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| Collection: | | Corinth | | Type: | | Object | | Name: | | T 24 | | Title: | | MOUNTED AMAZON ATTACKING GREEK BENT OVER SHIELD | | Category: | | Miscellaneous | | Category Code: | | T | | Object Number: | | 24 | | Description: | | A mounted Amazon attacks a nude Greek who is kneeling in a woebegone state over his shield, which has flipped around to a backward, defenseless position. The Amazon's horse rears on its back legs and seems about to bring his forelegs down on the Greek's head (though he would miss it slightly). His short mane rises in shorts tufts at the top of his head, and provides a border to the pleasing curve of the neck, which is gracefully modelled, quite different from the horse in T-23, Mus. 3. The top of his head is delicately modelled. The bridle straps are joined by round buttons; the left rein loops back in very low relief, while the right runs along the bottom of the neck. Two small shallow holes lie above the right bridle button. A diagonal chip lies below them. It is difficul to believe that anything could be attached by means of them, and their purpose remains unknown. The horse's body is competently rendered. His right foreleg is broken at the knee; the attachment for the hoof is probably indicated by the strut in front of the Greek's helmet. The left foreleg is missing from the withers to the fetlock which, with the hoof, is depicted in low relief above nad left of the Greek's helmet. The right rear leg is broken just below the haunch and appears to extend back; a break, behind the left hoof, may indicate where the right hoof came to rest on the plinth. The curving tail, which is smartly arched, is rendered in low relief, and ends flush with the left border of the block. The Amazon's head was 3/4 right, as the break shows. Part of her long hair remains on either side. Her left arm is forward to hold the horse's reins. Her right arm stretches back from the body presumably to hold her spear. The break on the horse's haunch is very likely where her hand rested; the break across her right thigh may very well indicate the direction of the long spear which she seems to have directed at the Greek's head. She carries no shield. Her right arm is a bit large. Her right nude breast is chipped; the left is gently rounded and covered by ridged folds of the light chiton. Her chitoniskos, as usual, is fastened only over her left shoulder, leaving the right arm free. She appears to wear a short sleeve on her left arm. The top border of the garment is folded back and hangs down on her right over the waist band; the border falls open on the right. A belt is tied in a double knot directly under the bust. The skirt falls loosely to the knees. It is arranged in shallow ridged folds from her left shoulder to the top of the thights, from which point it flares out into deeper folds which curve away from her right thigh and create an interesting play of light and shadow. The abdomen and thigh are neatly accented by the action of the drapery. The ends of the deep folds are chipped away, but appear under cut by the running drill. The right leg is broken and chipped around the knee, but the break indicates that it was held back. A strut before the horse's left rear leg may show the attachment of her foot. The left leg is not represented. The nude Greek kneels in mute despair over his useless shield and makes no attempt at defense. He wears a Corinthian helmet, the left front of which is chipped. The tail of its crest falls down the back and onto his shoulders. The shield is tilted from the background at top to the front edge of the plinth at bottom. A small bit of hair protrudes from his helmet; he wars a moustache and a full beard, roughly finished. His forehead is smooth, his brows unfurrowed as he stares expressionless at his inactive hand. His nose is straight, his cheeks lightly modelled, his eye, medium set, has lids of even thickness. His left shoulder is chipped; a heavy arm rests in his shield strap grasps the rim strap. His back defines a pleasing curve; his torso appears short in proportion to the size of his arms and legs. A wide shallow groove runs down the center of his back; the waist is strongly indented, the bulge over the iliac crest moderate. Treatment of the buttocks is delicate. Most of the genitals remain. The knees are bent together on the inside of the plinth, parallel to the background. The toes are supported by the plinth at its right edge, so that the heels hang over ca. 1 cm. One wonders how the block was positioned on the scene without them being knocked off. The plinth is not broken at this point, but curves left. The inner or proper right thigh is depicted ahead of the outer leg on our left, and slightly behind it to our right. The spectator is supposed to have only 1 view at a time, and not look at him straight on. The right calf is rendered above the left, though the right foot is not present. Both figures seem to be finished on all sides, except in hidden areas, such as under the horse's head, or at the Greek's knee. Both figures fill the available space. | | Mythology: | | Amazonomachy | | Material: | | White, fine-grained marble. | | Condition: | | Fragment. 13 joining fragments. Complete except for Amazon's head, rt. lower arm and hand, legs, horse's head, most of legs, parts of Greek's shield, parts of background and plinth. Restored: part of horse's rear lt. leg, half of plinth, background. | | Manufacture: | | Background - claw and flat chisels; plinth - claw and point; reverse - rought picked. | | Period: | | 2nd c. A.C. | | Chronology: | | 2nd quarter of 2nd c. A.C. according to Corinth IX p.4-5 | | Bibliography: | | Sturgeon, 1977, Corinth IX.2 A 5-1 | | Site: | | Corinth | | City: | | Ancient Corinth | | Country: | | Greece | | References: | | Image: bw 8712
Image: bw 8757
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