Little-master cups are a type of Attic

Attica

Attica is a historical region of Greece, containing Athens, the current capital of Greece. The historical region is centered on the Attic peninsula, which projects into the Aegean Sea...

 black-figure cups, produced around the middle and third quarter of the sixth century BC. Their name is based on their fine small-format decoration.
Little-master cups are later in origin than Siana cup

Siana Cup

The term Siana cups describes a type of Attic cups decorated in the black-figure technique. They are named after one of their find locations, the necropolis of the ancient city of Siana on Rhodes. During the second quarter of the 6th century BC, Siana cups were the predominant cup shape in Athens...

s, but both types were produced over a considerable period of time. The Little masters painted only the small upper frieze above the carination of the cup, at times also the lip or handle areas. It is probably that only few of the painters of Siana cups also painted Little-master cups. One of the first artists to introduce the Little-master cup in Athens

Athens

Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...

 was Kleitias

Kleitias

Kleitias was an ancient Athenian vase painter of the black figure style who flourished c. 570–560 BCE. Kleitias' most celebrated work today is the François Vase , which bears over two hundred figures in its six friezes...

. The change in decoration went along with a lengthening of the cup foot. The dedicated painters of Little-master cups rarely painted larger formas, whereas painters primarily specialised in large vases are known to also have painted Little-master cups. Stylistic comparison between larger and smaller formats of the period remains difficult.

Many Little-master cups are signed (especially lip cup

Lip Cup

Lip cups are a type of ancient Greek Attic Little-master cups.Lip cups were produced since the middle of the sixth centre BC in Athens. They resemble Gordion cups, but their lip or rim was more clearly distinguished from the rest of the body. They had high feet on broad bases...

s), as the signature was often incorporated in the overall decor. The signatures are mostly by potters, probably because the potting was often of higher quality than the painting.

Types as well as related shapes and derivatives

Several tpyes of Little-master cups are known

• Band cup
  Band cup
  Band cups are a form of ancient Greek Attic Little-master cups.The lip of a band cup is black and slightly concave. At the joint between vase body and foot, there is often a red ring. The external figural decaration is in the area of the handles, often framed by palmettes. Internal images and...
  
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• Droop cup
  Droop Cup
  Droop cups are a type of Little-master cup, produced about 550 to 510 BC. A few examples date to the fifth century BC. They are named after John Percival Droop, an English archaeologist, who first recognised the type....
  
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• Gordion cup
  Gordion Cup
  Gordion cups are the earliest form of Attic Little-Master cups.The Gordion cups do not only comprise the earliest, but also the smallest examples of Little-master cups. The cup lip is covered in black slip and clearly distinguished from the rest of the vessel. The handle zone is decorated with a...
  
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• Kassel cup
  Kassel Cup
  Kassel cups are a specific type of Attic Little-master cups, produced in Athens around 540 to 520 BC.Kassel cups are quite similar to Band cups, but shallower and usually rather small. The lip and body of the vase are usually decorated with simple band patterns. Normally, there are flame motifs on...
  
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• Lip cup
  Lip Cup
  Lip cups are a type of ancient Greek Attic Little-master cups.Lip cups were produced since the middle of the sixth centre BC in Athens. They resemble Gordion cups, but their lip or rim was more clearly distinguished from the rest of the body. They had high feet on broad bases...
  
  s
• Band skyphoi
  Band skyphos
  Band skyphoi are a specific form of ancient Attic vase. They are a hyprid between conventional skyphos and band cup. The shape of the skyphos is combined with decorative scheme of band cups....