Architectural Sculpture Scholarship

Woodford on the most important requirement of architectural sculpture

provide handsome decoration

Woodford on the two most prominent themes for architectural sculpture

terrifying monsters to protect a temple

myths to please the gods

Emerson on the original decoration of architecture

colour is easily forgotten, but it was there

Neer on the Siphnian Treasury

the fanciest building at delphi

Neer on the Siphnian Treasury caryatids

wealthy women become literal pillars of the community

Emerson on the Siphnian Treasury

a display of architectural wonders designed to give delight on all sides

Woodford on the figures on the Siphnian Treasury frieze

carefully characterised, identifiable as individuals

Woodford on the overall composition of the Siphnian Treasury frieze

composed of rhythmically repeated verticals and horizontals

Emerson on the innovation of the Siphnian Treasury frieze

to take social interaction, rather than battle or procession, as a topic for narrative

Emerson on the north frieze of the Siphnian Treasury

especially strong in narrative theme

Neer on the use of depth in the Siphnian Treasury frieze

figures seem to project from the background, and overlapping creates a continuous spatial setting

Neer on the gods in the Siphnian Treasury frieze

they fight like epic heroes, and differences of gender matter little

Mitropoulos & Snook on the Acropolis of Athens

the religious heart of Athens

Neer on the ideology of the Parthenon

indicative of Athens’ new imperial mentality, emphasising manly prowess and the defeat of Athenian democratic phobias

Woodford on the Parthenon frieze

the procession is adapted to the space available

Mitropoulos & Snook on the Parthenon frieze

entirely unique in its choice of narrative

Emerson on the Parthenon frieze’s message

the diametric opposite of struggle; it expresses co-operation

Emerson on the link between the Siphnian Treasury and the Parthenon frieze

the gods are a clear aesthetic quotation

Emerson on the figures of the Parthenon frieze

clearly idealised

Neer on the Parthenon frieze

it shows how the imperial democracy liked to imagine itself

Mitropoulos & Snook on the Temple of Apollo at Bassae

renowned for its architectural oddities

Neer on the visibility of the Temple of Apollo at Bassae frieze

all but invisible

Emerson on Bassae

magnificent but bleak, in a bare mountain terrain

Emerson on the two main critical views of the Temple of Apollo at Bassae frieze

heavy and provincial

rich and dynamic

Emerson on drapery in the Temple of Apollo at Bassae frieze

writhes with a life of its own

Emerson on the harshness of the Temple of Apollo at Bassae frieze

appropriate to its mountain setting and soldier deity

Emerson on the impact of the lamplight on the Temple of Apollo at Bassae frieze

figures and drapery seem to flutter and move

a powerful chiaroscuro is created

Pedley’s view of the exaggerated posture and theatrical expression on the Temple of Apollo at Bassae frieze

more in the fourth century

Pedley on the subjects of the Temple of Apollo at Bassae frieze

commonplace

Harris & Zucker on pediments

an incredibly awkward environment

Woodford on the Siphnian Treasury east pediment

the five central figures, on a unified scale, naturally accommodate the slope of the pediment

Harris & Zucker on the figures of the Siphnian Treasury east pediment

a little stiffness, but a sense of energy

Pedley on the Siphnian Treasury east pediment

composition is unevenly balanced, and figures are motionless and stilted

Emerson on the Siphnian Treasury east pediment

somewhat experimental and never copied

Woodford on the admirable aspects of the Temple of Artemis at Corfu pediment

size, decorative effectiveness, narrative richness

Woodford on the stories on the Temple of Artemis at Corfu pediment

no effort is made to represent them naturalistically or relate them to one another

Pedley on the purpose of the panthers on the Temple of Artemis at Corfu pediment

they speak the power of Artemis and Medusa, and stand in for conquered barbarians

Barringer on the Medusa on the Temple of Artemis at Corfu pediment

she dominates, warding off evil or inspiring dread

Barringer on the archaic features of the Temple of Artemis at Corfu pediment

emphasis on symmetry and abstract patterns

Emerson on the Temple of Artemis at Corfu pediment

figures have a life of their own

Barringer on the Temple of Aphaia pediments

they display stylistic shift through experimentation

Pedley on the Temple of Aphaia pediments

the centrifugal west contrasts the centripetal east

Woodford on the Temple of Aphaia pediments

splendidly realise the solution to filling pedimental space of violence presided over by a god

Woodford on the dying warrior on the west pediment of the Temple of Aphaia

arranged to present a complex and beautiful design

Woodford on the dying warrior on the east pediment of the Temple of Aphaia

ebbing life and pathetic lifelessness are powerfully suggested

Harris & Zucker on the dying warrior on the west pediment of the Temple of Aphaia

a reclining kouros, more concerned with revealing the body than naturalism

Harris & Zucker on the dying warrior on the east pediment of the Temple of Aphaia

there is a real sense of skin lying over a skeletal structure

Woodford on the early classical skills displayed on the pediments of the Temple of Zeus at Olympia

mastery of characterisation, pose, and drapery

Pedley on the relationship between the pediments of the Temple of Zeus at Olympia

compliment one another

Pedley on the west pediment of the Temple of Zeus at Olympia

action is contained by movement and counter-movement, encapsulating the struggle in a single, timeless moment

