Jump to content

Artemision Bronze: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Palinurus (talk | contribs)
49 edits
mNo edit summary
m Link to the first occurrences of Zeus and Poseidon.
Line 1: Line 1:
[[Image:Netuno19b.jpg|thumb|280px|The ''Artemision Bronze'' ([[National Archaeological Museum of Athens]])]]
[[Image:Netuno19b.jpg|thumb|280px|The ''Artemision Bronze'' ([[National Archaeological Museum of Athens]])]]
The '''Artemision Bronze''' (often called the '''God from the Sea''') is an [[ancient Greek sculpture]] that was recovered from the sea off [[Cape Artemision]], in northern [[Euboea]] ([[Modern Greek]] Εύβοια, Évia). It represents either Zeus or Poseidon, <ref>The loosely held fingers of the right hand have been variously interpreted as suited for wielding a separately-cast thunderbolt or a separate trident. Some scholars read it as a Zeus hurling the thunderbolt, a subject known from bronze statuettes. A cogent summary of technical and iconographic arguments for Zeus was presented by George E. Mylonas, "The Bronze Statue from Artemision" ''American Journal of Archaeology'' '''48'''.2 (April 1944), pp. 143-160.</ref> and is slightly over lifesize<ref>2.09 meters.</ref> brandishing a missing thunderbolt (if Zeus) or trident (if Poseidon) with his raised right hand and sighting over his extended left hand.
The '''Artemision Bronze''' (often called the '''God from the Sea''') is an [[ancient Greek sculpture]] that was recovered from the sea off [[Cape Artemision]], in northern [[Euboea]] ([[Modern Greek]] Εύβοια, Évia). It represents either [[Zeus]] or [[Poseidon]], <ref>The loosely held fingers of the right hand have been variously interpreted as suited for wielding a separately-cast thunderbolt or a separate trident. Some scholars read it as a Zeus hurling the thunderbolt, a subject known from bronze statuettes. A cogent summary of technical and iconographic arguments for Zeus was presented by George E. Mylonas, "The Bronze Statue from Artemision" ''American Journal of Archaeology'' '''48'''.2 (April 1944), pp. 143-160.</ref> and is slightly over lifesize<ref>2.09 meters.</ref> brandishing a missing thunderbolt (if Zeus) or trident (if Poseidon) with his raised right hand and sighting over his extended left hand.


