Group of Zeus with Ganymede

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The group of Zeus with Ganymede is a multi-figure sculptural group of statues made of terracotta . The late Archaic work of art, consisting of the father of the gods Zeus, who has just kidnapped the young man Ganymede to Olympus , was created in the first quarter of the 5th century BC. BC and is now kept in the Archaeological Museum Olympia near where it was found .

The group in the current line-up in Olympia

The first parts of the fragmented group were found in 1878 just below the surface of the south-west and west of the stadium in Olympia , where further parts were found until 1938. Today the largely reconstructed but not supplemented clay sculpture is in the local archaeological museum and is listed there under the inventory number T 2 . Due to the fragmentary find situation, the statue has been assigned further inventory numbers, such as the number 106 for Ganymede.

The two figures are connected to each other. The larger figure, Zeus, holds the smaller figure, Ganymede, tightly in his right arm. Zeus grabs Ganymede under his right arm, which has broken off and lost just below the shoulder. Zeus is holding a wooden walking stick in his left hand. Zeus is dressed in a long coat that lies loosely over his left arm and just as loosely around his waist. The front torso is free because the coat has slipped down, the back is almost completely covered. The legs show a god striding far, his left leg peeks out from under the robe. He doesn't wear shoes. Parts of the left leg are in a bad state of preservation, as is the edge of the coat, on the right foot, on the left elbow and on the head there are some bumps and defects. The head, which has been broken off and reattached, is covered with a cap, from under which the neatly arranged hump curls protrude. The chin stands out due to its pointed shape. The slight smile is a late form of the so-called " archaic smile ". Unlike Zeus, the completely naked figure of Ganymede is more fragmented and reassembled from many pieces. In addition to the arms, parts of the chest, feet and genital area are missing. Ganymede also wears a cap from which carefully arranged, twisted curls emerge. The long hair falls on the neck down to the shoulders. The facial expression is tense, serious and thoughtful and is in contrast to the satisfied and proud look of Zeus. The youth holds a rooster in his left hand. This is a common pederastic promotional gift of the time. Remnants of the painting have been preserved in many places, especially the red-brown cloak with dark brown lines on the edge, as well as the black-brown beard, the black-brown curls and the black-brown cap of Zeus are well preserved. The god stands on a gable-shaped base .

The depicted scene is well known from mythology , it shows the moment in which Zeus kidnaps the youth to Olympus. The rooster as a promotional gift also places the scene in the chronological context of the saga, as does the god's travel stick. The homoerotic connection between an adult man and a boy was not frowned upon in Greek society, but when certain rules were observed - such as advertising rules - it corresponded to the aristocratic ideal. Zeus as God could of course defy conventions in parts and rob the young Ganymede without costly advertising. The terracotta group is considered to be the first work of Greek art in which the eyes were executed in this expressive way and the figures no longer stared straight ahead, as was the case for a long time. The group of central acrotists was probably one of the treasure houses of Olympia, earlier assumptions also suggested that it belonged to the Temple of Zeus . The size of the figure is also unusual, although it was less than life-size, it was still well above the normal size of terracotta figures. The work is carried out in the transition period between Archaic and Classical , in the period 480 to 470 BC. BC, dated and assigned to a Corinthian workshop.

literature

  • Werner Fuchs : Zeus robs Ganymede . In: Alfred Mallwitz , Hans-Volkmar Herrmann (ed.): The finds from Olympia . German Archaeological Institute, Athens 1980, p. 155.
  • Aliki Moustaka: Large clay sculpture in Olympia. Olympic research 22. de Gruyter, Berlin 1993, p. 42 ff. No. C 1 plate 33-39.
  • Olympia Vikatou: Olympia. The archaeological site and museums. Ektodike Athenon, Athens 2006, ISBN 960-213-420-8 , pp. 71-72.

Web links

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