Her physiognomy and highly ornamented snood suggest a person of some standing. The woman's hair is gathered in an elaborately decorated snood with a meticulously executed frieze of animals, real and mythological, that is meant to be understood as woven in. (The painter Euphronios decorated such a head vase as well, and Charinos may have been part of his workshop.) In this work, the basically utilitarian medium of fired clay is elevated to the standard of contemporary sculpture in the more expensive medium of marble. The vase was lent by the Museo Nazionale in Tarquinia. The exquisite terracotta drinking vessel in the shape of a young woman's head was made in Athens at the turn of the 6th to 5th century B.C., and is signed by the potter Charinos. As they join our own renowned collection for the next four years, these masterpieces will expand significantly our visitors' experience of classical art.' The Euphronios krater introduced the world to a great ancient master, and the current loans illuminate the superb achievements of his contemporaries. 'Once again – as with the recent showing of panels from Ghiberti's magnificent 'Gates of Paradise' – our shared commitment to displaying works of art of the highest level continues. 'The long and fruitful history of collaborations between the Ministry and museums of Italy, on the one hand, and the Metropolitan Museum continues with these extraordinary new loans,' stated Mr. The krater will remain on view at the Metropolitan Museum through Sunday, January 13, 2008. These loans come to the Met in exchange for the return of the Euphronios krater to Italy. showing Oedipus solving the riddle of the sphinx – will go on view among related works in the Museum's Greek and Roman Galleries on Wednesday, January 16, 2008.

Supplementing the Laconian drinking cup already on loan (since November 2006 and lent by the Museo Nazionale in Ceveteri), the three additional pieces – a jug in the shape of a young woman's head (end of sixth century B.C.) a cup signed by the potter Euxitheos and the painter Oltos, depicting the assembly of gods on Mount Olympos (515-510 B.C.) and a vase of the fourth century B.C. As a result of the agreement negotiated by Philippe de Montebello, Director of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali, the Republic of Italy is lending the Metropolitan Museum three outstanding ancient Greek vases for a period of four years.

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