Great Eleusinian Relief
| Great Eleusinian Relief | |
|---|---|
| Greek: Ανάγλυφο Ελευσινίων Μυστηρίων | |
 The marble relief in the NAMA | |
| Completion date | c. 430-420 BC |
| Catalogue | No 126 |
| Medium | Marble |
| Movement | Early Classical |
| Subject | Demeter and Persephone bless Triptolemus |
| Dimensions | 220 cm × 152 cm (87 in × 60 in) |
| Condition | Intact |
| Location | National Archaeological Museum, Athens |
| Owner | Greece |
| Website | https://www.namuseum.gr |
The Great Eleusinian Relief (
History
The relief has been dated to mid-fifth century BC, around 430-420 BC, and it was made for religious use, rather than votive as evidenced from the numerous Roman copies created during the Roman period.
Description
The relief is made of Pentelic marble, and it is 2,20 m. tall, 1,52 m. wide, and 15 cm thick.
The goddess on the left is dressed in a leg-length sleeveless chiton and himation (a type of cloak), holds a sceptre in her left hand, while with her right one she hands Triptolemus some unidentified object made of copper, probably ears of corn.[4][1] The child Triptolemus reaches to receive the goddess's gift with his right hand, while holding his robe with his left.[2] The goddess on the right rests her weight her right leg, and wears a foot-long chiton and a rich pleated himation.[5][1] In her left hand she holds a large torch reaching the ground, while with her right she touches the head of Triptolemus, perhaps originally holding some sort of wreath,[5] or blessing the boy.[1][2] It is generally accepted that the goddess on the left is Demeter and the one in the right is Persephone,[3] but arguments for the opposite have also been expressed. Namely, it has been noted that the right figure is dressed more lightly like a maiden, whereas the right figure sports the rich garments suitable for an older woman.[5]
Copies
The original relief had several copies made of it during Roman times, many of which survive; a copy of it is kept at the
Gallery
- Great Eleusinian Relief
-
Roman copy in the MET. -
Engraving of the relief. -
Replica in Eleusis.
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e Kaltsas 2007, pp. 310–311.
- ^ a b c "Μεγάλο Ελευσινιακό ανάγλυφο" [Great Eleusinian Relief]. odysseus.culture.gr (in Greek). Retrieved December 8, 2023.
- ^ a b c d "Ten marble fragments of the Great Eleusinian Relief". www.metmuseum.org. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
- ^ a b c d Kavvadias 1890, p. 119.
- ^ a b c Kavvadias 1890, p. 120.
Bibliography
- Kavvadias, Panagiotis (1890). Γλυπτά του Εθνικού Μουσείου [Sculptures of the National Museum] (in Greek). Athens, Greece: S. K. Vlastos.
- Kaltsas, Nikolaos (2007). Εθνικό Αρχαιολογικό Μουσείο [National Archaeological Museum] (PDF) (in Greek). Athens, Greece: OLKOS. ISBN 978-960-89339-1-0.
External links
Media related to Great Eleusinian Relief at Wikimedia Commons
Major exhibits at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens | ||
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| Neolithic |  | |
| Cycladic | ||
| Minoan | ||
| Mycenaean | ||
| Archaic | ||
| Classical | ||
| Hellenistic | ||
Roman | ||