Pheidias, Athena Parthenos, 447–32 B.C.E. (this is a 3rd c. C.E. copy known as Varvakeion found in Athens), National Archaeological Museum in Athens; photo: Steven Zucker, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
Greek society was centered around a polytheistic religion in which each deity represented a certain facet of the human condition. The gods/goddesses had the ability to influence human affairs and often they were deemed patrons of a city. Early on the Greeks built simple altars for the gods/goddesses, but over time massive temples came into fashion. Inside these temples statues of the deity's likenesses would be placed. This lovely statue of Athena, the goddess of wisdom, is one such example. (1)
Athena Parthenos is a replica of the lost chryselephantine (gold and ivory) sculpture that stood 38 feet tall. It was made by the acclaimed sculptor Phidias and his assistants and was housed in The Parthenon on the Acropolis of Athens. The sculpture shows Athena resting after winning a battle. In her right hand she holds Nike, the goddess of victory. In her left hand she supports a carved shield depicting a battle with the Amazons with a large serpent on the back side. On her breast there is a relief of the head of Medusa. Her helmet bears two griffins with the Sphinx in the center. Her long tunic is cinched together by two intertwined serpents, and her weight is shifted so that her right side is bearing it while her left knee is relaxed and bent. It is believed that she had a spear that was resting against her right arm. Her neck piece was also of serpents and a gift from her father Zeus. (2)
This colossal statue of Athena was a marvel of the time. Phidias began sculpting her in 447 B.C.E. and it took nearly 10 years for the finished product to be dedicated to the city. It is said that the entire treasury of Athens was wrapped up in this work, and it is within the well known structure of The Parthenon that the likeness resided. In fact, it is believed that the Parthenon was actually built with her gigantic dimensions in mind. She stood on a pedestal measuring approximately 13.5 by 26.4 feet surrounded by Doric columns facing the east door. She watched over Athens for nearly a thousand years until, it is believed, she was either taken and destroyed by Constantinople or stolen. (3)
Imagine trotting into Athens on your horse. You look up to see this gleaming colossal statue draped in gold and ivory looking over the city. She's 38 feet tall standing atop a pedestal that adds another 13 to 25 feet to the intimidating illusion. She's housed inside a structure just as big, and covered in symbology of strength and victory. It's likely to have given pause to the most barbaric of travelers. It would have been a wonderful sight to behold.
Notes
1. Mark Cartwright, "Ancient Greek Religion" in A Ancient History Encyclopedia, https://www.ancient.eu/Greek_Religion/, accessed September 11, 2020
2. Wikipedia, s.v. "Athena Parthenos," last modified September 7, 2020, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athena_Parthenos, accessed September 11, 2020
3. Mark Cartwright, "Athena Parthenos by Phidias" in A Ancient History Encyclopedia, https://www.ancient.eu/article/785/athena-parthenos-by-phidias/, accessed September 11, 2020.
This was interesting, I didn't know this statue of Athena was 38 ft fall, which is pretty huge. Looking at this photo I realized something, I've seen this exact statue before. In a show called Saint Seiya, I think its really cool how in that show, they used something from the real world and were able to benefit from that. Giving life to something what was already created in a new, yet similar light. It's insane that this took 10 years to create, that must have been quite an experience.
ReplyDeleteI wrote about mythological characters in my blog post as well. I can't get over the fact that millennials and/or Gen-Z's like you and I are so familiar with characters in mythology that took place so long ago. You did a good job at explaining the impacts that the gods had on society at the time. Next time, you could talk about how Greek artwork is still relevant or alive today.
ReplyDeleteThe statue of Athena was beautiful. It's crazy to think that it was 38 feet tall. I had no idea it took that long for the statue to be made, but it makes since because of the size. Its amazing that they built a structure around her is the sense of symbolism. Its incredible that it pulls in travelers as like a tourist attraction would.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing to think that this piece took 10 years to create, it is absolutely amazing. Gold and Ivory must have been so hard to work with, and the height of this sculpture is enormous. Greek mythology is so interesting and its kind of neat that this piece incorporates a lot of that and how she watched over Athens for a thousand years. Great Job!
ReplyDeleteThis was interesting to read, the first thing that stuck out to me was her height and material she was created with. It's as if the sculptor had the intent of making her intimidating, it feels like she is looking over your head at a battle beyond you, but her hands are too full to engage. This piece carries a lot of symbolism of the people who surrounded her and may have tutored her to greatness.
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