DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.15098#0046
36
which is a further means of his identification, still remains ; the
upper part passed behind the body, and there can be little doubt
that the top appeared behind the head, though there is not at pre-
sent the slightest trace of it remaining, or of any rivet by which it
could have been fastened. Between the finger and thumb there
is still remaining a rivet-hole by which, without doubt, the lower
part of the sceptre was fixed ; this part was probably composed of
metal, and, if so, affords another evidence that colour must have
been used to give the same appearance to all parts of the
sceptre. The feet of Jupiter are clothed in sandals with very
thick soles, and underneath the right foot is a projection which
has the appearance, especially in the plate, of a double sole, and
at one time 3 gave rise to the supposition that the personage was
Vulcan, whose lameness was indicated by this intimation of the
unequal length of his legs; but an examination of the marble shews
that the apparent double sole is only the base of the frieze, which
originally extended also under the fore part of the right foot, and
along the whole under edge of the marble. From the outline
of the head, it appears that the usual diadem encircled his
brows.
Of the other figure, the female who is seated by the side of
Jupiter, Visconti remarks, that " we should suppose her intended
for Juno, if we did not observe behind her seat the figure of a
winged Victory, which informs us that the Goddess sitting in it
is Minerva, the daughter of Jupiter, who participates in all the
honours of her father, and who, after him, occupies the highest
place. She is not here in the habit of a warrior ; it is the pacific
Minerva, the Goddess of knowledge, such as I have observed
elsewhere upon other monuments of Grecian art."4
Visconti refers to various sculptures, in support of his opinion
that the seated Goddess is Minerva, but we cannot say that
3 Stuart, vol. ii. p. 13.
4 Memoire, p. 53.
which is a further means of his identification, still remains ; the
upper part passed behind the body, and there can be little doubt
that the top appeared behind the head, though there is not at pre-
sent the slightest trace of it remaining, or of any rivet by which it
could have been fastened. Between the finger and thumb there
is still remaining a rivet-hole by which, without doubt, the lower
part of the sceptre was fixed ; this part was probably composed of
metal, and, if so, affords another evidence that colour must have
been used to give the same appearance to all parts of the
sceptre. The feet of Jupiter are clothed in sandals with very
thick soles, and underneath the right foot is a projection which
has the appearance, especially in the plate, of a double sole, and
at one time 3 gave rise to the supposition that the personage was
Vulcan, whose lameness was indicated by this intimation of the
unequal length of his legs; but an examination of the marble shews
that the apparent double sole is only the base of the frieze, which
originally extended also under the fore part of the right foot, and
along the whole under edge of the marble. From the outline
of the head, it appears that the usual diadem encircled his
brows.
Of the other figure, the female who is seated by the side of
Jupiter, Visconti remarks, that " we should suppose her intended
for Juno, if we did not observe behind her seat the figure of a
winged Victory, which informs us that the Goddess sitting in it
is Minerva, the daughter of Jupiter, who participates in all the
honours of her father, and who, after him, occupies the highest
place. She is not here in the habit of a warrior ; it is the pacific
Minerva, the Goddess of knowledge, such as I have observed
elsewhere upon other monuments of Grecian art."4
Visconti refers to various sculptures, in support of his opinion
that the seated Goddess is Minerva, but we cannot say that
3 Stuart, vol. ii. p. 13.
4 Memoire, p. 53.