Fragment of Red Figure Kylix

This fragment of a kylix, or drinking cup, depicts a woman dancing at a symposium, or aristocratic banquet. Her breast is bare, and she wears a sakkos, a headdress similar to a turban; such indecorous attire marks her as a courtesan. Courtesans were frequently present at symposia as companions for men and would often entertain the group by playing music or dancing. A lamp-stand appears in the background behind her elbow, with a pitcher hanging down from the left prong.

The letters RAPH are purposely placed above her naked breast to draw the male viewer’s attention. These letters form part of the word [EG]RAPH[SEN]. A standard element of painters’ signatures, the word can mean either "painted it" or "wrote it." EGRAPHSEN is used less frequently than the inscription EPOIESEN ("made it"), which, coupled with the name of the potter, indicates who crafted the object. The fact that there is no language distinction between the act of writing and painting in Ancient Greek further underscores the manner in which the Greeks viewed words in relation to images. Literally, a picture can be written and a word painted.

The wide spacing of the letters around the cup not only emphasizes the circular shape of the vessel but also exploits the ornamental value of the letters. In this sense, the painter’s signature mimics the meaning of the word: it is both a written message and a painted decoration spread through the image.