Ancient Greek Sculpture - Painting of Sculpture

Painting of Sculpture

By the early 19th century, the systematic excavation of ancient Greek sites had brought forth a plethora of sculptures with traces of notably multicolored surfaces, some of which are still visible. Despite this, influential art historians such as Johann Joachim Winckelmann so strongly opposed the idea of painted Greek sculpture that proponents of painted statues were dismissed as eccentrics, and their views were largely dismissed for several centuries. It was not until published findings by German archaeologist Vinzenz Brinkmann in the late 20th and early 21st century that the painting of ancient Greek sculptures became an established fact. Using high-intensity lamps, ultraviolet light, specially designed cameras, plaster casts, and certain powdered minerals, Brinkmann proved that the entire Parthenon, including the actual structure as well as the statues, had been painted. He was able to reveal the pigments of the original paint and made several painted replicas of Greek statues that went on tour around the world. Also in the collection are replicas of other works of Greek and Roman sculpture, demonstrating that the practice of painting sculpture was the norm rather than the exception in Greek and Roman art. Museums to host the exhibit include the Glyptotek Museum in Munich, the Vatican Museum, and the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, et al. The collection made its American debut at Harvard University in the Fall of 2007.