DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5253#0295
262 ARCHAIC SCULPTURE.
temple, as follows : " In the middle of the pediment is the figure of Zeus : on
his right stands Oinomaos, with a helmet on his head, and beside him his wife,
Sterope, one of the daughters of Atlas. Myrtilos, who guided the chariot of
Oinomaos, sits before the horses, of which there are four. After him are two
men, who have no names, charged by Oinomaos with the care of the horses.
At the end lies a figure stretched out, which represents the Cladeos, that river,
next to the Alpheios, most honored by the people of Elis. On the left of Zeus
are Pelops and Hippodameia, besides Pelops' charioteer, his horses, and two
men, doubtless his grooms. Where the pediment becomes narrow is a statue
representing the Alpheios."463"
Happily, parts of all these statues have been found, and in such condition
that it has been possible for the sculptor Griittner of Berlin to complete the
failing members, making a most pleasing restoration in small casts (Fig. i26).+°4
Five standing expectant figures occupy the centre. In the very middle towers
Zeus, who doubtless held in one hand his sceptre, but with the other, strangely
enough, fingers his mantle,—a very favorite mode of representing the hands
with the sculptors of these marbles. Of the Zeus, the head, right leg, and part
of left arm and drapery, are lacking ; but Ids tremendous chest, and the dra-
pery about his limbs, are well preserved. Thus we see the king of gods is here
conceived as appearing in person at this momentous scene ; but, judging from
the attitude of those on both sides of him, they are conceived as unaware of
his presence. Two helmeted warriors, whose heads, torsos, and parts of arms,
are preserved, stood on each side of Zeus. The bearded, and consequently the
older, man, doubtless the father, Oinomaos, stood at Zeus' left, and not, as
Pausanias says, at his right. His pose seems to be one of proud self-confi-
dence, with one hand placed with assurance on his hips ; while his wife and
companion, Sterope, happily quite well preserved, seems absorbed in thought
concerning the dreaded race, which shall decide the fate of her husband and
daughter. One arm is laid across her breast, and with the other hand she
fingers the drapery about her neck.
Corresponding to this couple is one on the opposite side of Zeus, where the
old sculptor, with his love of summing up the whole story in a single scene, has
already placed the much-sought-for bride, Hippodameia, by the side of her
suitor, Pelops. Her gesture of holding her veil beyond her head is probably
one implying the approaching nuptials, and becomes a very favorite one in later
art. Her whole form, clad in a plain chiton like that of the Tegea priestess, is,
however, apparently no younger than that of her mother; nor is there great
difference in their faces. This central row of figures, all of which are unfin-
ished at the back, stand well-nigh in full front view. Their varied pose of
hands, turn of head, and bend of knee, make a far more agreeable impression,
as the group is now restored in diminutive size, than it seemed possible to
expect of the five monotonously regular figures as they appeared in the frag-
temple, as follows : " In the middle of the pediment is the figure of Zeus : on
his right stands Oinomaos, with a helmet on his head, and beside him his wife,
Sterope, one of the daughters of Atlas. Myrtilos, who guided the chariot of
Oinomaos, sits before the horses, of which there are four. After him are two
men, who have no names, charged by Oinomaos with the care of the horses.
At the end lies a figure stretched out, which represents the Cladeos, that river,
next to the Alpheios, most honored by the people of Elis. On the left of Zeus
are Pelops and Hippodameia, besides Pelops' charioteer, his horses, and two
men, doubtless his grooms. Where the pediment becomes narrow is a statue
representing the Alpheios."463"
Happily, parts of all these statues have been found, and in such condition
that it has been possible for the sculptor Griittner of Berlin to complete the
failing members, making a most pleasing restoration in small casts (Fig. i26).+°4
Five standing expectant figures occupy the centre. In the very middle towers
Zeus, who doubtless held in one hand his sceptre, but with the other, strangely
enough, fingers his mantle,—a very favorite mode of representing the hands
with the sculptors of these marbles. Of the Zeus, the head, right leg, and part
of left arm and drapery, are lacking ; but Ids tremendous chest, and the dra-
pery about his limbs, are well preserved. Thus we see the king of gods is here
conceived as appearing in person at this momentous scene ; but, judging from
the attitude of those on both sides of him, they are conceived as unaware of
his presence. Two helmeted warriors, whose heads, torsos, and parts of arms,
are preserved, stood on each side of Zeus. The bearded, and consequently the
older, man, doubtless the father, Oinomaos, stood at Zeus' left, and not, as
Pausanias says, at his right. His pose seems to be one of proud self-confi-
dence, with one hand placed with assurance on his hips ; while his wife and
companion, Sterope, happily quite well preserved, seems absorbed in thought
concerning the dreaded race, which shall decide the fate of her husband and
daughter. One arm is laid across her breast, and with the other hand she
fingers the drapery about her neck.
Corresponding to this couple is one on the opposite side of Zeus, where the
old sculptor, with his love of summing up the whole story in a single scene, has
already placed the much-sought-for bride, Hippodameia, by the side of her
suitor, Pelops. Her gesture of holding her veil beyond her head is probably
one implying the approaching nuptials, and becomes a very favorite one in later
art. Her whole form, clad in a plain chiton like that of the Tegea priestess, is,
however, apparently no younger than that of her mother; nor is there great
difference in their faces. This central row of figures, all of which are unfin-
ished at the back, stand well-nigh in full front view. Their varied pose of
hands, turn of head, and bend of knee, make a far more agreeable impression,
as the group is now restored in diminutive size, than it seemed possible to
expect of the five monotonously regular figures as they appeared in the frag-