Athena's shield with Medusa's head at the center.
Athena Parthenos, with the winged Nike, goddes of Victory.
I'm so easily distracted.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Athena
This is a photograph I found in a Photobucket album. It is a close-up of the 41ft (four stories), gilded Athena statue that resides inside Nashville's Parthenon.
In my opinion this is not the most beautiful of sculptures, but it is quite powerful. I was writing a scene in which I described her and thought I'd share a picture with you all. Here are some more from the site I found...
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My goodness, Michele, they're all so shiny. Really, really shiny. I'm not sure what to think.
ReplyDeleteElspeth
What a statue! A towering monument of gold and authority, I can only imagine the scene you've conjured!
ReplyDeleteUgh, I must admit it really isn't an attractive lady, although it's not nice saying that for a lady of her age :)
ReplyDeleteI must also admit I find it more than tacky and cheesy building cheap replicas of historical monuments (which really had their profound importance in ancient past), just for superficial entertaining purposes or for gathering money from tourists.
Your right, that is a powerful statue! great pictures, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI think it's pretty cool...
ReplyDeleteThanks for following my blog!
I love the whole mythos behind ancient gods, Greek, Roman...all beautiful. They play a large role in one of my manuscripts as well. But so very golden and lovely. Definitely worth inspecting up close...I'm trying to imagine your scene now ;)
ReplyDeleteShiny, gaudy, almost scary in their excess, but also wonderful. Thanks for sharing these photos.
ReplyDeleteThat's what amazed me about Greece: We think of the statues and buildings all weathered and 'classic' looking, but in their heyday everything was guadily painted, even buildings were bright colored. Sometimes in the ruins you see traces of paint left behind, but the aesthetic of the people hasn't changed--you can buy souvenirs that are brightly painted, just as they're supposed to be. I bought a bronze owl in the plaka and it had plastic blue eyes glued on it! It sounds awful of me, but I plucked them out so the figurine looked more 'authentic'.
ReplyDeleteAll of your comment as I did at first -- gaudy, shiny, tacky -- but read Lorel's comment. The colors and gilding the artist chose were taken straight from drawings and paint remnants of the original. The ancients (Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, Aztecs, etc.) used gold and other fine metals extensively in their art and architecture.
ReplyDeleteIt does make for ominous and delightful scenery in mystery writing...
As to Dezmond's concern about replicas...I like the history behind TN's Parthenon. It was built in the centennial year to emphasize Nashville's strength in education. And people were so drawn to the building that it was made permanent years later. Athena was built in 1990 and gilded in 2002.
Good plucking, Lorel.
You know I like it. It is sort of kitschy but I DIG that. Every happiness to you in the new.
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