The debate over whether the statue represents Poseidon or Zeus hinges on the lost attribute held in the right hand. As Carol Houser writes, "Sometimes the Artemision protector is called 'Poseidon'. Those who would do so have been known to argue that the image must be that of the great sea god since the statue was found in the Mediterranean. But like other staues of totally different subjects, this one went into the sea simply because it was on board a ship that sank. Others cite the example of the Poseidonia coins, overlooking the much weightier evidence presented by the numerous surviving statuettes of Zeus launching his thunderbolt in a pose matching that of the Artemision figure."<ref>In ''Greek Monumental Bronze Sculpture'', Houser, C., and Finn, D. 1983. New York: The Vendome Press. p. 79.</ref> Aside from the simple lack of reason to think the statue represented Poseidon, the major problem with that hypothesis is that a trident would obscure the face, especially from the profile view, which most scholars (even those who supported an identification as Poseidon) have held to be the most or even the only important view. Iconographic parallels with coins and vase painting from the same time show that this is extremely unlikely. However, the trident may have been unusually short, avoiding the problem. On the other hand, the statue is essentially a larger version of an extensive series of smaller solid bronze figurines extending back into the late 7th century, all of which strike the same pose and represent Zeus <ref>E.g., the so-called Dodona Zeus: http://classics.uc.edu/~johnson/myth/zeus_images/zeus3.jpg</ref>. On the basis of this and other iconographic parallels with vase-painting,<ref>Such as this vase in France: http://www.beazley.ox.ac.uk/CVA%20Plates/SPIFF/Images200/F15/CVA.F15.663/dc001001.jpe - note how Poseidon holds his trident below so as to avoid obscuring the face, while Zeus adopts the same pose as the Artemision bronze.</ref> most scholars presently think it is a Zeus. However, opinion is divided.
The debate over whether the statue represents Poseidon or Zeus hinges on the lost attribute held in the right hand. As Carol Houser writes, "Sometimes the Artemision protector is called 'Poseidon'. Those who would do so have been known to argue that the image must be that of the great sea god since the statue was found in the Mediterranean. But like other staues of totally different subjects, this one went into the sea simply because it was on board a ship that sank. Others cite the example of the Poseidonia coins, overlooking the much weightier evidence presented by the numerous surviving statuettes of Zeus launching his thunderbolt in a pose matching that of the Artemision figure."<ref>In ''Greek Monumental Bronze Sculpture'', Houser, C., and Finn, D. 1983. New York: The Vendome Press. p. 79.</ref> Aside from the simple lack of reason to think the statue represented Poseidon, the major problem with that hypothesis is that a trident would obscure the face, especially from the profile view, which most scholars (even those who supported an identification as Poseidon) have held to be the most or even the only important view. Iconographic parallels with coins and vase painting from the same time show that this is extremely unlikely. However, the trident may have been unusually short, avoiding the problem. On the other hand, the statue is essentially a larger version of an extensive series of smaller solid bronze figurines extending back into the late 7th century, all of which strike the same pose and represent Zeus <ref>E.g., the so-called Dodona Zeus: http://classics.uc.edu/~johnson/myth/zeus_images/zeus3.jpg</ref>. On the basis of this and other iconographic parallels with vase-painting,<ref>Such as this vase in France: http://www.beazley.ox.ac.uk/CVA%20Plates/SPIFF/Images200/F15/CVA.F15.663/dc001001.jpe - note how Poseidon holds his trident below so as to avoid obscuring the face, while Zeus adopts the same pose as the Artemision bronze.</ref> most scholars presently think it is a Zeus. However, opinion is divided.

Revision as of 19:21, 15 September 2008

The Artemision Bronze (National Archaeological Museum of Athens)

The Artemision Bronze (often called the God from the Sea) is an ancient Greek sculpture that was recovered from the sea off Cape Artemision, in northern Euboea (Modern Greek Εύβοια, Évia). It represents either Zeus or Poseidon, [1] and is slightly over lifesize[2] brandishing a missing thunderbolt (if Zeus) or trident (if Poseidon) with his raised right hand and sighting over his extended left hand.

The debate over whether the statue represents Poseidon or Zeus hinges on the lost attribute held in the right hand. As Carol Houser writes, "Sometimes the Artemision protector is called 'Poseidon'. Those who would do so have been known to argue that the image must be that of the great sea god since the statue was found in the Mediterranean. But like other staues of totally different subjects, this one went into the sea simply because it was on board a ship that sank. Others cite the example of the Poseidonia coins, overlooking the much weightier evidence presented by the numerous surviving statuettes of Zeus launching his thunderbolt in a pose matching that of the Artemision figure."[3] Aside from the simple lack of reason to think the statue represented Poseidon, the major problem with that hypothesis is that a trident would obscure the face, especially from the profile view, which most scholars (even those who supported an identification as Poseidon) have held to be the most or even the only important view. Iconographic parallels with coins and vase painting from the same time show that this is extremely unlikely. However, the trident may have been unusually short, avoiding the problem. On the other hand, the statue is essentially a larger version of an extensive series of smaller solid bronze figurines extending back into the late 7th century, all of which strike the same pose and represent Zeus [4]. On the basis of this and other iconographic parallels with vase-painting,[5] most scholars presently think it is a Zeus. However, opinion is divided.

