Friezes

Question 1

When and how big was the ionic style Siphnian Treasury on the West-East side build?

Answer 1

c.525 BC.
6m by 8.5m.

Question 2

What are the artistic observations on the north frieze depicting the gigantomachy on the Siphnian Treasury?

Answer 2

patterned lion mane, archaic smiles on giant and Artemis who is firing arrows, left foot eg. apollo, forward pose, dead giant, shield pattern has repetition, chunky legs, multiple planes due to depth of relief (3d), impossible neck twist eg. giants neck

Question 3

What is the compositional structure on the East Frieze depicting seated gods discussing the on-going Trojan War on the Siphnian Treasury?

Answer 3

Gods sitting solves the problem of having them the same size as mortals, on the left are the gods that support trojans: Ares, Aphrodite, Artemis and Apollo
On the right Gods thats support greek: Athena, Hera, Demeter and Poiseidon

Question 4

What are the artistic observations on the East Frieze depicted on the left side of the seated gods on the Siphnian Treasury?

Answer 4

3 seated gods : aretmis, apollo and aphrodite together have rigid action arms impossible neck twist, chunky legs with groove lines on ares, long beaded hair, archaic smile on Apollo, repeated seat horizontals, various drapery patterns (fluting and crinkles), deep relief

Question 5

What are the artistic observations on the East Frieze depicting Achilles vs Memnon on the Siphnian Treasury?

Answer 5

Polychromy, Dead greek in the middle and upright figure fill the space, chunky thighs and beaded hair.
Horses on Memnon’s side have deep relief into parian marble, head facing different directions, charioteer brings 3d feel.

Question 6

In what ways does the sculptor make the Gigantomachy dramatic and exciting on the Siphnian treasury?

Answer 6

lion chariot, lion mauling a giant, dead giant below (multiple planes), giant running away, and Apollo and Artemis firing on a packed troop of giants.

Question 7

Why are the gods seated? In what ways do they contrast with the Trojan War scene to their right on the Siphnian treasury?

Answer 7

Reasons for seated gods: maintains unity of scale, relatable scene (an assembly debating), combination of seats & seated figures fills awkward space well, and targets tired visitors to sanctuary at Delphi, who want to sit down.
Contrasts with Trojan War scene: violent mortals vs sedate immortals, divine assemblies often occur prior to mortal conflict/suffering in Homer’s poems, and the gods are a partisan audience for the mortal competition.

Question 8

In what ways has the frieze on the siphnian treasury been designed to target its viewers?

Answer 8

polychromy makes sculpture stand out, as visitors walk up Sacred Way at Delphi, they marched with gods within the Gigantomachy, relatable anthro-pomorphic behaviour e.g. sitting & debating, the god of sanctuary, Apollo, included within the frieze, and inscribed names aid audience with stories.

Question 9

What are the aesthetic features of the Parthenon frieze?

Answer 9

its impressive size: 160m long & 1m high, bronze attachments, sense of movement as riders, chariots & walkers move towards the East end, 3D feel through over-lapping multiple planes, polychromy, mix of human figures e.g. young & old men, women & seated gods, light relief, and Pentelic marble.

Question 10

What different narratives does the Parthenon frieze deliver?

Answer 10

parade for the Panathenaic festival, trotting horses, walking women & chaperones, seated gods at ease, and peplos being folded.

Question 11

When was the Parthenon frieze build?

Answer 11

c.442-438 BC

Question 12

what are the Interpretations of the Parthenon frieze?

Answer 12

depicting a contemporary event, the Panathenaic procession, it symbolises piety, the people of Athens, and some argue democracy.

Question 13

What can be said about the horse rider trying to control his horse placed at the back of the parade on the Parthenon frieze?

Answer 13

veins on horse’s belly, billowing himation with motion lines wrapping around the shoulder, multiple planes, rearing horse fills the height of frieze whilst being held back, Both horse and man display arete

Question 14

What can be said about the 2 horsemen riding together on the Parthenon frieze?

Answer 14

Both horses and riders display arete by raising left arm showing off the bicep, transparency in a tunic, billowing himation with motion lines, multiple planes eg. overlapping horse legs, Naturalistic twist in the turned rider, variation in horses eg. 1 mouth open the other closed, and Holes in horses indicate bronze.

Question 15

What can we say about the procession of people on the Parthenon frieze?

Answer 15

transparency, repeated fluting, peplos wearing maidens display their piety as they walk in the procession, static patriarchs keep order, a phiale = a libation dish, subtle motion lines on legs to show slow gentle walk (respect)

Question 16

Who are the three seated gods on the east on the Parthenon frieze and what can be said about them on the Parthenon frieze?