Neer on the west pediment of Temple of Zeus at Olympia

about the fate of bad guests, appropriate to Zeus Xenos

Barringer on the west pediment of the Temple of Zeus at Olympia

Centaurs are depicted like wrestlers, appropriate to the site of the Olympic Games

Barringer on the style of the pediments of the Temple of Zeus at Olympia

full of hallmarks of the Severe style

Emerson on the meanings of the Centaurs

they do not possess sophrosyne, and may be a reference to the Persian Wars

Harris & Zucker on the drapery on the Parthenon pediments

acts like water flowing around the body

Harris & Zucker on the figures on the Parthenon pediments

there is a sense of nobility and luxury in these beings without care

Neer on the drapery on the Parthenon pediments

visual richness and an illusion of transparency matter far more than realism

Neer on the difference between the east and west Parthenon pediments

the west pediment is organised in terms of place

the east pediment is organised around time

Neer on the corner figures of the west Parthenon pediment

personifications of the two Athenian rivers, borrowed from Olympia

Emerson on the unity of scale on the west Parthenon pediment

there is a convention that gods are larger, so there is no inconsistency

Harris & Zucker on the design of the east Parthenon pediment

a brilliant interpretation of space

Harris & Zucker on Dionysus of the east Parthenon pediment

he is at rest, but we know his strength

Woodford on how sculptors overcame the challenges of metopes

principal figures were made as large as possible, and paint was added

Pedley on the Sykonian Treasury cattle raid metope

there is a real sense of recessive planes

Neer on the Selinus metopes

they stare out at the beholder

Pedley on the Selinus metopes

the frontal heads magnetise the visitor

Osborne on the Selinus metopes

the frontal faces show men could come face to face with gods and heroes

Osborne on the viewer and the Perseus and Medusa metope

because Perseus stares outwards, the viewer becomes an active partner in decapitation

Osborne on the Perseus and Medusa metope

the action is frozen at the moment at which the evil power of the Gorgon is harnessed for future good

Woodford on the Herakles and the Kerkopes metope

the well-constructed design is based on the play of symmetrical forms

Woodford on the theme of the metopes at the Temple of Zeus at Olympia

the single theme provides a coherent story for the whole series and also a self-contained episode for each piece

Woodford on the composition of the metopes at the Temple of Zeus at Olympia

achieves harmony whilst avoiding repetition

Neer on the narrative of the metopes at the Temple of Zeus at Olympia

there is a conscious effort to establish continuity

Neer on Herakles within the metopes at the Temple of Zeus at Olympia

interacts dramatically with the architectural setting, as though construction were a Herculean task

Spivey on the metopes at the Temple of Zeus at Olympia

attuned to the Panhellenic piety of the site

Osborne on the messaging of the metopes at the Temple of Zeus at Olympia

celebratory of human ability to conquer monstrous challenges

Osborne on the composition of the metopes at the Temple of Zeus at Olympia

those with the labour in progress have tense diagonals, whilst completed labours have parallel verticals

Pedley on the political messaging of the metopes at the Temple of Zeus at Olympia

evoke the defeat of the Persians at Salamis and Plataea

Woodford on the Herakles and the Nemean Lion metope

revolutionary for presenting the completed struggle

Woodford on the Herakles and Cretan Bull metope

it is all action in the simple but powerful composition

Pedley on the Herakles and the Cretan Bull metope

motion in one direction is countered by motion in the other

Woodford on the composition of the Herakles and the Garden of the Hesperides metope

three verticals dominate, but there is systematic variation

Osborne on Athene in the Herakles and the Garden of the Hesperides metope

supportive yet distant, and her support costs her no effort

Woodford on the Herakles and the Stables of Augeas metope

the metope occupies a special place, out of chronological order, because it is of local importance

Woodford on the quality of the Parthenon metopes

vary considerably in the quality of design and execution

Neer on the theme of the Parthenon metopes

all related to the glory of Athens

Woodford on the ideology of the Parthenon metopes

the struggle of civilisation over barbarism

Spivey on the centaurs of the Parthenon metopes

forces of destruction which threaten Greek order and civilised sanctity

Osborne on the treatment of the male body in the Parthenon metopes

spread out for admiration

Osborne on the Lapiths in the Parthenon metopes

almost blandly uniform

Osborne on the message of the Lapiths in the Parthenon metopes

an imagined world of uniformly beautiful and competent young citizens, reflecting the real Athens

Pedley on the ideology of the Parthenon metopes

vivid metaphors for the conquest of the barbaric by the civilised

Woodford on South 1

figures move freely, filling the entire space, and are rendered with vigour

Osborne on South 30

the Centaur is thoughtful and sympathetic

Osborne on South 31

stiff and slightly comic

Woodford on South 26

incompetently carved, with awkward figures and crude faces

Woodford on drapery in South 27

the folds of the cloak stabilise the otherwise centrifugal composition

Woodford on catenary in South 27

the play of light and shadow foils the beautiful nude body

Osborne on South 27

an element of ballet, where the Lapith displays his body

Pedley on South 27

a daring composition, dominated by tension and drapery