The god is caught at the moment of pause in the full potentiality of his coming movement, described by Carol Mattusch: "the figure has the potential for violence, is concentrating, poised to throw, but the action is just beginning, and we are left to contemplate the coming demonstration of strength."[6] It is an original work of great strength in the Severe style that preceded the fifth-century classical style, dated to ca. 460 BCE. A comparison can be made with the Charioteer of Delphi, a roughly contemporaneous bronze. Discussions concerning its provenance have found champions for most of the Greek mainland centers technically capable of such a large-scale sculpture: Attica— where Christos Karouzos[7] associates it with Kalamis (about 470-440 BCE)— Boeotia, Aegina, Sicyon or Argos.[8] The sculpture has also been associated with Onatas[9] or Myron.[10] The Poseidon/Zeus is a highlight of the collections in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens.[11]

The sculpture was discovered in 1926[12] and excavated in 1928 at the site of a shipwreck that occurred no earlier than the middle of the second century BC. Unfortunately, not much is known about the wreck because exploration was abandoned when a diver died, in 1928, and was never resumed. Many such shipwrecks are of Roman date and were of vessels 'exporting' Greek art to Italy, but it is unclear whether the Artemision wreck is one of these.

Zeus or Poseidon?

The empty eye-sockets were originally inset, probably with bone, as well as the eyebrows (with silver), the lips, and the nipples (with copper).

The sculpture's head, now an icon of Hellenic culture, formed the subject of a Greek postage stamp.

Notes

  1. ^ The loosely held fingers of the right hand have been variously interpreted as suited for wielding a separately-cast thunderbolt or a separate trident. Some scholars read it as a Zeus hurling the thunderbolt, a subject known from bronze statuettes. A cogent summary of technical and iconographic arguments for Zeus was presented by George E. Mylonas, "The Bronze Statue from Artemision" American Journal of Archaeology 48.2 (April 1944), pp. 143-160.
  2. ^ 2.09 meters.
  3. ^ In Greek Monumental Bronze Sculpture, Houser, C., and Finn, D. 1983. New York: The Vendome Press. p. 79.
  4. ^ E.g., the so-called Dodona Zeus: http://classics.uc.edu/~johnson/myth/zeus_images/zeus3.jpg
  5. ^ Such as this vase in France: http://www.beazley.ox.ac.uk/CVA%20Plates/SPIFF/Images200/F15/CVA.F15.663/dc001001.jpe - note how Poseidon holds his trident below so as to avoid obscuring the face, while Zeus adopts the same pose as the Artemision bronze.
  6. ^ Mattusch 1988:151f.
  7. ^ Karouzos, "Ho Poseidon tou Artemisiou" Deltion 13 (1930-31) pp 41-104, and "the find from the sea off Artemision", Journal of the Hellenic Society 49 (1929).
  8. ^ Gisela M.A. Richter, reviewing H. G. Beyen, La Statue d'Artemision in American Journal of Archaeology 35.2 (April 1931), pp. 242-243; C. A. Robinson, Jr., "The Zeus Ithomatas of Ageladas", American Journal of Archaeology 49.2 (April 1945, pp. 121-127) p. 127, note 40.
  9. ^ By Lullies and Hirmer.
  10. ^ By V. Poulsen, in Acta Archaeologica, 11 (1940) pp 41-42.
  11. ^ Inv. no. 15161.
  12. ^ Only the left arm was found in 1926. First reported to the scholarly community by Oekonomos, in Praktika of the Academy of Athens 1928, pp 750ff.

References

  • F. Noack in Die Antike 5 (1929), pp
  • Mylonas in American Journal of Archology 48 (1944) pp 143ff. A case for the subject as Zeus.
  • Mattusch, Carol C. 1988. Greek Bronze Statuary: From the Beginnings Through the Fifth Century B.C. (Ithaca:Cornell University Press) The Artemision god is discussed pp. 150-53.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to God of Cape Artemision.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Artemision_Bronze&oldid=238644331"