Ancient Greek Masterpieces Were Painted in Dazzling Colors
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Loading... - Celeste Auclair
- 06 Apr 2022
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It is nearly impossible to imagine the sparkling white sculptures of ancient Greece painted in a variety of bright colors.
Marveling at the ancient Greek masterpieces today, there is a notion ingrained in our minds that all those magnificent sculptures were originally spotless white marble and time has robbed some of them of their glorious sheen.
We tend to think that iconic statues such as Hermes, the Winged Victory, and the Venus de Milo were plain marble sculptures that are just missing some parts as well as their gleaming white skin.
However, it is now certain that ancient Greek sculptors used bright colors, as well as gold and ivory, to further beautify the magnificent shapes they created.
In fact, most of them were dazzling in their color schemes, which were essential to the overall impact the sculptures were intended to create.
Ancient Greek sculptures were painted many bright colors
Although the statue has been long since destroyed, there is a description of it in the writings of the ancient historian Pausanias, who wrote that the statue was “chryselephantine” or in other words, covered in gold and ivory.
There is also a verse in Euripides‘ tragedy “Troades” (The Trojan Women), written in 415 BC, in which Helen says:
My life and fortunes are a monstrosity,
Partly because of Hera, partly because of my beauty.
If only I could shed my beauty and assume an uglier aspect
The way you would wipe color off a statue.
The last line clearly indicates that all scultptures had been painted, or made in color, and this must have been essential to their beauty and impact.
Praxiteles, the creator of the famous Hermes and the Infant Dionysus, was once asked which were his favorite statues. His reply was “The ones painted by Nikias.”
Unfortunately, after centuries of lying on the ground the paints on the statues has been irreparably lost. Yet there are remnants that, although not all visible to the naked eye, can be detected with modern technology.
Technology reveals the long-lost colors and paint on ancient Greek sculptures
Using non-destructive techniques such as multifaceted imaging and elemental analysis with X-ray fluorescence, archaeologists and restorers are now able to largely recreate the original colorful appearance of the painted ancient Greek sculptures.
There was a pattern in the depiction of Ancient Greek sculptures: the gods had blonde hair which signified their nobility, and warriors had brown hair and skin, while women had white skin to glorify their youth; and women were depicted wearing makeup as well.
The “Peploforos,” or “Peplos Kore” in the Acropolis Museum has been reproduced with her original vivid colors, according to the painstaking research of a team of conservationists.
She has auburn hair, scarlet lips, and brown eyes, and there are colorful decorative ribbons on her clothing. Read More...
