Του Γιώργου Λεκάκη
Σε ΔΗΜΟΠΡΑΣΙΑ ξεπουλιέται μια αρχαία ελληνική μετόπη από ναό, με τον ήρωα Ηρακλή να πολεμά την βασίλισσα των Αμαζόνων, Ιππολύτη.[1] (Η Αμαζονομαχία είναι κοινότατο θέμα στις μετόπες των αρχαίων ελληνικών ναών).
Είναι του 5ου - 4ου π.Χ. αιώνα. Είναι από λευκό μάρμαρο (ύψους 59,6 εκατ., πλάτους 49,2 εκατ.). Και είναι άγνωστο από ποιον αρχαίο ελληνικό ναό εκλάπη!!!... Είναι επίσης άγνωστο γιατί τόσα χρόνια που βγαίνει σε δημοπρασίες και αλλάζει χέρια, «σαν πουκάμισα», δεν έχει ενδιαφερθεί κανένας επίσημος φορέας, να την ταυτοποιήσει και να την ζητήσει πίσω, ως αποσπασθέν κομμάτι από ακίνητο μνημείο!!
Η μετόπη
ξεπουλιέται από την J. B. ARQUEOLOGIA - ANCIENT ART Ισπανίας, στις 27.6.2021
και το ανεκτίμητον… εκτιμάται 40,000 ευρώ…
Η αρχαία
μετόπη έκανε… βόλτες, σε ιδιωτική συλλογή στην Ισπανία, στην ιδιωτική συλλογή
της Jane David Doggett, Hobe Sound στη Φλόριντα των ΗΠΑ, σε άλλη ιδιωτική
συλλογή στις ΗΠΑ και ξεπουλήθηκε και από τον Οίκο Δημοπρασιών Sotheby's[2]
(8 Δεκεμβρίου 1995, και μάλιστα στην δημοπρασία «Αρχαιότητες και Ισλαμική
Τέχνη», αρ 276, κάτι που ίσως μαρτυρά πως ίσως προέρχεται από αρχαίο ελληνικό
ναό, ο οποίος ευρίσκετο στα βάθη της Ανατολίας)…
ΠΗΓΗ: REINACH S.
“Repeteroire de la statuaire grecque et romaine, tome IV”. « L’ERMA» di
BVRETSCHNEIDER, Ρώμη. ΑΡΧΕΙΟΝ ΠΟΛΙΤΙΣΜΟΥ, 16.6.2021.
Wall high relief to be placed in a frieze on a Greek
temple between two triglyphs. The two figures seen here are a muscular male and
a female figure: Heracles and the Amazon Queen, Hippolyta. The scene depicts
the ninth Labour of Heracles, where he had to obtain the queen’s girdle. On
this temple each metope corresponded to one of the Twelve Labours of Hercules.
The two figures are shown on a rectangular plinth.
Heracles is advancing forward with his club in his right hand, and is about to
strike Hippolyta. The skin of the Nemean lion can be seen over the shoulders of
the figure. Heracles seems to be lifting up the dead or injured Hippolyta with
his left arm, possibly holding her by her girdle. The Amazon is shown facing
forward with her arms fallen by her side, her legs bent. Her inert body seems
to be raised up by the force with which Heracles is holding her by the magic
girdle.
Three metopes for their provenance appear published in
a 1995 catalogue of Sotheby’s. Each depicts one of the Labours of Heracles, and
in style appear to be from the same Greek construction, part of a group which
has now been split up.
The Twelve Labours of the hero Herakles were
frequently depicted in Greek architectural decoration, especially on the
metopes that adorned the architrave of temples. The most famous example
appeared on the twelve metopes of the 5th century BC temple of Zeus at Olympia.
Heracles is the most famous hero in Greek mythology
and perhaps also in all classic antiquity. His name comes from the goddess Hera
and the Greek word “kleos” (glory), meaning “the glory of Hera”. He was
considered to be the son of Zeus and Alceme, a mortal queen, foster son of
Amphitryon and great-grandson of Perseus on his mother’s side. At birth he was
given the name of Alcaeus or Alcides, in honour of his grandfather. This very
word evokes the idea of strength. It was as an adult that he received the name
with which he is known, imposed on him by Apollo through the Pythia, to
indicate his condition as a follower of the goddess Hera. In ancient Rome as in
Western Europe, he is better known as Hercules, and some Roman emperors,
Commodus and Maximian among others, identified with his figure.
His extraordinary strength is the most important of
his attributes, but he is also known for courage, pride, a certain candour and
formidable sexual prowess. He is considered to be the forebear of the kings of
Sparta, and this was one of the reasons for the dissemination of his legend and
cult, making Heracles the Dorian hero par excellence. There are many stories in
mythology about him, the most important one is that of the Twelve Labours of
Heracles. The stories in which he has the leading role form a cycle which is
constant through all antiquity and for this reason it is difficult to give a
chronological, or even a coherent exposition of them.
In classical architecture, a metope is a rectangular
architectural element that fills the space between two triglyphs in a Doric
frieze, which is a decorative band of alternating triglyphs and metopes above
the architrave of a building of the Doric order. Metopes often had painted or
sculptural decoration; the most famous example are the 92 metopes of the
Parthenon marbles some of which depict the battle between the Centaurs and the
Lapiths. The painting on most metopes has been lost, but sufficient traces
remain to allow a close idea of their original appearance.
In terms of structure, metopes may be carved from a
single block with a triglyph (or triglyphs), or they may be cut separately and
slide into slots in the triglyph blocks as at the Temple of Aphaea. Sometimes
the metopes and friezes were cut from different stone, to provide colour
contrast. Although they tend to be close to square in shape, some metopes are
noticeably larger in height or in width. They may also vary in width within a
single structure to allow for corner contraction, an adjustment of the column
spacing and arrangement of the Doric frieze in a temple to make the design
appear more harmonious.
[1] Βλ. και τον κρατήρα του Ευφρονίου (500 - 470 π.Χ.) στο
Μουσείο Arezzo.
[2] Βλ. Sotheby’s, Antiquities and Islamic art, Friday
December 8, 1995. New York. Auction 6789, αρ. 276.
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