DOI article:
Essay V: The eastern pediment of the Parthenon, and Thalassa and Gaia
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.11444#0207
V.] THE EASTERN PEDIMENT OF THE PARTHENON. 179
its general composition, at least with regard to that arrangement
of figures which places the chief gods in the centre and frames
the whole group by Helios and Selene at either angle. This
appears to have been an invention of Pheidias, which was
repeated and copied by all later artists who had to represent
similar groupings.
What has here been said will suffice to show the value of
these late Roman works, in which, in many cases, the figures are
definitely recognisable through their extant attributes, in at least
throwing light upon the general interpretation of the similar
early Greek composition, however degenerate and full of man-
nerism the late Roman works may be with regard to the artistic
conception and execution of these figures. I shall thus point
out for comparison a number of works in which occur (a) Helios
and Selene, (b) in addition to these, personifications of localities,
and (c) in addition to these again, personifications of Thalassa
and Gaia.
(a) Helios and Selene1.
On all the representations of the above-mentioned Capitolinc
gods. Some of these are fragmentary and therefore merely
present the one side, containing either Helios (Sol) or Selene
(Luna).
In representations of the story of Prometheus2, they arc
generally placed on either side above the main figures.
In numerous representations containing the story of Artemis
and Endymion ''. This shows how definite the conception of the
personification of Nature is in the artist's mind. It is not the
personal goddess Artemis who appears in the centre of the scene,
but the pure personification of Nature's Moon4.
In the story of Mithras, in which he is sacrificing the bull in
a grotto, while, above this scene, Helios is ascending on the left
and Selene is descending on the right5.
1 See Jahn, Arch. Beitr. Exc. II. p. 79.
2 Gerhard, Antike Bildwerke, PI. LXI. ; Piranesi, Dc Romanorum Magnificcnlia
el Architectura, p. 198; Millin, Gahric Myth. PI. 93, No. 383 ; Mils. Cap. PI. 25.
3 Gerhard, A.B. PI. xxxvi. XXXVIII; Galkria Giusliniani, II. 110; Braun, Ant.
Marmonvcrkc, I. 8, &c.
4 See above, p. 165.
5 Muller-Wieseler, 1. PI. 72, 406; Froehner, AToticc tie la sculpt, ant. dtt Louvre,
p. 490, &c.
its general composition, at least with regard to that arrangement
of figures which places the chief gods in the centre and frames
the whole group by Helios and Selene at either angle. This
appears to have been an invention of Pheidias, which was
repeated and copied by all later artists who had to represent
similar groupings.
What has here been said will suffice to show the value of
these late Roman works, in which, in many cases, the figures are
definitely recognisable through their extant attributes, in at least
throwing light upon the general interpretation of the similar
early Greek composition, however degenerate and full of man-
nerism the late Roman works may be with regard to the artistic
conception and execution of these figures. I shall thus point
out for comparison a number of works in which occur (a) Helios
and Selene, (b) in addition to these, personifications of localities,
and (c) in addition to these again, personifications of Thalassa
and Gaia.
(a) Helios and Selene1.
On all the representations of the above-mentioned Capitolinc
gods. Some of these are fragmentary and therefore merely
present the one side, containing either Helios (Sol) or Selene
(Luna).
In representations of the story of Prometheus2, they arc
generally placed on either side above the main figures.
In numerous representations containing the story of Artemis
and Endymion ''. This shows how definite the conception of the
personification of Nature is in the artist's mind. It is not the
personal goddess Artemis who appears in the centre of the scene,
but the pure personification of Nature's Moon4.
In the story of Mithras, in which he is sacrificing the bull in
a grotto, while, above this scene, Helios is ascending on the left
and Selene is descending on the right5.
1 See Jahn, Arch. Beitr. Exc. II. p. 79.
2 Gerhard, Antike Bildwerke, PI. LXI. ; Piranesi, Dc Romanorum Magnificcnlia
el Architectura, p. 198; Millin, Gahric Myth. PI. 93, No. 383 ; Mils. Cap. PI. 25.
3 Gerhard, A.B. PI. xxxvi. XXXVIII; Galkria Giusliniani, II. 110; Braun, Ant.
Marmonvcrkc, I. 8, &c.
4 See above, p. 165.
5 Muller-Wieseler, 1. PI. 72, 406; Froehner, AToticc tie la sculpt, ant. dtt Louvre,
p. 490, &c.