Apulian Red-Figure Bell Krater

On one side of this splendid krater, originally used for the mixing and serving of wines, a young woman and a nude man face each other across a funerary stele. This may represent a scene of sacrifice at a tomb, where the young man personifies the spirit of the deceased, or it perhaps depicts the mythological meeting of Orestes and Electra at the tomb of their father, Agamemnon. The other side shows two youths conversing. Such vessels were the luxury ware of the Classical age, cherished in life and buried for the eternal pleasure of their owners. As we delight in its beauty today, we share that feeling with people who lived many centuries ago.