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Theatrical Mask: Father of Comedy

Greco-Roman, 2nd-1st century BCE

Ceramic

1988.34.16

Theater developed in Greece from a tradition of hymns sung and danced to honor the god of wine, Dionysos. Actors, both for tragedy and comedy, wore masks of generic types. Given the enormous popularity of the theater, these were naturally reproduced and depicted commercially.

Greek, Attic

Red-Figure Pelike with an Actor dressed as a bird

430-420 BCE

2008.4.1

This small jar for containing wine or oil depicts a dancing actor who wears bird costume on one side accompanied on the other by a mature, bearded man who plays a double, reeded instrument, the aulos. Greek theatrical productions included important elements of both music and dance.