On one side of this bell-krater a young man watches a bearded, seated musician, who is playing a lyre and accompanying a male singing. All three figures wear wreaths. Above them, an unidentified object is inscribed with the word kalos, which means ‘beautiful’. This may be a music competition or a lesson; such scenes were often depicted on vessels associated with the symposium.
In ancient Greece, an ephebe was an aristocratic youth being trained for full manhood. As well as learning military skills, he was expected to master more cultured arts, such as singing or playing the lyre.
In his play The Clouds Aristophanes suggested that the education of ephebes should be balanced to include instruction in the arts and athletic training, educating both the body and the soul, and thus making the young man truly kalos.
