29. Grave stele. Pentelic marble. From Velanideza (Attica). Attic work around 510 B.C.
The dead Aristion is represented as an hoplite. The inscription on the base of die stele reads the name of the deceased in the genitive form: ‘Αριστίωνος’. The inscription beneath the feet of the warrior is the carved signature of the sculptor: ‘'Eργoν Αριστοκλέους’ (this is a work of Aristokles).
This relief was executed around 520/510 BC in Athens to mark the burial place of Aristion. The quality of the tombstone and the magnificent armor bear witness to his high social standing.
Ultraviolet (UV) light and extreme raking light reveal the many details which would only have been visible because of the paintwork. We show the raking light images of the shoulder guard. The star and the lion's head can be seen as « weathering relief»: the areas covered by easily degradable paints have been worn down to a deeper level than places painted with more durable ones. In addition the outline of the lion's head was incised before it was painted. |
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Colored cast of the Grave stele (exhibit nr 29) shown in the previous photo
The dead Aristion is represented as an hoplite. The inscription on the base of the stele reads the name of the deceased in the genitive form: ‘Αριστίωνος’. The inscription beneath the feet of the warrior is the carved signature of the sculptor: ‘'Eργoν Αριστοκλέους’ (this is a work of Aristokles).
All the details in the reconstruction have been established in the way described in the previous photo. The choice of color was determined partly by analysis of the weathering relief and UV fluorescence, and partly by the surviving pigments. These include red on the relief's ground, blue on the ornamentation of the armor and reddish brown on the face.
Research and interpretation of the original: Vinzenz Brinkmann
Painting using authentic pigments and binders: Ulrike Koch-Brinkmann
Blue: Egyptian Blue
Red: Cinnabar
Green: Malachite
Yellow, Brown: Ochre
Skin color: Madder, Ochre, Kaolin
Black: Burnt Bone
Copy of a cast: in the Royal Collection of Casts, Copenhagen
Painted cast: Stiftung Archäologie
Original: Athens, National Archaeological Museum, inv. Nr 29 |
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The Funerary Stele of Paramythion (Informative photo compilation)
On the grave of a maiden, named Paramythion, who died unmarried, a grave stele was erected (ca. 370 B.C.). It depicts several burial customs including the grave offerings. Of them all, only the ‘loutrophoros’ was represented in relief. This type of vase held the water in which the bride bathed before her wedding. Accordingly, such vases are often found on the tombstones of women who died unmarried.
Everything else on the stele was only visible by virtue of the painting. Traces of red (cinnabar), blue (Egyptian blue) and golden yellow (ochre) have been preserved. Ultraviolet light reveals every detail, even the curved edges of the fillet wound around the neck of the vase. At the foot of the vase there are two rolled-up fillets and two small offering vases containing aromatic oil. A third rolled fillet is hung up in the stele's background.
A painted funerary vase made around 400 B.C. in Athens shows a man sitting beside his own tombstone. His body has been modelled with shading. This same technique has been used in certain places in our reconstruction. |
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The Funerary Stele of Paramythion (One photo of the compilation)
The painted funerary vase mentioned in the previous photo. |
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The Funerary Stele of Paramythion colored reconstruction
Examination of the original; Doerner-Institut, Munich, I960, Christian Wolters, Vinzenz Brinkmann, Doris Lauenstein and Richard Posamentir
Marble copy: Olaf Herzog
Painting (using authentic pigments and binder): Ulrike Koch-Brinkmann
Blue: Egyptian Blue
Red: Cinnabar
Green: Malachite
Yellow & Brown: Ochre
Skin color: Ochre, Lead White
Copy & Original: Munich, Staatliche Antikensammlungen und Glyptothek. |
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Part from the Funerary Stele of Paramythion colored reconstruction |
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782. Marble crowning slab of a grave stele. Found at the Kerameikos of Athens near the Dipylon gate. End of the 6th century B.C.
The piece has the form of a palmette on top of a pair of spirals. The outlines of the inner details were incised. On the front and on both sides the leaves were painted red and blue (or black) by turns. The eyes of the spirals were also emphasized with black pigment. On the back of the slab are traces of red pigment without decorative elements. |
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2662. Marble grave lekythos with relief and painted decoration. Found in 1891 during the extension of the Athens-Piraeus railway line. About 340-330 B.C. |
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2662. Marble grave lekythos with relief and painted decoration. Found in 1891 during the extension of the Athens-Piraeus railway line. About 340-330 B.C.
The relief depicts a sitting and a standing man shaking hands (in ‘dexiosis’) as well as a woman standing between them. The supplementary decoration such as the palmette frieze, the meander band and the Ionian cyma are painted. |
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2662. Marble grave lekythos with relief and painted decoration.
The supplementary painted decoration on the exhibit. |
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1929. Grave stele. Hymettian marble. Athens, Kerameikos. Around 410- 400 B.C.
Beneath the inscription naming the deceased Hediste, a ribbon is painted in red. |
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A Window with three Funerary Stelae
Please check the following photos |
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2589. Painted grave stele. Marble. From Attica. 420-410 B.C.
A boy is depicted stretching out his arms towards an adult. The ground beneath them is indicated by paint. The border of the scene is decorated with a red band and with a ‘kymation’ on the inner side. The inscribed names, Lysimachos and Polykrite, are emphasized with red paint.
The painted scene, as well as the inscription, were most probably altered due to a secondary use.