Answer 16

Three gods sat: Apollo, Poseidon and Artemis.
Repeated seat horizontals, Naturalistic twist with Apollo’s neck, modelling lines, catenary, multiple planes eg. Poseidon’s legs covering Apollos seat, Modest Artemis, Apollos sweeping legs

Question 17

What can be said about the folding and giving of the peplos procession on the Parthenon frieze?

Answer 17

Repeated fluting, dutiful mortals fold parts of Athene’s peplos, subtle motion lines, multiple planes, and standing mortals contrast with nearby seated gods. Two women with peplos on their heads, 2 patriarchs in the middle and young boy on the end

Question 18

Is the Parthenon Frieze is aesthetically pleasing?

Answer 18

Yes: its size: 160m by 1m 378 figures & 248 animals, multiple planes, polychromy.
No: only one main story, an everyday event, repetitive figures & seated gods unoriginal.

Question 19

To what extent does the Parthenon Frieze deliver an effective story?

Answer 19

Yes: various sorts of movement, clear use of props, and polychromy to differentiate figures.
No: repetitive similar figures e.g. horsemen, position of frieze, over 10-12m high & in shade,
and only one main story, so lack of variation.

Question 20

What are the artistic observations on the first panel of Amazonomachy in the temple of Bassae?

Answer 20

Dramatic scene, exaggerated billowing himation with, transparencies, motion lines, and modelling lines, multiple planes created as an amazon holds a dead or dying amazon (pathos), outstretched legs of the hero and amazon prior to fight create diagonals

Question 21

What is the story on the west and north side of the temple of Bassae?

Answer 21

Centauromacy (with Apollo and Artemis).

Question 22

What is the story on the east and south side of the temple of Bassae?

Answer 22

Amazonomachy with Herakles

Question 23

What is the background context of the Ionic frieze of the Temple of Apollo at Bassae?

Answer 23

Internal Ionic frieze dated to 420-400 BC, so High to Late Classical.
23 marble slabs in deep relief, 0.63m high, 31m long in total, and about 7m above the ground.

Question 24

What are the artistic observations on the second panel (with Herakles) of Amazonomachy in the temple of Bassae?

Answer 24

Herakles in chiastic pose (arm up legs wide) (clear iliac crest, abdominals and pectrorals), amazon in chiastic pose reacts to Herakles’ attack, multiple planes created by the diagonal legs of the amazon and Herakles, modelling lines in lion-skin contrasts with Herakles’ body, dead amazon lies pathetically across falling horse, fallen sitting hero contrasts with Herakles’ upright pose

Question 25

What can we say about the first panel on the centauromacy in the temple of Bassae?

Answer 25

Older centaur with lion-skin round neck and exaggerated muscles, modelling lines on left leg of lapith diagonals created by rearing centaur and the falling younger lapith male, chiaroscuro created by deep relief, female lapith in swirl of drapery, centaur’s tail, body and shield creates multiple planes.

Question 26

What can we say about the second panel (biting centaur) on the centauromacy in the temple of Bassae?

Answer 26

The lapith stabs centaur’s belly, torsos and arms create multiple planes, diagonal created by the bucking centaur, collapsed dead centaur contrasts with action poses, centaur bites neck of lapith, catenary of himation creates multiple planes

Question 27

What can be seen on the 3d panel of Centauromacy (with Apollo and Artemis) on the temple of Bassae

Answer 27

Artemis and Apollo ride their decorous chariot, charioteers and galloping deer fit tight frieze, multiple planes via legs of 2 deer and out-stretched arms of 2 gods, swirl of drapery around two gods creates sense of movement, multiple planes created by wheel and gods’ legs

Question 28

In what various ways does the frieze on the temple of bassae communicate movement and drama?

Answer 28

motion lines, transparency, chiastic poses, dead & dying figures, & violent actions e.g. biting & stabbing.

Question 29

In what ways was the Ionic frieze decorous and fitting to the Temple of Apollo at Bassae?

Answer 29

Apollo in the Centauromachy, fighting and rough nature of centaurs similar to local mecernaries, and wind-blown drapery fitting for the exposed site of Temple of Apollo on Arcadian hill-side.

Question 30

How is the Temple of Apollo Frieze is not original and imaginative.

Answer 30

two myths (Centauromachy & Amazon- omachy) seen before (on metopes of Parthenon), motion lines & transparency to communicate movement (seen before on Parthenon frieze), rearing horses/centaurs seen before to fit narrow strip of Ionic frieze (seen on Parthenon frieze), and Apollo and Artemis fighting seen before on Siphnian treasury frieze.