Friday 23 July 2010

Bellerophon & Pegasus

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Selected to perform great deeds, the sculptor chooses to depict the moment when the hero finds his mount – the famous winged horse, Pegasus – drinking peacefully from the spring,  sent there by Athena to be his instrument in the hero struggle.

And just look how easily this anonymous sculptor from 2350 years ago depicts his scene. While barbarians all about were hacking hieroglyphics into stone, or daubing it with savagery, our Classical Greek chooses to depict the peace before battle, and by his mastery of his medium, transforms a two-dimensional surface into an image with real depth.

A good example of the power of simple relief sculpture, when done so well.

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