Reconstruction of the Polygnotos
Polygnotos of Thasos (c. 490-440 BCE) was one of the most famous painters of ancient Greece. He is known for his large-scale mural paintings, which were executed in a severe and classical style. Unfortunately, none of Polygnotos's original paintings have survived, but we have descriptions of two of his most famous works: the Iliupersis and the Nekyia.
The Iliupersis was a painting of the sack of Troy, and the Nekyia was a painting of Odysseus's visit to the underworld. Both paintings were located in the Lesche of the Knidians, a stoa (portico) at the sanctuary of Delphi.
The Iliupersis was a complex and ambitious painting, depicting a large number of figures in a variety of poses and actions. The painting was divided into three sections: a sea scene, an altar scene, and a land scene. The sea scene showed the Greek ships attacking the Trojan fleet. The altar scene showed the Greeks sacrificing to the gods before the battle. The land scene showed the Greeks and Trojans fighting on the battlefield.
The Nekyia was also a complex painting, depicting a large number of figures in the underworld. The painting was divided into two sections: a scene of Odysseus talking to the various shades of the dead, and a scene of Odysseus and the other heroes leaving the underworld.
Our knowledge of Polygnotos's paintings comes from a detailed description by the Greek traveler and writer Pausanias (c. 110-180 CE). Pausanias visited Delphi in the 2nd century CE and described the paintings in his book Description of Greece.
In recent years, scholars have attempted to reconstruct Polygnotos's paintings based on Pausanias's description. The most famous reconstruction of the Iliupersis is by the German archaeologist Carl Robert (1850-1922). Robert's reconstruction is based on a careful reading of Pausanias's text and a deep understanding of ancient Greek art.
Robert's reconstruction of the Iliupersis is a monumental work of art, depicting over 100 figures in a variety of poses and actions. The painting is divided into three sections, just as Pausanias describes. The sea scene shows the Greek ships attacking the Trojan fleet. The altar scene shows the Greeks sacrificing to the gods before the battle. The land scene shows the Greeks and Trojans fighting on the battlefield.
Robert's reconstruction of the Iliupersis is a valuable tool for understanding Polygnotos's art and the art of ancient Greece in general. It provides us with a glimpse of what one of the most famous paintings of the ancient world might have looked like.
Polygnotos's paintings were highly influential in ancient Greece. They were admired for their beauty, their realism, and their moralizing messages. Polygnotos's paintings helped to establish the classical style in Greek art, and they continue to inspire artists today.