DOI Artikel:
De Cou, Herbert F.: The frieze of the choragic monument of Lysicrates at Athens
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.8681#0330
318
THE FRIEZE OF THE CHORAGW MONUMENT.
French Minister at Athens, M. cle Gobinean, acting on behalf of
his government, into whose possession the site of the former mon-
astery had fallen, employed the architect Boulanger to make such
restorations as were necessary to save the monument from falling
to pieces.10 At the same time the last remains of the old convent
were removed, and some measures taken to prevent further injury
to the ruin. Repairs were again being made under the direction
of the French School at Athens, when I left Greece, in April, 1892.
For the architectural study of the monument of Lysicrates little
has been done since Stuart's time. In the year 1845 and in 1859,
the architect Theoph. Hansen made a new series of drawings from
the monument, and upon them based a restoration which differs
somewhat from that of Stuart, especially in the decoration of the
roof. This work is discussed in the monograph of Von Liitzow.11
Confining our attention to the sculptures of the frieze, we will
examine certain inaccuracies )f detail which have hitherto pre-
vailed in the treatment of this important landmark in the history
of decorative reliefs of the fourth century. The frieze, carved in
low relief upon a single block of marble, runs continuously around
the entire circumference of the structure. Its height is only
.012 m. (lower, rectangular moulding) + .23 m. (between mould-
ings) + .015 m. (upper, rounded moulding).12 It is to be noticed
that the figures rest upon the lower moulding, while they are
often (in fourteen cases) carried to the top of the upper moulding.
The question as to the subject of the relief was a sore puzzle to
the early travellers. Pere Babin finds " des dieux marins ";13 Trans-
feldt, " varias gymnastkorum figuras" which he thought represented
certain games held " in Aegena insula " in honor of Demosthenes.14
Yernon (1676), who regarded the monument as a temple of Her-
cules, sees his labors depicted in the sculptures of the frieze.15
Spon, while not accepting this view, admitted that some, at
least, of the acts of Hercules were represented; so that the building,
apart from its monumental purpose, might also have been sacred
10 Von Lirrzow, Zeitschr.fur bildende Kunst, III, pp. 23, 236 f.
11 Pp. 239 ff., 264 ft'. For another restoration of the roof cf. Semper, Der Siil, vol.
ii, p. 242. 12 My own measurements.
13 Wachsmutii, Die Stadt Athen, i, p. 757. " Mitth. Athen, i, p. 113.
15 Laborde, i, pp. 249 f.
THE FRIEZE OF THE CHORAGW MONUMENT.
French Minister at Athens, M. cle Gobinean, acting on behalf of
his government, into whose possession the site of the former mon-
astery had fallen, employed the architect Boulanger to make such
restorations as were necessary to save the monument from falling
to pieces.10 At the same time the last remains of the old convent
were removed, and some measures taken to prevent further injury
to the ruin. Repairs were again being made under the direction
of the French School at Athens, when I left Greece, in April, 1892.
For the architectural study of the monument of Lysicrates little
has been done since Stuart's time. In the year 1845 and in 1859,
the architect Theoph. Hansen made a new series of drawings from
the monument, and upon them based a restoration which differs
somewhat from that of Stuart, especially in the decoration of the
roof. This work is discussed in the monograph of Von Liitzow.11
Confining our attention to the sculptures of the frieze, we will
examine certain inaccuracies )f detail which have hitherto pre-
vailed in the treatment of this important landmark in the history
of decorative reliefs of the fourth century. The frieze, carved in
low relief upon a single block of marble, runs continuously around
the entire circumference of the structure. Its height is only
.012 m. (lower, rectangular moulding) + .23 m. (between mould-
ings) + .015 m. (upper, rounded moulding).12 It is to be noticed
that the figures rest upon the lower moulding, while they are
often (in fourteen cases) carried to the top of the upper moulding.
The question as to the subject of the relief was a sore puzzle to
the early travellers. Pere Babin finds " des dieux marins ";13 Trans-
feldt, " varias gymnastkorum figuras" which he thought represented
certain games held " in Aegena insula " in honor of Demosthenes.14
Yernon (1676), who regarded the monument as a temple of Her-
cules, sees his labors depicted in the sculptures of the frieze.15
Spon, while not accepting this view, admitted that some, at
least, of the acts of Hercules were represented; so that the building,
apart from its monumental purpose, might also have been sacred
10 Von Lirrzow, Zeitschr.fur bildende Kunst, III, pp. 23, 236 f.
11 Pp. 239 ff., 264 ft'. For another restoration of the roof cf. Semper, Der Siil, vol.
ii, p. 242. 12 My own measurements.
13 Wachsmutii, Die Stadt Athen, i, p. 757. " Mitth. Athen, i, p. 113.
15 Laborde, i, pp. 249 f.