Terracotta Bell-Krater

The Terracotta Bell-krater is a bowl for mixing wine and water that originated in Greece during the time period between 750-700 BCE. Known as the Geometric period, this piece of art is a perfect example of the Kraters that are commonly found from this period in time. Like the Terracotta Bell-Krater, many of these Kraters are very large and are decorated with geometric and linear designs. When viewing the Terracotta Bell-Krater, its characteristics such as its lines and color, foreshortening, and content help to not only serve as a beautiful work of art, but also serves as a form of poetry that evokes an intimate mood within people who view and understand the artwork as a whole. The aspect of this Krater that is most distinguishable is its
geometric design consisting of circles, triangles, and rectangles that represent the presence of simplistic nature. Consistent with other art from this time period, the Terracotta Bell-krater consists mainly of linear designs which appears very clean and precise. The artist clearly worked to display his art in a way that was simplistic but also extremely intricate and meaningful. Like other Kraters, the Terracotta Bell-Krater has very few empty spaces which has come to represent empathy for living beings. It was this simplistic style that was not only popular for the time, but it also places an increased emphasis on the art’s meaning and the interpretations of the viewers. One aspect that is most noticeable when viewing the Terracotta Bell-Krater is it’s unique foreshortening and portrayal of the figures illustrated on the side of the bowl.
For example, there is woman seated in a chair playing a type of lyre. At first glance, it seems as if the woman is portrayed from both a profile and frontal view. While she appears to be sitting perpendicular to our line of sight, you can also get a clear view of her chest and face as she plays the lyre. In addition to the strange angle the woman appears to sit at, you can also see that many of the limbs of the figures are either elongated and or distorted. Clearly illustrated this way, the author has chosen an unrealistic representation in order to stress other aspects of the art such as it meanings and interpretations. An example of this can be found when viewing the woman holding her hands above her head as if she were ripping her hair out to express the power and sorrow felt from listening to the woman play the lyre. It is representations such as these that contribute to an ongoing message that the author intends to express to his viewers through his
art.
The most important aspect about the Terracotta Bell-Krater that helps the audience interpret its meaning is its artistic content.
In addition to the sitting woman, there are two figures who appear to be listening to the music being played. Clearly affected by the powerful music that’s played by the woman, the two listeners confide in each other. One of the figures rests their head on their companion’s shoulder, as the other figure makes gestures as if they are deeply moved by the music. Without these two figures, the audience would not be able to understand the importance and power of the music being played by the woman. It is with these figures that much of the art’s meaning and symbolism is transferred to the
audience.
Although there are not many examples of pottery from the 6th century BCE, these Terracotta Kraters are unique for their simplistic and linear design, while also having a deep and meaningful message for the audience. In this case, the artist uses his chosen style to help project and spread his messages and ideas. This just proves that art, even though simple, can still have a huge impact on the audience and evoke feeling and emotions within its viewers. Though this artwork is now 2500 years old, it is still relevant and interesting in a society where craftsmanship has become a lost art.