Monday, August 04, 2008

Colored sculpture

Smithsonian.com has a slideshow Greek statues colored as they would have been in ancient times. There is an accompanying article by Matthew Gurewitsch.

The bright colors make the statues, which we regard as elegant in their pure white form, garish. They remind me of sentimental cherubs and the Xtian figurines sold in gift shops.

Gurewitsch doesn't mention coins at all. He makes it sound like the ancients always experienced art with crazy colors. Coins have always been without color. Vases only used black and white pigment. Much ancient art would have been upon a coin or a vase, not marble or wood.

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