DOI article:
Essay IV: The western pediment of the Parthenon, and the Venice fragment
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.11444#0155
ESSAYS ON THE ART OF PHEIDIAS.
[IV.
have been a seated figure in this place, and we shall see further
on that it must have been a female figure. True, the fragment
is somewhat high for this position, the shoulder of the Kephissos
being on a line with the second fold above the left knee of the
fragment. Yet we must bear in mind that the head of Kephissos
projects beyond part of the cornice of the pediment and that the
distance from the waist to the shoulder in the seated figure 4 is
but one-third the distance from foot to waist on the right side of
the figure. Again, if the seated figure to which this fragment
belonged were in this position, there would be an instance of the
harmony in the groups of the pediment of which Pheidias was so
fond, in that the two upright figures, Asklepios and Hygieia,
would be bounded on either side by corresponding seated figures
turned in different directions. Moreover, the direction in which
this figure would be turned, namely towards the Kephissos, would
harmonise well with the principle which we have before found
carried out in these pedimental compositions. Finally, the
figure occupying this vacant space would be; in correspondence
with the figures in the other angle of the pediment, a water
nymph coupled with the Kephissos. The peculiarities in the
modelling of the drapery of our fragment,—the great clinging
and comparative restlessness which we have noticed above—
seem to me to point strongly towards such an interpretation1.
Thus a comparison of the Venice Fragment with the figures
in the western pediment as drawn by Carrey shows that there
are two of his figures which may possibly be sketches of our
fragment; and a consideration of the probable nature of the
figure that must have occupied the vacant space at the left angle
of the pediment shows that our fragment may well have occupied
the place next to the Kephissos.
The last and most important point which must now be
considered before we can maintain the possibility of the attribu-
tion of the fragment to the western pediment, is the question
whether its dimensions allow of such an attribution. This can
only be determined by actual measurements.
considered one of the fragments which lie found on the ground, perhaps the fragment
ascribed to the eastern pediment (J in Michaelis, PI. vi.) to belong to this place, and
consequently included it.
1 This will become more evident in the next essay.
[IV.
have been a seated figure in this place, and we shall see further
on that it must have been a female figure. True, the fragment
is somewhat high for this position, the shoulder of the Kephissos
being on a line with the second fold above the left knee of the
fragment. Yet we must bear in mind that the head of Kephissos
projects beyond part of the cornice of the pediment and that the
distance from the waist to the shoulder in the seated figure 4 is
but one-third the distance from foot to waist on the right side of
the figure. Again, if the seated figure to which this fragment
belonged were in this position, there would be an instance of the
harmony in the groups of the pediment of which Pheidias was so
fond, in that the two upright figures, Asklepios and Hygieia,
would be bounded on either side by corresponding seated figures
turned in different directions. Moreover, the direction in which
this figure would be turned, namely towards the Kephissos, would
harmonise well with the principle which we have before found
carried out in these pedimental compositions. Finally, the
figure occupying this vacant space would be; in correspondence
with the figures in the other angle of the pediment, a water
nymph coupled with the Kephissos. The peculiarities in the
modelling of the drapery of our fragment,—the great clinging
and comparative restlessness which we have noticed above—
seem to me to point strongly towards such an interpretation1.
Thus a comparison of the Venice Fragment with the figures
in the western pediment as drawn by Carrey shows that there
are two of his figures which may possibly be sketches of our
fragment; and a consideration of the probable nature of the
figure that must have occupied the vacant space at the left angle
of the pediment shows that our fragment may well have occupied
the place next to the Kephissos.
The last and most important point which must now be
considered before we can maintain the possibility of the attribu-
tion of the fragment to the western pediment, is the question
whether its dimensions allow of such an attribution. This can
only be determined by actual measurements.
considered one of the fragments which lie found on the ground, perhaps the fragment
ascribed to the eastern pediment (J in Michaelis, PI. vi.) to belong to this place, and
consequently included it.
1 This will become more evident in the next essay.