DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4098#0391
354? PANDROSEION.
the classical remains of the Athenian Acropolis, has had a statue
made in London of artificial stone, from a cast of the Caryatis
which is in the British Museum, and has already sent it to Athens,
to replace the original; and the disgraceful substituted pilaster will
be removed.
Would it not be worthy of this country to imitate such a noble
example, and to restore to its place the column of the Erechtheion,
and the dismembered entablature, which might be done without any
very serious expense ? our Museum would only be deprived of that
single column, which might be replaced by a cast, answering fully
the purpose of the original.
We should be esteemed for such an action by all nations, and
particularly by the Greeks and Turks; who, from such an example,
would learn to respect the ancient monuments of their country.
During my first visit to Athens, the Caryatides were nearly con-
cealed by a modern wall, the removal of which has very much
improved the appearance of the monument, and was done by the
dilapidators, not with any intention of benefitting this singular edi-
fice, but merely to examine which was the most entire of the statues,
and to facilitate its removal.
The Caryatis of the eastern side has been taken away: it is not
known at what time; but probably after the siege of the Vene-
tians. There was a Caryatis in the palace Mattei at Rome, which,
in its dimensions, form, and style, corresponds with the figure
taken from the Pandroseion. The left knee is in a projecting posi-
tion, as that on the eastern side of the portico would naturally have
been, in opposition to that of the Caryatis on the western side.
The base and the capital have been restored, but without discri-
mination ; as the capital has been formed into a modius, from a
supposition that the statue represented a Canephora. I cannot
however assert positively that this is one of the Athenian Caryatides*
as when I saw it, it was in a bad light, and was shewn me only for
a few minutes in a coach-house; it had been purchased from the
Mattei family by a Roman painter.
the classical remains of the Athenian Acropolis, has had a statue
made in London of artificial stone, from a cast of the Caryatis
which is in the British Museum, and has already sent it to Athens,
to replace the original; and the disgraceful substituted pilaster will
be removed.
Would it not be worthy of this country to imitate such a noble
example, and to restore to its place the column of the Erechtheion,
and the dismembered entablature, which might be done without any
very serious expense ? our Museum would only be deprived of that
single column, which might be replaced by a cast, answering fully
the purpose of the original.
We should be esteemed for such an action by all nations, and
particularly by the Greeks and Turks; who, from such an example,
would learn to respect the ancient monuments of their country.
During my first visit to Athens, the Caryatides were nearly con-
cealed by a modern wall, the removal of which has very much
improved the appearance of the monument, and was done by the
dilapidators, not with any intention of benefitting this singular edi-
fice, but merely to examine which was the most entire of the statues,
and to facilitate its removal.
The Caryatis of the eastern side has been taken away: it is not
known at what time; but probably after the siege of the Vene-
tians. There was a Caryatis in the palace Mattei at Rome, which,
in its dimensions, form, and style, corresponds with the figure
taken from the Pandroseion. The left knee is in a projecting posi-
tion, as that on the eastern side of the portico would naturally have
been, in opposition to that of the Caryatis on the western side.
The base and the capital have been restored, but without discri-
mination ; as the capital has been formed into a modius, from a
supposition that the statue represented a Canephora. I cannot
however assert positively that this is one of the Athenian Caryatides*
as when I saw it, it was in a bad light, and was shewn me only for
a few minutes in a coach-house; it had been purchased from the
Mattei family by a Roman painter.