Thus, the antiquarians' and architects' first impressions of these ruins were that classical beauty was expressed only through shape and composition, lacking in robust colors, and it was that impression which informed neoclassical architecture. By the time European antiquarianism took off in the 18th century, however, the paint that had been on classical buildings had completely weathered off. Ancient Agora Museum, Athens, Stoa of AttalusĪn early example of polychrome decoration was found in the Parthenon atop the Acropolis of Athens. Relics of polychrome on an Ancient Greek Ionic capital, from an unidentified 5th century BC building. The polychrome of stone statues was paralleled by the use of materials to distinguish skin, clothing and other details in chryselephantine sculptures, and by the use of metals to depict lips, nipples, etc., on high-quality bronzes like the Riace bronzes. For example, the pedimental sculptures from the Temple of Aphaia on Aegina have recently been demonstrated to have been painted with bold and elaborate patterns, depicting, amongst other details, patterned clothing. The painting of Greek sculpture should not merely be seen as an enhancement of their sculpted form but has the characteristics of a distinct style of art. But it could cover sculptures in their totality.
#Polychrome qwiki skin#
The paint was frequently limited to parts depicting clothing, hair, and so on, with the skin left in the natural color of the stone. In ancient Greece sculptures were painted in strong colors.
Some very early polychrome pottery has been excavated on Minoan Crete such as at the Bronze Age site of Phaistos. Further information: Ancient Greek art § Polychromy
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