Contrary to widespread belief, ancient temples and sculptures were not all white; instead, they shone in the loveliest colours.
Unwittingly influenced, no doubt, by the pervasive aesthetics of Johann Joachim Winckelmann as much as by their almost universally unrestored state, we expect classical marble statuary to be white or at least the colour of stone, even though we are aware, notionally, that it was originally painted.
An exhibition of 70 sculptures, some original but mostly reconstructions, that reveal the look of highly coloured ancient statuary. The examples range from a third-millennium BC Greek Cycladic idol to a portrait of Caligula from around AD 40. Other examples are a sixth-century AD frieze of a treasure house in Delphi, fifth-century BC figures from a temple on the island of Aegina, and the fourth-century BC so-called sarcophagus of Alexander from Sidon.
This special exhibition is on show in the
Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg until 01st Jul. 2007.
