Antinaenes Painter Greek Hydria 530-500 B.C. Slip-glazed earthenware 20-1/8 inches high The John R. Van Derlip Fund 61.59 Although the function of this hydria was to hold water, its elaborate decoration and carefully planned proportions reflect qualities the Greeks admired the most - harmony, order and balance. Pottery vessels decorated in the BLACK-FIGURE style, such as this hydria (HIGH-dree-a), were a specialty of the ancient Greeks. This vessel was made on a potter's wheel, a revolving wheel powered by the potter's knee. The Greeks thought of their gods and goddesses as humans, and represented them that way in their works of art.   Key ideas. Where does it come from? What does it look like? How was it used? How was it made? How big is it? Who Knows? Additional resources.