Poseidon of Melos

Frontal view of the statue in its current location in room 30 of NAMA ( in the background)

The Poseidon of Melos is a statue of Poseidon in the National Archaeological Museum, Athens (NAMA), with the inventory number 235, which is dated to the last quarter of the second century BC.

The statue was found in 1877 on the island of Melos. It is made of Parian marble and has a height of 2.35 metres, which makes it more than lifesize. The statue was found in several pieces, which have been reattached to one another. Portions of the left foot and of the himation are modern recreations. Parts of the nose, beard and hair are missing.

The sea god is depicted naked to the waist in an awe-inspiring pose, with his muscular right arm raised, probably in order to hold a trident (now lost). His himation hangs around his hips, covering his legs and genitals; he holds it in place at his side with his left hand. His back is also partially covered; a bit of cloth lies, mysteriously suspended, on his left shoulder. His weight rests on his right leg, his left leg is left free. The musculature of his arms and his body generally are very finely worked. The head is slightly tilted to the left and his gaze is directed into the distance. There is a dlphin behind the statue to the right, which serves as an additional support for the weight of the statue. The pose is a standard one for Poseidon, Zeus and Hades.

Bibliography

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Statue of Poseidon in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens.

Nikolaos Kaltsas: Sculpture in the National Archaeological Museum, Athens, The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles 2002 ISBN 0-89236-686-9, p. 290

Major exhibits at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens

Antikythera Ephebe Antikythera mechanism Aphrodite and Pan Artemision Bronze Aritacata tomb Atalante Hermes Daidala Diadumenos Dipylon inscription Funerary naiskos of Aristonautes Jockey of Artemision Kroisos Kouros Lemnos stele Marathon Boy Mask of Agamemnon Myrtis Nestor's Cup Ninnion Tablet Phrasikleia Kore Pitsa panels Poseidon of Milos Sounion Kouros Statue of a Nereid Themis of Rhamnous Theseus Ring The Harp Player The Lutist Varvakeion Athena Warrior Vase

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 5/1/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.