Years ago in the Delphi Archaeological Museum, I was standing on the steps looking down at an eastern European tour group surrounding and looking up at the Charioteer, when it occurred to me that the statue was more real than the tourists. Ars longa, vita brevis.
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The piece was commissioned to commemorate a victory in the chariot race at the Pythian Game. As today, the winner of a horse race entered the victory circle to receive accolades. The victorious Charioteer, with complete emotional restraint, stands in the winner's circle as he faces the cheering crowd. His self-discipline is an indication of what was expected of a sports' hero in classical Greece. This ability to restrain emotions during the most challenging moments defined the early classical era of Greek art and thought. Every time I see a professional football player wildly gyrating after crossing the football goal line, I cringe and think of Charioteer restraint. As one football coach remarked to his players, "If you cross the goal line, act like you have been there before." For me the Charioteer and the
terrifying Bronzi di Riace are the
most amazing of the precious few bronze statues surviving from ancient Greece,* Most of
what has come down to us are Roman marble copies of Greek originals. The Charioteer was
discovered in 1896 near the temple of Apollo in Delphi. The statue was
originally erected in 474 BC and was part of a larger
group of statuary which included a chariot, horses and grooms. Only fragments
of the horses were found (see below). When discovered, the statue was
in three pieces - head and upper torso, lower torso, and right arm. The left arm
was probably detached and lost before the statue was buried. There are two
guesses as to how the statue came to be buried: there was an earthquake which
knocked over the statue and the citizens of Delphi elected to bury it, or when
the sanctuary was closed by
Christian rule, the locals buried the statue to protect it from looters. Although an inscription on the
limestone base of the statue indicates the work was commissioned by one
Polyzalus, ruler of Gela, a Greek colony in Sicily; the statue was probably cast
in Athens
The Bronzi di Riace were mentioned above, and as they fit the topic of classical bronze sculpture, here is a bit about them. In 1972 a scuba diver from Rome found the bronzes at the site of a possible ship wreck - possibly a ship bringing loot from conquered Greece back to Rome. After a long restoration the warriors, dubbed A and B, were displayed in Florence and Rome in 1982. They are now on permanent display at the museum in Reggio Calabria.
The statues' eyes are inlaid with bone and glass, the teeth are silver, and lips and nipples are in copper. Originally they held spears and shields. Warrior B once wore a helmet pushed up atop his head, and A wore a wreath over his head. The Warriors are from the transitional period from archaic Greek sculpture to the early Classic style, incorporating the contrapposto technique - their weight is on the back legs and so more realistic than Archaic stance of the Charioteer. Their turned heads and asymmetrical layout of the arms also give life to the sculptures. Where they were made and where they were originally installed remains a mystery; although speculation abounds, some speculation probably includes space aliens.
When we saw the Warriors in the 90's they were poorly displayed. The light was dim and poor quality curtains served as their background. After a recent reorganization they are now displayed in the museum basement in anti-seismic supports. The classical buns are now well illuminated. Coda There is a rumor that other bronzes were found in the same location and are being held for ransom by the mafia. Also, the famous Delphi Tripod, in which the Pythia sat while making prophecy, disappeared in the looting of Constantinople in the Fourth Crusade. * The magnificent bronze Zeus is so well know, I see no need to comment on it.
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