Miniature terracotta squat lekythos (oil flask) with siren

Seireniske Painter

mid-5th century BCE · Terracotta · Greek and Roman Art

In Greek mythology, sirens, human-headed birds known for their beautiful voices, were offen associated with the afterlife, and they appear frequently in Classical Greek funerary art. In addition to their mournful depictions on grave stelai, sirens were also an appropriate decoration for a lekythos, a type of vase often connected with death and burial ritual.

Artist

Seireniske Painter

Date

mid-5th century BCE

Medium

Terracotta

Culture

Greek, Attic

Department

Greek and Roman Art

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1941