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On a Bronze Leg from Italy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 December 2013

Extract

Of the bronze fragment which forms the subject of Pl. LXIX., and which has been recently acquired for the British Museum, this only is certain: that it is the right leg of an armed figure in motion. With a few fragments of drapery it is, unfortunately, all that remains of a statue of heroic size: there is therefore ample room for speculation as to its subject and action. The leg is armed in a greave, and the pieces of drapery bordered with one of the forms of the Greek fret incised and originally inlaid with silver, must, from the character of the folds, have belonged to the skirt of a short chiton, such as was worn under armour. The figure was therefore that of a hero in full armour, and that it was in motion is sufficiently indicated by the fluttering movement of the pieces of drapery.

It will be well to introduce here some notes which Mr. Murray was kind enough to send to me, and which were a most valuable assistance to me in the preparation of this paper:—

I will offer one or two observations regarding the bronze leg recently acquired for the British Museum from M. Piot in Paris.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies 1886

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References

page 190 note 1 Olymp. 65, see Pausanias vi. 10, 2 and compare v. 8, 3.

page 190 note 2 See Oinochoe in Brit. Mus. engraved, Mittheil. d. Inst. in Athen, 1880, pl. 13.

page 190 note 3 See Kylix in Brit. Mus. signed by painter Pheidippos and potter Hischylos.

page 190 note 4 Engraved Mon. dell' Inst. Arch. x. pl. 48e fig. 3.

page 192 note 1 After reading the above remarks at the meeting of the Hellenic Society, it was suggested to me that the statue may have represented a hero mounting a chariot; in that case the left leg would be raised with the foot on the chariot, and he would be standing with the right foot on the ground just going to spring upwards. The action of the muscles would correspond very well with this intention.