Ο Ηρακλής στην… Ιαπωνία!
Του Γιώργου Λεκάκη
Πρόκειται για ένα μικρό (ύψους
20 εκατ.) μπρούντζινο αρχαίο ελληνικό άγαλμα του 4ου – 3ου αιώνα π.Χ., που εικονίζει
τον ημίθεο Θηβαίο ήρωα, Ηρακλή – αναγνωρίζεται από την λεοντή.
20 εκατ.) μπρούντζινο αρχαίο ελληνικό άγαλμα του 4ου – 3ου αιώνα π.Χ., που εικονίζει
τον ημίθεο Θηβαίο ήρωα, Ηρακλή – αναγνωρίζεται από την λεοντή.
Ευρίσκεται στο Μουσείο MIHO της Ιαπωνίας…
Το Μουσείο δεν αποκαλύπτει
ούτε πού βρέθηκε, ούτε από ποια ανασκαφή, ούτε τρόπο απόκτησής του, ούτε πότε…
ούτε πού βρέθηκε, ούτε από ποια ανασκαφή, ούτε τρόπο απόκτησής του, ούτε πότε…
Ούτε
φυσικά επιδεικνύει νόμιμη άδεια κτήσης, απόκτησης, έκθεσης…
φυσικά επιδεικνύει νόμιμη άδεια κτήσης, απόκτησης, έκθεσης…
Άρα, λοιπόν, πρόκειται
για ένα ακόμη προϊόν αρχαιοκαπηλίας, που πρέπει να επαναπατρισθεί στην Ελλάδα…
για ένα ακόμη προϊόν αρχαιοκαπηλίας, που πρέπει να επαναπατρισθεί στην Ελλάδα…
ΠΕΡΙΣΣΟΤΕΡΑ θέματα ΑΡΧΑΙΟΚΑΠΗΛΙΑΣ, ΕΔΩ.
Κατά το μουσείο, το
«Greece 4th – 3rd century BCE, Bronze, height 20 cm,
small
statue shows Hercules with a lion-head skin draped from his head and the
forepaws of the lion tied across his chest. The end of the lion skin covers his
left arm, and his right hand holds a club. This pose is the classical
representation of Hercules as he appears in Greek myths. The realistic
workmanship that has rendered the soft texture of the lion’s fur, the balanced
musculature without excess, the copper inlays that form the nipples, the inlaid
glass eyes, and the subtle details of the hair and finger tips, however, gives
this small statue its unique quality.
statue shows Hercules with a lion-head skin draped from his head and the
forepaws of the lion tied across his chest. The end of the lion skin covers his
left arm, and his right hand holds a club. This pose is the classical
representation of Hercules as he appears in Greek myths. The realistic
workmanship that has rendered the soft texture of the lion’s fur, the balanced
musculature without excess, the copper inlays that form the nipples, the inlaid
glass eyes, and the subtle details of the hair and finger tips, however, gives
this small statue its unique quality.
The royal family of Macedonia claimed descent from the heroic Hercules
and its coins were stamped with his profile, representing the king. Here, where
the forepaws of the lion skin are knotted across the chest of the statue, there
is evidence of astounding attention to detail and demonstrated powers of
observation in the way the right paw is reversed when knotted. It is difficult
to imagine that such attention, without stylization or emulation, would have
been directed at anyone but an individual possessing great authority and
wealth. The detailed and superb modeling provides a figure barely twenty
centimeters tall with the impact of a life-size image.The head, however, is
rather small—a little over one-seventh of the overall height. Conversely, the
four extremities are huge, with hands large enough to cover the whole face.
This figure, as described by Pliny, has the “extreme delicacy of execution even
in the smallest details” that can be found in the works of Lysippus, sculptor
to Alexander the Great.
and its coins were stamped with his profile, representing the king. Here, where
the forepaws of the lion skin are knotted across the chest of the statue, there
is evidence of astounding attention to detail and demonstrated powers of
observation in the way the right paw is reversed when knotted. It is difficult
to imagine that such attention, without stylization or emulation, would have
been directed at anyone but an individual possessing great authority and
wealth. The detailed and superb modeling provides a figure barely twenty
centimeters tall with the impact of a life-size image.The head, however, is
rather small—a little over one-seventh of the overall height. Conversely, the
four extremities are huge, with hands large enough to cover the whole face.
This figure, as described by Pliny, has the “extreme delicacy of execution even
in the smallest details” that can be found in the works of Lysippus, sculptor
to Alexander the Great.
The superiority of Greek art is the result of an outstanding realism and
authenticity that had developed by 500 BCE. Just as traders and mercenary
soldiers did, Greek craftsmen had traveled back and forth between the
Mediterranean and the Orient since ancient times, competing on points of
universal visual expression rather than adhering to fixed patterns based on any
particular philosophy. These developments were certainly promoted in the period
of the Achaemenid Empire. Representations that simply copied their subjects
were criticized for being mere imitations (of the surface) that did not
represent the true nature of their subjects. What the artist creates through
his perceptions of the subject and expressions, unbound by existing
conventions, contains truths that go beyond a simple copy of the surface. This
statuette, for example, is not the bearded man in his prime depicted in many
Greek sculptures but the young Hercules brimming with ambition. The statue also
bears a close resemblance to the image of the young king Alexander.
authenticity that had developed by 500 BCE. Just as traders and mercenary
soldiers did, Greek craftsmen had traveled back and forth between the
Mediterranean and the Orient since ancient times, competing on points of
universal visual expression rather than adhering to fixed patterns based on any
particular philosophy. These developments were certainly promoted in the period
of the Achaemenid Empire. Representations that simply copied their subjects
were criticized for being mere imitations (of the surface) that did not
represent the true nature of their subjects. What the artist creates through
his perceptions of the subject and expressions, unbound by existing
conventions, contains truths that go beyond a simple copy of the surface. This
statuette, for example, is not the bearded man in his prime depicted in many
Greek sculptures but the young Hercules brimming with ambition. The statue also
bears a close resemblance to the image of the young king Alexander.
The achievements of Alexander, who laid waste to the Achaemenid Empire
in less than six years and was crowned king of Persia, were more than
sufficient for that king to be treated as an heroic figure and even deified. He
caused the cultures of East and West to collide and merge at great speed and on
a large scale, breathing life into new forms of creation in Asia. Above all,
with the introduction of the image of paradise after death (Elysium) and the
representation of idols, the artistic field expanded to expressions of the
sublime realms».
in less than six years and was crowned king of Persia, were more than
sufficient for that king to be treated as an heroic figure and even deified. He
caused the cultures of East and West to collide and merge at great speed and on
a large scale, breathing life into new forms of creation in Asia. Above all,
with the introduction of the image of paradise after death (Elysium) and the
representation of idols, the artistic field expanded to expressions of the
sublime realms».
Κατά τα άλλα, για την ταμπακιέρα, ουδέν…
ΠΗΓΗ: ΑΡΧΕΙΟΝ ΠΟΛΙΤΙΣΜΟΥ, 5.1.2020.
ΛΕΞΕΙΣ: Ηρακλης, Ιαπωνια, μπρουντζινο αρχαιο ελληνικο αγαλμα, 4ος αιωνας πΧ, 3ος αιωνας πΧ, ημιθεος, Θηβα, ηρωας, Ηρακλης, λεοντη, Μουσειο ΜΙΧΟ Ιαπωνιας, αρχαιοκαπηλια, Μακεδονια, Λυσιππος, Μεγας Αλεξανδρος, Ηλυσια