macedonian tombs Flashcards
(8 cards)
lion hunt mosaic
325 - 300 BC
originally in house of dionysus near the ancient agora - two young men both on foot flank a lion - lion faces to left as in VERGINA FRIEZE
nude except for chlamys - hunter on lions left wears scabbard strapped to chest, right hunter has brimmed hat and chlamys- holding sword still in scabbard
highlighting two main protagonists to reduce a group hunt to most essential components - expanded true scene
context like MOSAICS AT PELLA - context suggests they do not depict real hunt scenes
no explicit lion hunt found represented that predates alexander’s conquest
in persia lions are only allowed to be hunted by king - what is acceptable for a king vs ordinary people ?
Vergina Tomb II Hunting Frieze
men fulfilling ideal of Macedonian king - not hunt celebrating individual prowess but rather a collective group hunt, roles as visually instinctive protagonists in an ensemble
one figure on foot, three mounted, pursuing variety of animals
hunting in funerary context both in greek and macedonian art prior to alexander - but no collective hunting scenes pre vergina fresco
Vergina Tomb I Persephone Frieze
third quarter of the 4th century BC - quite damaged and faded
remains of woman and baby found in tomb - women get persephone? either young kore or the queen of the underworld depending on stage of life?
persephone appears several times in funerary art of macedonia - queen of the underworld - her kidnap as an allegory for death
Pluto rides a four horsed chariot to the underworld carrying a resisting persephone- hermes leads chariot, thunderbolt of zeus above to indicate his approval, persephone’s companion crouching behind chariot
demeter alone on adjacent wall
TECHNIQUES: extensive incised outlines - artist composed his work on wet plaster, adapting it as he went - forerunner of al fresco technique - restrained palette of reds and yellows mixed in various ways not dissimilar to four colour techniques of athens/ionia (usually black, white, red and yellow)
impressionistic style - rare/unique for macedonia - greek artist doing special commission?
MOSIAC IN KASTS TUMULUS IN AMPHIPOLIS - comparable but hades in two horse chariot and more polychromatic
Facade of the Tomb of Palmettes at Lefkadia
hades and persephone? - shown as judges facing the visitor as they would confront the dead as they descend into hades
hades holds temple key as hadrian of hades, persephone supports her head on her hand in gesture of mourning - both heavily cloaked
COMPARANDA: marble throne in tomb of eurydice at vergina - pair ride a triumphant chariot - gallops towards the viewer
Dionysus on the painted couch of Potidaia
Tomb of Lyson and Hallikles (external)
mid-hellenistic date from pottery found on site (12 pyxides and others) - no evidence of repainting by any of 4 successive generations of burial
family died out suddenly? multiple niches left empty - family earned military distinction in a period of turbulent macedonian domination? very little record of the family in local history
near Leukadia - very fine painting
subterranean structure, rectangular plan, vaulted roof - external facade approached by a dromos or passageway decorated with plain lintel
no columns, pediment or other features of a monumental freestanding building on exterior
tomb of lyson and kallikles (internal)
north/back wall - several elements of armour - helmets, greaves, swords, shield painted in glowing colours
cremated remains of three sons of aristophanes placed in upper niches with their wives below
perirrhanterion (ceremonial basin of water) painted on east wall of entrance corridor opposite wall has an altar and snake
encircling room is painting of hanging garland - appears as if nailed to the surface of each pilaster below the capital - various fruits including possibly pomegranates interspersed in leaves - illusion of the garland swinging away from the pilaster expands the architectural elements outwards - illusionistic
house of judgement
triglyphs and metopes - greeks vs barbarians - takes temple architecture and decorative themes and decontextualises
Painted limestone funerary stele with a woman in childbirth
late 4th/early 3rd century BC, alexandria (egypt) - greek style
quite damaged, a lot of the polychrome is faded or gone
The ‘dying’ woman leans back, supported on either side by an attendant. Her torso and arms are naked, while two garments—one reddish and one pink—cover her lower body. The composition and subject of the painting derive from Classical Greek grave reliefs.
theorised to be for a woman dying in childbirth but would be quite odd - surely there would be more - could be the child but also would be strange there aren’t more
perhaps represents the profession of the woman - men often depicted in their roll of the city or athletic skills - midwife?
