We visited the new New Acropolis Museum after touring the site. This is an amazing building and exhibit. As you enter from the outside, you realize that the museum itself is built upon the excavation of an older part of the city (which continues to be an active dig). The floor in the museum is clear, so that you can see the former tower, houses and travelways of the old city. The piece de resistance of the museum was the top floor with a clear view of the Parthenon. The entire top floor is the frieze that is supposed to surround the top of the Parthenon. Some of it is present in the museum, other parts are lost to history, and a major portion of the frieze exists in the British Museum (thanks to Lord Elgin).
I suspect many of you are aware of the legal battle going on between Greece and England for the return of what Elgin took to Greece. As Christos, our King guide, noted, "The English use the argument that the frieze portions are in London for safe keeping, and the New Acropolis Museum exhibit (with recreations of the portions held by the British Museum holding the place until the elements might be returned) is the answer to that claim. The safe-keeping in Greece is ready and waiting."
Among the sad realities of some of the frieze portions is the damage done to the pieces by the Christian community that took over after paganism died out. Some of the beautiful sculptures are worn down to nothing. It is understandable that the early Christian worshipers in the Parthenon would have transformed the space into their own style. Unfortunately, they destroyed some wonderful art work. It is interesting, as well, that not all of the portions were damaged. What criteria was used to preserve or deface certain pieces? What makes a site holy? Or profane? Interesting.
We moved onto the Athens subway which you would not think is a major historical site, but in Greece, it sure is. As they built the subway, they unearthed parts of the former city and in many of the subways, they have exhibits of what was found: grave stones, oil lamps, jars, etc. Along the wall of the subway stop we visited, they had a time line of the various layers of earth that were removed, what time each layer represents, and what they found there. I would think commuting would be given a different flavor with such exhibits.
Finally, we visited the Benakis home and Emmanuel Benakis' extensive collection donated by his son Antonis. It was unbelievable. It makes the Frick look like a popsicle stand. There is art from every era. A wonderful collection of icons and Greek paintings, work from El Greco, and extensive Greek heritage pieces (clothing, jewelry, rooms, sculpture, paintings, and a major selection of items that honor the Greek independence begun in 1821.
One interesting note was that Benakis worked in Egypt and had a number of paintings done by Egyptians that were placed with the dead as a way to remember them. Some scholars believe this may have been an influence to the early icon writing of the Greek Orthodox tradition. Again, many influences, connections, and outcomes.
Olympic Stadium of 1896
Hadrian's Arch
The rock adjacent the Acroplis from which Paul preached the Athenians
Benakis Museum artwork
No comments:
Post a Comment