DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.37251#0098
SALA DELIA ERCOLE
1. GROUP OF Two GIRLS (pi. 16).
H. (total, excl. plinth) 1-20 m., (of running figure) -$3 m. Pentelic marble.
The fragmentary base is of irregular oval form, now set with plaster into rectangular
plinth (H. -103 m., Br. -455 m., L. -yi m.), found with and belonging to the group.
Restored (in plaster) : patch covering upper two-thirds of 1. thigh of running figure,
and including part of roll of Group broken horizontally above knees
of running figure: from a point on this line midway between her legs runs a
further break diagonally to a point immediately below rider's r. knee, which has
itself been separately broken and reset. Missing : both heads (not made separately);
(running figure) 1. foot, toes of r., loose corners of on each side ; (rider)
1. leg from above knee, with piece of drapery: at 1. elbow flying end of drapery,
which was made separately and dowelled on, the three drill-holes remaining.
Mariani (/pr. rz'Z. 2'77/ka), in first publishing the group, states that the were
blue, and that the runner's iAzAw had a purple edge. All that now remain are small
patches of blue on upper edge of the runner's (AzAvz, on and near the girdle under her
breasts, and on her ^z'zzzaZzAz towards the lower edge ; on the rider's /G'zzzcZzA? are traces
of the same colour. The crevices in the knot of the runner's ^/zzzcAczz have a pink
appearance, which may also be remains of applied colour ; in that case, her ^AzzzZzbzz
was perhaps purple, with a blue stripe near the edge.
Female figure, barefoot, running to 1., with r. foot in advance. She
wears an almost transparent r/zz'Aw which is girt with a cord just beneath
the breasts and has slipped from the 1. shoulder, exposing the 1. breast.
An AzlwaAbM of heavier material is secured round the hips, both ends of its
rolled upper edge being brought to the front, where one is passed over
the other and tucked in behind it; the vertical edges part below the middle
of the r. thigh, are blown back by the rush of air, and expose the r. leg
with the rAz'Aw clinging to it and flying back on either side. The girl's
arms are behind her, and the hands lightly clasped round the bent r. leg
of a second girl who rides on her back. The rider's r. arm (of which
only the elbow and the disproportionately short upper arm now remain)
was bent, with the hand covering the runner's eyes; her 1. hand rested
on the runner's 1. upper arm, and her 1. leg, bare from above the knee,
hung downward. Her dress is a simple ^z/zzc/zczz twisted round the
1. forearm, carried up to 1. shoulder and down the back diagonally to the
waist, whence it passes in front, covering the r. leg and upper part of
1. thigh.
Below the nape of the neck is a projecting broken surface adjoining
the drapery, which may be the remains of a knot of hair.
Though the forms are full and soft, there is no loss of strength in
the framework of the body. The one remaining foot has a high instep.
The fingers are long, and taper regularly from the fat lower part towards
the point, which is square.
The back of the group is neglected and little more than a rough
surface. The views from the front of the running figure, and from her
1. side, were each so arranged as to present one frontal and one profile
head.
Similar groups are known from terra-cottas, the best of which are
the Castellani-Stroganoff (Poliak, (7%/. A/r^wzc^y (7c//., vol. i, p. 69,
pi. xlv, 4), a second in Athens (/Viz/. AAzy. 7rrrzz-<rc//zzy, Room IV,
1. GROUP OF Two GIRLS (pi. 16).
H. (total, excl. plinth) 1-20 m., (of running figure) -$3 m. Pentelic marble.
The fragmentary base is of irregular oval form, now set with plaster into rectangular
plinth (H. -103 m., Br. -455 m., L. -yi m.), found with and belonging to the group.
Restored (in plaster) : patch covering upper two-thirds of 1. thigh of running figure,
and including part of roll of Group broken horizontally above knees
of running figure: from a point on this line midway between her legs runs a
further break diagonally to a point immediately below rider's r. knee, which has
itself been separately broken and reset. Missing : both heads (not made separately);
(running figure) 1. foot, toes of r., loose corners of on each side ; (rider)
1. leg from above knee, with piece of drapery: at 1. elbow flying end of drapery,
which was made separately and dowelled on, the three drill-holes remaining.
Mariani (/pr. rz'Z. 2'77/ka), in first publishing the group, states that the were
blue, and that the runner's iAzAw had a purple edge. All that now remain are small
patches of blue on upper edge of the runner's (AzAvz, on and near the girdle under her
breasts, and on her ^z'zzzaZzAz towards the lower edge ; on the rider's /G'zzzcZzA? are traces
of the same colour. The crevices in the knot of the runner's ^/zzzcAczz have a pink
appearance, which may also be remains of applied colour ; in that case, her ^AzzzZzbzz
was perhaps purple, with a blue stripe near the edge.
Female figure, barefoot, running to 1., with r. foot in advance. She
wears an almost transparent r/zz'Aw which is girt with a cord just beneath
the breasts and has slipped from the 1. shoulder, exposing the 1. breast.
An AzlwaAbM of heavier material is secured round the hips, both ends of its
rolled upper edge being brought to the front, where one is passed over
the other and tucked in behind it; the vertical edges part below the middle
of the r. thigh, are blown back by the rush of air, and expose the r. leg
with the rAz'Aw clinging to it and flying back on either side. The girl's
arms are behind her, and the hands lightly clasped round the bent r. leg
of a second girl who rides on her back. The rider's r. arm (of which
only the elbow and the disproportionately short upper arm now remain)
was bent, with the hand covering the runner's eyes; her 1. hand rested
on the runner's 1. upper arm, and her 1. leg, bare from above the knee,
hung downward. Her dress is a simple ^z/zzc/zczz twisted round the
1. forearm, carried up to 1. shoulder and down the back diagonally to the
waist, whence it passes in front, covering the r. leg and upper part of
1. thigh.
Below the nape of the neck is a projecting broken surface adjoining
the drapery, which may be the remains of a knot of hair.
Though the forms are full and soft, there is no loss of strength in
the framework of the body. The one remaining foot has a high instep.
The fingers are long, and taper regularly from the fat lower part towards
the point, which is square.
The back of the group is neglected and little more than a rough
surface. The views from the front of the running figure, and from her
1. side, were each so arranged as to present one frontal and one profile
head.
Similar groups are known from terra-cottas, the best of which are
the Castellani-Stroganoff (Poliak, (7%/. A/r^wzc^y (7c//., vol. i, p. 69,
pi. xlv, 4), a second in Athens (/Viz/. AAzy. 7rrrzz-<rc//zzy, Room IV,