Erechtheum and Discobolus: Ancient Greek Art and Architecture
Erechtheum
Erechtheum: A Classical Athenian Temple
Author: Mnèsclies
Date: 421-406 BC
Relation: Situated at the edge of the cliff bordering the north of the Acropolis.
Type of Edifice: Temple
Style: Classical
Location: Athens
Space: Urban
System of Living: Architrave
Apparatus: Isodromic
Brief Description: A temple forming part of the Acropolis, featuring Ionic columns and caryatids.
Material Constructed: Pentelic marble
Material Decorating: Pentelic marble
Structural Elements
Continuous Support: Walls, thick walls with few windows.
Discontinuous Support Elements: Ionic columns and caryatids.
Supported Elements: Gable pediment and cornice.
Decorating Elements: Caryatid columns (columns with a supporting role, shaped as sculpted female figures) and polychromy.
Interior Space and Plant
Plant: Fragmented, irregular, and unorthodox. Features an olive tree.
Parts of the Plant: The arcade room and central hexastyle oriented east, the northern portico, and finally the gallery.
Exterior Space
Facade: Style: Lobato. Components: Base, shaft, capital, architrave, frieze, cornice, and tympanum.
Dominant Lines: Balance between horizontal and vertical lines.
Elevated Section
View from the rear windows.
Relations with Other Works of the Epoch
Parthenon and Athena Nike.
Stylistic Characteristics
Characteristics: Ionic style, Ionic columns, polychromy, research of harmony, measurement, and equilibrium; human scale.
Building Character and Meaning
Character of the Building: Religious building of worship.
Meaning: Dedicated to Athena and Poseidon. Legend tells of a dispute between them for the patronage of Athens. Poseidon struck his trident on a rock, creating a saltwater spring, while Athena planted an olive tree.
Symbols
Symbols: The olive tree. The portico of caryatids is named after the women of Caria, enslaved by the Greeks.
Purpose and Function
Purpose: Memorial to gods and heroes like Athena, Poseidon, Erechtheus, and Cecrops. Intended as a place for ancient cult practices.
Contributions
Contribution: The frieze with reliefs anticipates mosaic techniques.
Discobolus
Discobolus: An Iconic Ancient Greek Sculpture
Author: Myron
Date: 460 BC
Work Type: Statue
Style: Classical
Original Use Location: Public place of transit.
Current Use Location: Museo Nazionale Romano delle Terme (Lancellotti copy).
Units and Material: Bronze (copy is marble). Made from a single block.
Size: Less than life-size.
Color: Polychrome.
Brief Description: Sculpted athlete captured at the moment of throwing the discus.
Technique: Cast (copy: height).
Position: Standing.
Figurative: Yes.
Volume: Open, limbs separated from the body.
Anatomy: Young man, muscular, with defined anatomy. The head shows archaic anatomy.
Movement: Contained; muscles are in tension.
Proportions: Follows the canon of Polykleitos.
Light: Internal to the body’s shape, creating a play of light and shadows.
Time: Short moment captured.
Lines: Diagonal line in the trunk, legs forming a zigzag pattern.
Expression and Presentation
Expression: Archaic smile.
Pedestal: The original bronze did not require one.
Clothing: Nude, to showcase human anatomy.
Spectator View: Front and rear.
Relations and Influences
Relation to Author’s Other Works: Statue of a runner.
Other Works of the Epoch: Zeus, Athena of Lemnos, and works by Polykleitos.
Stylistic Depth: First Classicism.
Innovations: The torso is rendered frontally, while the head and limbs are in profile.
Influences: Egyptian posture in the body and head, reminiscent of the archaic period.
Theme and Significance
Topic: The human figure.
Iconographic Significance: The Discobolus depicts an athlete in the Olympics held in Athens, participating in the discus event.
Iconological Significance: Captures an athlete at the precise moment before throwing the discus in the Olympic Games.
Purpose: Aesthetic and commemorative.
Relation of Work to Epoch: Created during the Classical period, emphasizing the pursuit of perception. The Discobolus, belonging to early Classicism, still shows archaic features and blends influences from different cultures, including Egyptian.
Contributions
Contributions: Quest for beauty; pursuit of the canon; Athens’ peak splendor; Myron as a precursor to realism; Greek culture.