Name: ATHENA LEMNIA BY PHIDIAS Italian Terracotta 20th Century
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ATHENA LEMNIA BY PHIDIAS Italian Terracotta 20th Century

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About the Item

ATHENA LEMNIA BY PHIDIAS Italian Terracotta 20th Century h : total: 42cm base: 10cm x 10cm head: 27cm x 20cm The bronze original by Phidias, made between 451 and 448 BC for the Athenians who had gone as cleruchi, that is, as colonists, to inhabit the island of Lemnos, is known only from very few marble replicas from the Roman era, to which must be added the head found near the Rione Terra in Pozzuoli and the Palagi Head in Bologna, the latter considered by scholars to be the most faithful to the original. The statue stood on an open-air pedestal, on the Acropolis of Athens, and was considered Phidias's most beautiful statue. The goddess is in an absorbed and thoughtful attitude; her soft cheeks and harmonious nose accentuate her beauty, celebrated by numerous ancient writers including Lucian of Samosata, who defined it as the "work" par excellence of Phidias, and Pausanias, who specified: "the most notable of Phidias' works is the statue of Athena called Lemnia, from the name of its donors". Also characteristic is the hairdo, modeled in symmetrical locks that give a sensation of body and softness. The statue has the aegis across the bust: this detail is a symbol of peace. In the folds of the peplos you can find notable plays of light and shade. The face turned to the right balances the raised left arm. ATHENA One of the most important goddesses of Greek mythology, identified by the Romans with Minerva. Zeus's favorite daughter, Athena was born as an adult from the god's head, armed with a shield adorned with the terrifying head of the Gorgon Medusa, who petrified anyone who looked at her, her spear, her aegis (a goatskin breastplate) and her helmet. She was also called Pallas or Parthenos ("the virgin"), and the main temple dedicated to her, the Parthenon, was located in Athens: according to legend, it became hers as a reward for the gift of the olive tree she had given to the Athenians. Athena was first and foremost the goddess of Greek cities, of arts and crafts and, in later mythology, of wisdom. She is also the goddess of war; among the gods, she was the most ardent supporter of the Greeks during the Trojan War. After the fall of the city, however, they did not respect the sacredness of an altar dedicated to the goddess, where the Trojan prophetess Cassandra had taken refuge. To punish them, Athena then asked Poseidon, god of the sea, to unleash a storm that destroyed most of the Greek ships on their way back from Troy. The goddess was also the protector of agriculture and women's crafts, especially spinning and weaving. To men, however, she dedicated the invention of the plow and the flute and the arts PHIDIA Greek sculptor, born in Athens around 490 and probably died in 430 BC. He represents the most prolific and complete sculptor of the classical age, capable of mastering all materials and techniques from full-round to bas-relief. His works were numerous, and his activity was characterized by the creation of very demanding works. Among his first works was a chryselephantine statue (made of gold and ivory) of Athena for the city of Pellene, then a bronze Apollo Parnopios, an Athena Promachos and an Athena Lemnia. Around 450 he created the large chryselephantine statue of Zeus for the temple of Olympia, considered in the 17th century one of the seven wonders of the world. All these works have disappeared, of which only a few fragmentary copies or iconographic reproductions on coins or gems remain. In 447 he was called by Pericles to collaborate, with the architects Ictinus and Callicrates, on the reconstruction of the Parthenon, destroyed a few years earlier by the Persians. The construction of the temple lasted about ten years and Phidias created an enormous quantity of sculptures for the monumental complex: in addition to the 40 statues that were placed in the two tympanums, he created 92 metopes and 159 meters of frieze with the Panathenaic processions. His was also the famous chryselephantine statue of Athena Parthenos, located inside the temple, now destroyed and of which only some very small-scale copies and some representations on gems remain. His artistic career suffered a sudden interruption around 432 when he was unjustly accused, for reasons of envy, of stealing part of the gold needed to create the great statue of Athena Parthenos. He probably ended his life, a few years later, in prison or in exile 92 metopes and 159 meters of frieze with the Panathenaic processions.

Dimensions:
Height: 16.54 in (42 cm)Diameter: 7.88 in (20 cm)
Style:
Modern (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Terracotta,Hand-Crafted
Place of Origin:
Italy
Period:
20th Century
Date of Manufacture:
20th Century
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. good condition.
Seller Location:
Madrid, ES
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU5779242911142