A Catalogue of Sculpture in the Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities Part 20

Marble; height, 2 feet 10 inches. Clarac, V., pl. 821A, fig. 2069 B, C.

[Sidenote: =153.=]

Torso of a standing female figure, wearing an under-chiton of fine texture, and an over-chiton with diplodion which is worn so as to leave the left shoulder bare. The figure held a bowl in the right hand, and a fold of the skirt in the left hand. Broken off below the knees. The head, left arm and left hand are wanting. This figure appears to be of _archaistic_ rather than of archaic workmanship, that is, the artist has consciously imitated the archaic style.--_Athens._ _Presented by H. Gally Knight and N. Fazakerly, Esqs., 1818._

Marble; height, 1 foot 9 inches. Clarac, V., pl. 821A, fig. 2069A.

[Sidenote: =154.=]

Torso of a standing female figure, wearing under-chiton of fine texture and over-chiton with a diplodion which is worn so as to leave the left shoulder bare; the figure also has sandals. The hair falls in locks on the shoulders, and in a ma.s.s at the back. The head, arms and left shoulder are wanting.--_From the smaller temple at Rhamnus._ _Presented by J. P. Gandy Deering, Esq._

Marble; height, 5 feet. Leake, _Athens and Demi of Attica_, II. p.

110; _Synopsis_, No. 325* (307*); _Athenische Mittheilungen_, XV., p. 65.

[Sidenote: =155.=]

Cast of a relief, representing a female figure stepping into a chariot, holding the reins in her extended hands. The figure is probably that of a G.o.ddess. It has been conjectured, but without evidence, that the relief belonged to the Pre-Persian Parthenon. The original, which is of Parian marble, is at _Athens_.

Le Bas, _Mon. Fig._, pl. 1; Overbeck, _Gr. Plast._, I., 3rd ed., p. 153, fig. 28; Murray, I., p. 196; Brunn, _Denkmaeler_, No. 21.

For further literature, see Wolters, No. 97.

[Sidenote: =156.=]

Cast of a sepulchral relief, representing a woman enthroned. She holds a child in her arms. Before her are three figures, probably members of her family, with offerings.

The original, which is of marble, is in the _Villa Albani at Rome_.

It was erroneously named by Winckelmann "Leucothea nursing the infant Bacchus."--_From Athens (?)._

Winckelmann, _Monumenti Inediti_, No. 56; Zoega, _Ba.s.sirelievi Ant._, I., pl. 41; Overbeck, _Gr. Plast._, 3rd ed., I., p. 175, fig. 38. For further literature, see Wolters, No. 243.

CASTS OF SCULPTURES FROM AEGINA.

The temple of Athene at Aegina stands on a commanding plateau in the north-east of the island. It is of the kind known as Doric peripteral hexastyle; that is to say, it is of the Doric order, surrounded by a colonnade, which has six columns at the ends and thirteen columns at the sides. The site was excavated in 1811 by a party of English and German explorers, and the sculptures discovered were purchased in 1812 by the Crown Prince of Bavaria. The princ.i.p.al figures were restored at Rome by Thorwaldsen and J. M. Wagner. In 1817 the collection was placed in the Glyptothek at Munich.

With the exception of an ivory eye (c.o.c.kerell, pl. 12) attributed by the discoverers to the image inside the temple, the only sculptures found were those which originally were contained in or surmounted the pediments of the temple.

The Aeginetan sculptures belong to the latest stage of archaic Greek art, and are the most important extant works of that period. For determining the date of the sculptures, political history is only so far of use that we may a.s.sume that they are not later than 456 B.C., in which year Aegina was subdued by Athens. From their style they appear to be considerably older than that date.

A minute a.n.a.lysis of the sculptures (Brunn, _Das Alter der Aegin.

Bildw._ p. 9) shows that the east pediment is distinctly more advanced than the west in the expression of emotion, in the rendering of drapery, of the features, the beards, the veins; and in the general proportions. Brunn a.s.signs the groups to the period immediately following the battle of Salamis (480 B.C.) and suggests that the sculptor of the east pediment belonged to a younger generation than his colleague.

The statues are made of Parian marble. They are attached to plinths which were let into the upper surface of the cornice, and are cut out of single blocks, a few small pieces of marble being separately attached. They showed clear traces of colour throughout, when first discovered. One shield from the east pediment was painted with a female figure. There were numerous adjuncts of bronze, such as arms and ornaments, which have been minutely enumerated by Brunn (_Beschreibung_, &c., p. 67). The restored pediments in the British Museum have been partially decorated in accordance with the scheme of c.o.c.kerell, who says: "The members of the entablature and pediment were discovered often in all their original vividness, which quickly disappeared on exposure to the atmosphere." (c.o.c.kerell, p. 27, pl. 6).