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2591. Painted grave stele. Pentelic marble. Found at Athens in the ancient cemetery of the Kerameikos. Around 420-400 B.C.
On the upper part there is floral decoration. Beneath follow a painted Ionian ‘cymation’, the inscription naming the deceased, ‘Αλεξίλεως Προκλείδου Λαμψακηνός’ (Alexileos son of Procleides from Lampsakos), and a ribbon. |
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2591. Painted grave stele of the previous photo with the detailed reproduction of the floral decoration. |
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2588. Grave relief. Marble. Found at Athens in the ancient cemetery of the Kerameikos. 410-390 B.C.
The name of the deceased is inscribed, Ναύτης Ευδημίδου Τορωναίος (Nautes, the son of Eudemidos from Torone), and a ribbon is also painted on the relief. The plaque was made of a half roof-tile, indicating the poverty of its users.
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4519. Grave stele of Pentelic marble. Probably from Brauron (Attica). Around 420 B.C.
The stele is decorated on both sides. One side, the one on the photo, shows a ‘loutrophoros’ in relief, decorated with painted floral and geometric patterns. Some kind of scene involving human figures was depicted on the body of the vessel. The other side of the stele also bears a lekythos in relief, decorated also with painted floral and geometric patterns. On the body of the vase are remains of a painted scene with four figures depicting the departure of a warrior.
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4519. Grave stele of Pentelic marble. Probably from Brauron (Attica). Around 420 B.C.
Detail of the same side. |
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4519. Grave stele of Pentelic marble. Probably from Brauron (Attica). Around 420 B.C.
The other side of the Stele with a lekythos in relief, decorated also with painted floral and geometric patterns. |
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4519. Grave stele of Pentelic marble. Probably from Brauron (Attica). Around 420 B.C.
The other side of the Stele with a lekythos in relief, decorated also with painted floral and geometric patterns (detail) |
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4519. Grave stele of Pentelic marble. Probably from Brauron (Attica). Around 420 B.C.
The other side of the Stele with a lekythos in relief, decorated also with painted floral and geometric patterns (detail) |
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1049. Marble grave lekythos with painted decoration. Unknown provenance. 420-410 B.C.
The scene depicts a sitting figure with lyre, who is followed by a man and probably by a maid. The scene is complemented by a palmette frieze on the shoulder and on the lower part of the vase, a scale pattern on the neck, an Ionian cyma just above the main scene and a meander band below it.
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1049. Marble grave lekythos with painted decoration. Unknown provenance. 420-410 B.C. Representation of the scene described in the previous photo. |
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1049. Marble grave lekythos with painted decoration. Unknown provenance. 420-410 B.C. Detail of the palmette frieze on the shoulder . |
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1049. Marble grave lekythos with painted decoration. Unknown provenance. 420-410 B.C. Detail of the scale pattern and the Ionian kyma on the neck. |
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Window showing Funerary Stelae nr 2575 and 6938 photographed individually below |
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2575. Grave stele. Pentelic marble. Athens. Around 400 B.C.
Below the upper edge of the stele there is a pediment in relief. It is decorated with painted floral ‘acroteria’ and an Ionian ‘cymation’ beneath which is rendered with shading. On the ‘tympanon’ (centre of the pediment) is depicted a partridge. On the central part of the slab are remains of a painted red ribbon bound in a bow, from which some object (most probably a strigil) is hanging down. An inscription naming the deceased reads; ‘Λακρατίδης Αρκεσιλέω’, (Lakratides son of Arkesilaos). The decoration as well as the inscription have been altered due to the secondary use of the slab.
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2575. Grave stele. Pentelic marble. Athens. Around 400 B.C. Same as on the previous photo (Detail) |
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Colored represantation of the marble stele (nr 2575) shown in the two previous photos. |
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6938. Grave or votive plaque. Poros stone. Unknown provenance. 4th century or Hellenistic period.
This stele is crowned by a pediment whose painted decoration shows a woman wrapped in her himation. There are traces of red and violet pigment on the garment and ochre on her hair. In the background remains of brown pigment were found. On the top left, next to the head of the woman an object was depicted. The borders of the plaque were adorned with red and ochre bands.
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3075. Votive relief in the form of a temple. White marble. From the sanctuary of Apollo Pythios nearby the Attic village of Ikaria (today Dionysos). 330-320 B.C.
Depicted is Apollo sitting on an omphalos (a stone meaning the navel, the centre of the world). He is holding a small bowl (phiale) and a laurel twig. Behind him stands the goddess Artemis with her quiver. In front of the god is an altar to which a worshipper is approaching; his gesture indicates supplication. An inscription on the epistyle and the base names the dedicator of the object to Apollo, Peisikrates, son of Akrotimos. Traces of red pigment are preserved on the omphalos and antae. |
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7901. Grave stele. Parian marble. Found in Athens.
It was once built into the Themistokleian wall. The relief represents a young doryphoros to the right, against a red background. 550-540 B.C. |
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7901. Grave stele. Parian marble. Found in Athens (Detail).
It was once built into the Themistokleian wall. The relief represents a young doryphoros to the right, against a red background. 550-540 B.C. |
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7901. Grave stele. Parian marble. Found in Athens (Detail).
The exhibit in the Athens National Archaeological Museum marked for its thematic relevance with the rest of the sculptures forming part of the main corpus of the Gods In Color Exhibition. |
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