Greek Art and Archaeology

Name @ Provenance: The Chigi Vase (protocorinthian olpe), Corinth Findspot @ Date: Tuscany, 650 BCE Material @ Size: 10.25 in Preservation: Some parts lost Present Location: Villa Giulia Museum, Rome Description: Polychrome painting that has three registers of figures; the lowest shows humans, hounds and hares. Above, there is a procession of chariot, horsemen, and a lion hunt, which is separated from the mythological scene of Paris’ judgment with sphinxes. Main frieze shows lines of heavily armed foot soldiers carrying shields. Interpretation: Gives us important information about military history, shows ascendancy of drilled foot soldiers over cavalry. Very best of protocorinthian vase painting…

Name @ Provenance: The Eleusis amphora (protoattic amphora) Findspot @ Date: 650 BCE Material @ Size: 4ft. 9in. Preservation: Perseus and Athena are fragmentary Present Location: Archaeological Museum, Eleusis Description: Shows the Gorgons in pursuit of Perseus in the main frieze. The hero has just decapitated heir sister Medusa and is running off with her head. Gorgons drawn in outline, added white paint shows facial details. On shoulder, animal combat with boar and lion, on the neck Odysseus and companions blind Polyphemos. Incision and white paint used for details, image encompasses a wide time span. Interpretation: Increasing interest in mythology, conveys victory of Greek hero over world of monsters. Shows two approaches to narrative: on the body, the single episode of Perseus to stand for the entire story, on the neck two different episodes (Polyphemos with wine cup and with eye poked out)… burial jar for a child. Suggests pre-existing style for drawing narratives.

Name @ Provenance: The Nessos amphora (late protoattic/early black figure amphora) Findspot @ Date: Athens, 625-600BCE Material @ Size: 4ft Present Location: National Museum, Athens Description: Non-functional handles, winged Gorgons, tongues protruding, in kneeling position (meant to show motion). Perseus not shown, but dolphins below emphasize chase across the ocean. Geese plod around the rim, birds (Athenian owl) on handles. On the neck, battle between Herakles and centaur Nessos (identified by inscriptions). Herakles stabs the centaur for violating his wife, centaur in position of submission. Interpretation: At this time, black figure technique introduced and used for large scale narrative scenes. Geometric fillers no longer used. Transition between Protoattic tradition and beginning of Attic black figure.

Name @ Provenance: Plan of temple, Prinias Findspot @ Date: Crete, 625-600 BCE Material @ Size: Stone Description: Rectangular cella, porch with three enormous piers, one exactly on the axis of the building. In the interior of the cella there was a hearth or sacrificial pit flanked by two columns (like Bronze Age Mycenaean halls). Interpretation: Recalls Bronze Age practices like those at Phaistos.

Name @ Provenance: The Mantiklos Bronze, from Thebes, Boeotia Findspot @ Date: 700 -625BCE Material @ Size: Bronze, 7.8in Present Location: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Description: Cylindrical thighs, triangular torso, pyramidal neck, triangular face, and hemispherical crown. Less two dimensional, more rounded than predecessors. Two hexameter verses by Mantiklos inscribed on the thighs: “Mantiklos dedicated me to the Far-shooter with the Silver Bow from his tithe; grant, Apollo, something good in return” Interpretation: Newfound love of writing, prayer to the god Apollo. Familiarity (me) used to suggest living or lifelike quality of the bronze. A continuation of geometric forms to show anatomy from pre-Archaic period..

Name @ Provenance: “Lady of Auxerre” statuette, from Crete Findspot @ Date: 640 BCE Material @ Size: Limestone, 25.5in Present Location: Musee de Louvre, Paris Description: enlarged translation of the mold-made terracotta form into stone, Daedalic style after the sculptor Daedalus. Long dress, elaborately decorated skirt with incised concentric squares that were originally painted, broad belt pinches in the high narrow waist, cloak covers shoulders. Her face is triangular, low brow, vertical strands of hair w/ horizontal waves, large feet come out from skirt. Holds left hand flat agains leg and right hand across body between breasts Interpretation: Gesture signifies adoration,

Name @ Provenance: Phrasikleia, and her inscribed base, from Merenda, Attica Findspot @ Date: 540 BCE Material @ Size: Marble, 6ft 1in Present Location: National Museum, Athens Description: Interpretation:

Name @ Provenance: Plan of the sanctuary of Apollo, Delphi

Name @ Provenance: Sunion Kouros, from Sunion Findspot @ Date: Sanctuary of Poseidon at Cape Sunion, c. 580BC. Material @ Size: Marble, 9ft. 10in Preservation: Left arm, left leg, and part of face restored Present Location: National Museum, Athens Description: Massive head larger than natural proportions, huge eyes, ears, knees, and ribs fixed in the surface as a pattern on the marble, defined by line rather than mass. Interpretation: Kouroi stood in sanctuaries or cemeteries or occasionally represented divinities. Votive offerings to god or commemorative markers over grave they spoke to the social standing of the family. One leg always advanced and fists are clenched at the sides.

Name @ Provenance: Twin kouroi, from Delphi Findspot @ Date: Sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi, c. 530BC. Material @ Size: Marble, 6ft. 6in Present Location: Delphi Museum Description: Step forward together. Traveler’s boots on their feet reference the myth. Inscriptions on base and thighs, and hairstyles reminiscent of Daedalic style, short, square torsos and stocky proportions. Interpretation: Associated with a regional Argive workshop, by “…medes”. Identified as Kleobis and Biton, who in one of Herodoto’s tales took the place of the missing oxen who should have pulled their mother’s cart but some scholars argue that they are Castor and Pollux.

Name @ Provenance: Mentuemhet, Egyptian prince Findspot @ Date: Early 6^th century Material @ Size: Granite, 5ft. 6in. Present Location: Cairo Museum Description: Clothed kouroi influenced Greek sculptors who had started making naked sculptures. Interpretation: Kouroi stood in sanctuaries or cemeteries or occasionally represented divinities. Votive offerings to god or commemorative markers over grave they spoke to the social standing of the family. One leg always advanced and fists are clenched at the sides.

Name @ Provenance: Anavysos Kouros, from Anavysos, Attica Findspot @ Date: c. 530BC. Material @ Size: Marble, 6ft. 4.5in. Present Location: National Museum, Athens Description: Advances towards more naturalistic proportions and supple contours. The sculptor has penetrated the block of a greater depth and has achieved better three dimensionality. “Archaic smile”. Posture, gesture, bilateral symmetry, patterned anatomy, and hair have not have not changed. Interpretation: Kouroi stood in sanctuaries or cemeteries or occasionally represented divinities. Votive offerings to god or commemorative markers over grave they spoke to the social standing of the family. One leg always advanced and fists are clenched at the sides.

Name @ Provenance: Aristodikos Kouros, from Attica Findspot @ Date: c. 500BC Material @ Size: Marble, 6ft. 5in. Present Location: National Museum, Athens Description: More naturalistic, shorter but still patterned hair, arms move away from flanks, sinew, bone, knee, and shin appear more realistic.. Interpretation: Grave marker of Aristodikos; trying to find more compelling and worth images to represent both men and gods leads them away from superhuman scale and abstract linear form.

Name @ Provenance: Berlin Kore, from Keratea, Attica Findspot @ Date: c. 570 – 560BC. Material @ Size: Marble, 6ft. 3in Present Location: Staatliche Museen, Berlin Description: Frontal stance, large features of her face, big feet and hands, holds a pomegranate, simple lines of her garments, elaborate jewelry – a bracelet, a necklace, and earrings. Tasseled mantle slung symmetrically over shoulders, a chiton, and painted headdress. Interpretation: Perhaps this funerary statue is a reward for the dead, for compensation or exchange. Perhaps it is a symbol of family prestige.

Name @ Provenance: Peplos Kore, from Athens Findspot @ Date: c. 530BC Material @ Size: Marble, 4ft. Present Location: Acropolis Museum, Athens Description: Wears a peplos over her chiton, among the last of the kore to wear a peplos. Smaller than life-size, richly decorated with paint, asymmetrical – head turned slightly, left arm bent carrying the gift. Right arm has hole for a lost meal attachment Interpretation: Perhaps this funerary statue is a reward for the dead, for compensation or exchange. Perhaps it is a symbol of family prestige. Note the brightly painted/ metal accessorized statues were much livelier than they are now.