C. R. c.o.c.kerell, _The Temple of Jupiter Panh.e.l.lenius at Aegina_, &c., 1860; Blouet, _Expedition de Moree_, III., p. 23; Brunn, _Ueber das Alter der Aeginetischen Bildwerke_ in the _Sitzungsber.

der k. bayer. Akad._, 1867, I., p. 405, and _Ueber die Composition der Aeginetischen Giebelgruppen_, _ibidem_, 1868, II., p. 448; Brunn, _Beschreibung der Glyptothek Konig Ludwig's I._, 4th ed., 1879; Wolters, Nos. 69-85.

THE WEST PEDIMENT OF THE TEMPLE AT AEGINA.

The subject of the West pediment is a battle, in the presence of Athene, over the body of a wounded warrior. From the Oriental dress of the archer on the right, it is inferred that the battle is being fought between Greeks and Trojans, and that the archer in question is Paris. The scene represented does not correspond exactly with any combat described by Homer. Archaeologists have accordingly been divided in opinion as to the subject. Some hold that the battle is that waged for the body of Patroclos, which was rescued princ.i.p.ally by Menelaos, and Ajax, son of Telamon of Aegina. (Homer, _Iliad_, xvii.; Wolters, p. 48). Others have argued that the presence of Paris points to the fight over the body of Achilles as described in the Aethiopis of Arctinos. See especially Brunn, _Beschreibung_, p. 79. On account of the discrepancies between the sculptures and the literary tradition it is impossible to decide the question.

The arrangement adopted in the British Museum is that of c.o.c.kerell (pl. 16). To complete the group c.o.c.kerell supposed that nude figures similar to No. 178 of the East pediment advanced to the fallen hero from each side; and that a spearman knelt between the Paris (No. 168) and the wounded Trojan. Fragments remain of the two youths; but recent writers have put the spearman (No. 166) next the Paris. The positions of the spearmen and the archers on each side have also been reversed.

The archers are on this view placed furthest from the combat, and may perhaps be supposed to be protected by the spearmen. Further changes have been proposed which are based on fragments not represented by casts, and which therefore need not here be discussed.

Restorations of the West Pediment. (1) With 11 figures, the bowmen in front of the spearmen. c.o.c.kerell, supplementary plate; Blouet, _Exp. de Moree_, III., pl. 58, fig. 2; Muller, _Denkmaeler_, I., pls. 6, 7; Overbeck, _Gr. Plast._, 3rd ed., I., fig. 19_a_; Murray, I., pl. 7. (2) With 11 figures, the bowmen behind the spearmen. c.o.c.kerell, plate; Brunn, _Sitzungsber. der k. bayer.

Akad._, 1868, II., plate; Lange, _Ber. der k. sachs. Ges. d.

Wissenschaften_, 1878, pl. 3, fig. 1. (3) With 13 figures.

c.o.c.kerell, pl. 16. (4) With 14 figures. Lange, _loc. cit._, pl. 3, fig. 2; Overbeck, _Gr. Plast._, 3rd ed., I., fig. 19_b_.

The figures beginning from the left of the West pediment are:--

[Sidenote: =160.=]

Wounded Greek, rec.u.mbent, disarmed, drawing an arrow from his right breast.

Restored:--Nose, right forearm, left leg from knee to ankle and toes. c.o.c.kerell, pl. 15, No. 11; pl. 16; Blouet, III., pl. 69, fig. 2; Brunn, _Denkmaeler_, No. 25.

[Sidenote: =161.=]

Greek advancing with spear. Brunn proposes the name of Ajax, son of Oileus.

Restored:--Crest, right hand, left forearm and part of feet.

c.o.c.kerell, pl. 15, No. 9; pl. 16; Blouet, III., pl. 69, fig. 1.

[Sidenote: =162.=]

Greek archer, armed, kneeling and drawing his bow. This may well be the Aeginetan hero, Teucer, brother of Telamonian Ajax.

Restored:--Head, arms, several flaps of the cuira.s.s, and left leg from the knee. c.o.c.kerell, pl. 15, No. 10; pl. 16; Blouet, III., pl. 66, fig. 1.

[Sidenote: =163.=]

Bearded Greek warrior advancing, with shield extended and right hand raised to hurl spear. Perhaps Telamonian Ajax.

Restored:--Nose, crest, half right forearm, part of shield, both legs. c.o.c.kerell, pl. 15, No. 3; pl. 16; Blouet, III., pl. 68, fig.

1.

[Sidenote: =164.=]

Wounded hero, leaning on his right hand, which held a sword; the shield is held out to cover the body. This is either Achilles or Patroclos according to the chief schemes of interpretation.

Restored:--Neck, right shoulder, fingers and toes. c.o.c.kerell, pl.

15, No. 2; pl. 16; Blouet, III., pl. 67, fig. 2.

[Sidenote: =165.=]