Is Menelaus And Patroclus Made Of Marble

Among the most poignant sculptures at the loggia dei lanzi and my favorite is the ancient flavian era 1st century ce pasquino group also known as menelaus carrying the body of patroclus or ajax carrying the body of achilles a group of marble sculptures that copy a hellenistic bronze original dating to ca.

Is menelaus and patroclus made of marble. The sculpture has a complex artistic and social history that illustrates the degree to which improvisatory restorations were made to fragments of ancient roman sculpture during the 16th and 17th centuries in. As the story of the statue of menelaus supporting patroclus goes the spartans under the rule of the greek king menelaus were prepared to attack the trojans in a series of battles encompassed in the iconic trojan wars. Later in book 17 homer gives menelaus an extended aristeia as the hero retrieves the corpse of patroclus from the battlefield. The sculpture patroclus and menelaus of the loggia dei lanzi florence.

69 71 patroclus was then cremated on a funeral pyre which was covered in the hair of his sorrowful companions. The wars which had lasted up until this point came into being after zeus the king of the gods offered paris the son of. Menelaus is wounded in the abdomen and the fighting resumes. The eye is effortlessly drawn across this timelessly classic composition that spins the iliad s tale of a life lost to war.

At least fifteen roman marble copies of this sculpture are known. Menelaus supporting the body of patroclus is a marble sculpture so titled due to its apparent representation of an episode in the iliad featuring the characters menelaus and patroclus. Achilles did not allow the burial of patroclus body until the ghost of patroclus appeared and demanded his burial in order to pass into hades. Menelaus supporting the body of patroclus located in the loggia dei lanzi loggia della signoria piazza della signoria florence italy adjoining the uffizi gallery.

Marble flavian era 1st century ce roman copy after a hellenistic original of the 3rd century bce at the loggia dei lanzi in florence italy marble flavian era 1st century ce roman copy after a hellenistic original of the 3rd century bce at the loggia dei lanzi in florence italy. Menelaus bearing the corpse of patroclus. Artistically cast in bonded natural marble each nuance is visually rendered in this museum quality sculpt a masterpiece so fine that it was originally presented as a gift to pope pius v. Achilles retrieved his body which had been stripped of armor by hector and protected on the battlefield by menelaus and ajax.

The pasquino group also known as menelaus carrying the body of patroclus or ajax carrying the body of achilles is a group of marble sculptures that copy a hellenistic bronze original dating to ca. Photo about culture marble landmark antiquity armor ancient classicism europe menelaus.