ares, demeter and dionysus, from the east frieze of the parthenon
Archive ID: 421518
Description: ares, demeter and dionysus, from the east frieze of the parthenon, stone iv, detail, about 438-432 bc.
british museum, london, uk
the four gods seated on stools (24-27) and represented at a larger scale than the human figures, have turned their backs on the central scene and look instead toward the arriving procession. most can be identified from their symbols. the first to the left is hermes (24), seated in relaxed fashion facing left, and with his back against the next god who is identified as dionysos (25). hermes is depicted as nude above the waist, with his chlamys over the lower part of his body and his petasos on his knees. he probably held a metal kerykeion in his right hand, which rests on the knee of his extended left leg. he wears krepides. to the right, behind him, dionysos (25), with himation over the lower part of his body, is sitting on a stool with a flat pillow. although he is seated in the opposite direction, the upper part of his body is frontal and he turns his head back to the left. he bends his right arm to rest it on the back of hermes' shoulder. his raised right hand no doubt once held his symbol, a thyrsos, which was added in paint. opposite him to the right sits a goddess who is identified as demeter (26). she is clad in a peplos with overfold and kolpos. she leans slightly forward, her knees between dionysos' legs. in her left hand she holds her torch (dada) and with her right hand raised to her face she makes a gesture of grief, no doubt for the loss of her daughter to plouton. behind her on a stool sits a stalwart god (27), indifferent, both hands locked around his raised right knee, which is bent with foot drawn up. his extended right foot must have rested against a rock, once painted. discernable at the heel of his left foot is part of the spear that continued in paint behind the god's right shoulder. this is, indeed, ares, for he carries his weapon and sits in the characteristic, momentary pose known also from another sculptural type representing the god, of the end of the 4th century b.c. (the ludovisi ares).
it is evident that the frieze was planned as a whole by the sculptor pheidias, who was responsible for the supervision of the entire construction of the temple and its decoration, which was carried out by his students agorakritos, alkamenes, kresilas and other famous sculptors. the frieze was made of blocks of various sizes. its total length was 160 m., and its height 1.02 m. it went around the top of the walls of the cella (sekos), the main part of the temple. with the height of the frieze given, the artists were obliged to render the figures in different sizes and poses. thus some are depicted on the ground, some ride, some stand, others leap into chariots, in such a way as to fit into the limited space of the frieze. characteristic is the decrease in relative size of the horses and the greater size of the divinities who are shown seated on the east end of the building.
british museum, london, uk
the four gods seated on stools (24-27) and represented at a larger scale than the human figures, have turned their backs on the central scene and look instead toward the arriving procession. most can be identified from their symbols. the first to the left is hermes (24), seated in relaxed fashion facing left, and with his back against the next god who is identified as dionysos (25). hermes is depicted as nude above the waist, with his chlamys over the lower part of his body and his petasos on his knees. he probably held a metal kerykeion in his right hand, which rests on the knee of his extended left leg. he wears krepides. to the right, behind him, dionysos (25), with himation over the lower part of his body, is sitting on a stool with a flat pillow. although he is seated in the opposite direction, the upper part of his body is frontal and he turns his head back to the left. he bends his right arm to rest it on the back of hermes' shoulder. his raised right hand no doubt once held his symbol, a thyrsos, which was added in paint. opposite him to the right sits a goddess who is identified as demeter (26). she is clad in a peplos with overfold and kolpos. she leans slightly forward, her knees between dionysos' legs. in her left hand she holds her torch (dada) and with her right hand raised to her face she makes a gesture of grief, no doubt for the loss of her daughter to plouton. behind her on a stool sits a stalwart god (27), indifferent, both hands locked around his raised right knee, which is bent with foot drawn up. his extended right foot must have rested against a rock, once painted. discernable at the heel of his left foot is part of the spear that continued in paint behind the god's right shoulder. this is, indeed, ares, for he carries his weapon and sits in the characteristic, momentary pose known also from another sculptural type representing the god, of the end of the 4th century b.c. (the ludovisi ares).
it is evident that the frieze was planned as a whole by the sculptor pheidias, who was responsible for the supervision of the entire construction of the temple and its decoration, which was carried out by his students agorakritos, alkamenes, kresilas and other famous sculptors. the frieze was made of blocks of various sizes. its total length was 160 m., and its height 1.02 m. it went around the top of the walls of the cella (sekos), the main part of the temple. with the height of the frieze given, the artists were obliged to render the figures in different sizes and poses. thus some are depicted on the ground, some ride, some stand, others leap into chariots, in such a way as to fit into the limited space of the frieze. characteristic is the decrease in relative size of the horses and the greater size of the divinities who are shown seated on the east end of the building.
Added on: March 26, 2007
Tags: athens atene atene acropolis phidia pheidias frieze doric classic classical art pericles democracy myth mythology greek sculpture 5th century classical art ictinus panathenaic low relief greek gods
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