DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5253#0606
5/0 THE HELLENISTIC AGE OF SCULPTURE.
strongly such wild force, and showing that a new field of art was now fully
opened up, in which national characteristics and historical reminiscences at
last occupied the sculptor's noble powers.
In these statues, the peculiar polish of the surface (where untouched), the
sharpness in the treatment of the lines of the drapery, and still more of the
hair, indicate that they are copies from bronze; and there can be little doubt
that the bronzes themselves once decorated Pergamon's summit, and were there
copied. That in fact reproductions of its celebrated works were made in
Pergamon, is proved by copies of parts of the frieze of the great altar, selec-
tions, as it were, from that great work, and found during the excavations. In
one case, now to be seen in Berlin, the Zeus of the frieze, taken out of his
surroundings, and with slight changes, has been formed into an independent
figure. It is most probable that the Ludovisi warrior and Dying Gladiator
were thus also singled out from more extensive original compositions. In
the Ludovisi group, at least, an approaching conqueror seems implied by the
gaze of the warrior directed upwards ; and we may well believe, that in the
original group, from which the Dying Galatian of the Capitol may have been
taken, the foe who has just given the fatal wound was represented. But, even
though thus singled out from a larger original in bronze, that these marble
works — the Dying Galatian of the Capitol, and the Ludovisi group — were
executed as they stand, without other figures, finds confirmation in the shape
of their bases.11.!6 The marvellous freshness in the conception of these works,
as well as their bold but finished technique, precludes all possibility of their
being copies made by later sculptors in Rome; but whether they were sent,
a royal gift, by some Pergamon king, to Rome, or whether they formed a part
of the treasure left by will to the Romans, and afterwards carried off by them,
are questions which must remain unsolved. On the supposition that they are
copies of the very bronzes dedicated to Athena and to Zeus by Attalos I.,
Bohn, in his restored view of the open square about the temple of Athena
Polias (Fig. 230), has put them on the long, narrow pedestal in front, which
was discovered in excavating, and the top slabs of which showed signs of the
bronze groups once upon them, and described above.
But while Attalos I., in monumental bronze groups, thus expressed thanks to
the gods of his own city, he also remembered those of Athens, the ancient seat
of Hellenic glory. On the southern wall of the Acropolis he set up votive offer-
ings, figures measuring, according to Pausanias, about three feet in length.''37
Here, the historian says, were represented the historic victory of Marathon
over the Persians, and its mythic prototype, — the battle of the Athenians
with the Amazons ; two other groups, the counterparts of these, as it were,
completing the offering. In one, Attalos' victory over the Galatians was repre-
sented ; and in the other, a speaking mythic parallel, the combat of the gods
with the giants. One of the statues of these gods, Dionysos, Plutarch in-
strongly such wild force, and showing that a new field of art was now fully
opened up, in which national characteristics and historical reminiscences at
last occupied the sculptor's noble powers.
In these statues, the peculiar polish of the surface (where untouched), the
sharpness in the treatment of the lines of the drapery, and still more of the
hair, indicate that they are copies from bronze; and there can be little doubt
that the bronzes themselves once decorated Pergamon's summit, and were there
copied. That in fact reproductions of its celebrated works were made in
Pergamon, is proved by copies of parts of the frieze of the great altar, selec-
tions, as it were, from that great work, and found during the excavations. In
one case, now to be seen in Berlin, the Zeus of the frieze, taken out of his
surroundings, and with slight changes, has been formed into an independent
figure. It is most probable that the Ludovisi warrior and Dying Gladiator
were thus also singled out from more extensive original compositions. In
the Ludovisi group, at least, an approaching conqueror seems implied by the
gaze of the warrior directed upwards ; and we may well believe, that in the
original group, from which the Dying Galatian of the Capitol may have been
taken, the foe who has just given the fatal wound was represented. But, even
though thus singled out from a larger original in bronze, that these marble
works — the Dying Galatian of the Capitol, and the Ludovisi group — were
executed as they stand, without other figures, finds confirmation in the shape
of their bases.11.!6 The marvellous freshness in the conception of these works,
as well as their bold but finished technique, precludes all possibility of their
being copies made by later sculptors in Rome; but whether they were sent,
a royal gift, by some Pergamon king, to Rome, or whether they formed a part
of the treasure left by will to the Romans, and afterwards carried off by them,
are questions which must remain unsolved. On the supposition that they are
copies of the very bronzes dedicated to Athena and to Zeus by Attalos I.,
Bohn, in his restored view of the open square about the temple of Athena
Polias (Fig. 230), has put them on the long, narrow pedestal in front, which
was discovered in excavating, and the top slabs of which showed signs of the
bronze groups once upon them, and described above.
But while Attalos I., in monumental bronze groups, thus expressed thanks to
the gods of his own city, he also remembered those of Athens, the ancient seat
of Hellenic glory. On the southern wall of the Acropolis he set up votive offer-
ings, figures measuring, according to Pausanias, about three feet in length.''37
Here, the historian says, were represented the historic victory of Marathon
over the Persians, and its mythic prototype, — the battle of the Athenians
with the Amazons ; two other groups, the counterparts of these, as it were,
completing the offering. In one, Attalos' victory over the Galatians was repre-
sented ; and in the other, a speaking mythic parallel, the combat of the gods
with the giants. One of the statues of these gods, Dionysos, Plutarch in-