Supervisors info:
Dr Stylianos Katakis, Assistant Professor of Roman Archaeology at the Department of History and Archaeology of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Dr Eurydice Kefalidou, Assistant Professor of Classical Archaeology at the Department of History and Archaeology of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Dr Nicholas Dimakis, Assistant Professor of Classical Archaeology at the Department of History and Archaeology of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Summary:
The thesis revolves around pedimental compositions from the second half of the fifth century BCE. It aims to assess the impact the Parthenon pediments (concluded in 432 BCE) had on other, but especially Attic, pediments. The thesis also circles around other architectural sculpted supports (i.e., metopes, friezes, and acroteria) in order to find the sculptural program of a temple.
The "Introduction" presents general concepts of pedimental compositions. Chapter 1 briefly discusses the history of research in pedimental compositions. Chapter 2 presents "Archaic and Early Classical" compositions, this chapter details the developments in the Archaic (or 6th century) pediments until the establishment of the Classical (or 5th century) composition. Chapter 3 is devoted to the Parthenon composition: its history, interpretations, and problems. Chapter 4 composes the main body of the dissertation, presenting, discussing, and analyzing the Hephaisteion, the temple of Athena Pallenis (later became the Temple of Ares), the temple of Poseidon at Sounion, the temple of Athena Nike, and the Peloponnesian temple of Hera near Argos (this chapter includes a brief discussion in the temple of Nemesis at Rhamnus, the Propylaia at the Athenian Acropolis, and the temple of Apollo Epikourios at Bassai). The final chapter of "Final Remarks" links more closely the temples mentioned above, and reveals how the Parthenonian compositions heavily influenced not just the pedimental frame, but also the other plastic arts, employing new narrative tools to achieve new senses of representational space.
Keywords:
Pedimental Sculpture, Architectural Sculpture, Classical Sculpture, Classical Architecture, Parthenon Pediments, Attic Pediments
