyrs and Maenads (A, B)

c. 480 BC

Red-Figure Kylix (Drinking Cup): Dionysos and Satyr (I); Satyrs and Maenads (A, B), c. 480 BC. Attributed to Douris (Greek, Attic, active c. 500–470 BC), or Painter of London E 55. Ceramic; diameter: 29.6 cm (11 5/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Hinman B. Hurlbut Collection 1915.718 Reconstructed from 72 fragments, this cup has been repaired several times, indicating its enduring value to owners. Pairs of holes straddling cracks once held ancient wire or clamp repairs. Numerous incomplete holes may signify recent interventions. Early modern efforts to hide cracks and certain features of the satyrs that could have offended sensibilities of the time also masked the original artistry of its painting. So, for many years the cup languished in storage. Cleaning and reconstruction in 1952–53 revealed enough to allow attribution to a respected vase painter, Douris, reviving the cup’s reputation. More recently, a different attribution has been suggested, and a new conservation campaign replaced ancient parts from a different cup with modern reconstructions more like those lost. In the tondo, a dancing satyr approaches the wine god Dionysos, who holds a kantharos and grapevine.