Art

Statue of a Wounded Amazon and Statue of an Old (Market) Woman
Walking through the hallowed halls of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, one cannot help but be amazed at the breadth and quantity of sculptures that fill its many floors. But of all those sculptures, one cannot help but feel a sense of amazement at the life-like qualities of those created by Greek and Roman artists. Marble in medium, these works of art are the products of a culture surrounded by myth and an appreciation of the human anatomy. For this paper, I shall focus on two of these works, The Marble Statue of the a Wounded Amazon and The Marble Statue of an Old (Market) Woman, whilst applying a critical eye in analyzing the form and function of the pieces.

Unlike the second statue, which we will be discussed in-depth later, The Marble Statue of a Wounded Amazon obviously echoes the Romans fascination with Greek mythology and style. A Roman copy of a Greek, bronze original, it stands at 80  inches and as made 1st-2nd century A.D., though the original Greek work is dated at 450-425 B.C. Brought to life is a depiction of an Amazon, a mythological race of women warriors from Cappadocia. Considered a threat by many Greek polis, particularly that of Athens which they have supposedly conquered for a short time, these women were fought by Greek heroes of great renown such as Hercules and Achilles (Snider n.d.). According to the website of The Met (2010), scholars believe that the statue was once an entry into a competition for the creation of an Amazon sculpture for the temple of Artemis back in the mid-fifth century B.C.

The statue is shown standing up, one arm with a missing hand resting on a pillar and the other placed high above her hand in a position usually associated with either sleep or death (Metropolitan Museum of Art 2010). It is also important to note the intricacy of the lines depicted by the toga as if falls carelessly from the body of the warrior. This clearly shows the craftsmanship of the artist and his understanding of the importance of movement in sculptures. At first glance one wouldnt think of a warrior in battle, but a small bleeding gash under her right breast and a broken strap from her toga implies that she had come from fighting.

But despite a notion of Amazonian women as hard-hitting and brutish, this statue, on the other hand, oozes with quiet femininity, with its sinuous lines and soft curves that can sometimes denote vulgarity and sexuality. And despite having come from battle, there is simplicity with the facial features, almost bordering on stoicism, which is the trend among Greek statues (Metropolitan Museum of Art 2010). Overall, we can imply that the statue depicts the strength and resilience of the Amazon warrior, that despite being badly wounded, she has risen above her plight with quiet serenity. Created to surround the walls of Artemis temple, it is an idyllic representation of what this goddess exemplifies ferocity and chastity (Coffey 1998).

Looking now at the second marble statue, we can assume that it is a depiction of daily Greek life. Dating from A.D. 14-68, during the Early Imperial Julio-Claudian period of Roman history, it is just 49 58 inches or 125.98 centimeters in height and like the previous statue, it is a Roman copy of a Greek work dating from the second century B.C. The statue depicts an elderly woman, hunched over, carrying a basket of fruit and birds that, we assume, are offerings to be made at one of the many temples found in the ancient world. There is also much attention placed on the garment based on the intricacy of the drapery. But, unlike the first statue whose marble surface is smoothened, great detail is placed the depictions of the anatomy that one can almost see the lines of the muscles and the clavicle as it protrudes from the statues marble skin.

It is also important to note that the woman is freely dressed in a thin garb and sandals. She is also wearing a crown of ivy on her hair, a clear association to the Dionysiac cult. According to legend, women make-up the primary retinue of Dionysus (Otto 175), making this statue a representation of the workings of this cult. Her garment also lends insight into her involvement with this cult. According to the website, older women are given more leeway in terms of their actions, and symbolize the kind of freedom they have from usual gender-related restrictions. At the same time the loose, provocative outfit can also be associated with the unrestrained erotic sensuality that defines Dionysus and his sect. Bearing this in mind, it is now easy to assume why the statue was partially destroyed, with the arms hacked-off and the face chipped. In a time of changing religions, the statue represents paganism and debauchery, two qualities that rising Christianity hoped to repress or eliminate.

It is evident that both statues have similarities and differences. Both are Roman copies of Greek statues, thus providing evidence of the ability of the Romans to adopt the best aspects of civilizations they have conquered, particularly their interest in Greek humanities and art. Both date from the Imperial period of Roman history where the art of creating sculptures was at its height. But, they also differ in height, in the state of their dressing, and the emotion that they depicted. But most importantly, they differ in the aspects of life they are portraying. The first statue focuses on the mythology of Greece and how it translates to art. The second focuses on the daily life of Greek citizens, as imbibed by the Roman population, through its cultural and religious aspects as observed through the liberties and restrictions experience by its women. But, overall, the two statues shed light on how Rome has come to assimilate Greek culture, its ideologies and beliefs, and how they have come to treasure it as their own.

Yet, despite these various similarities and differences, both statues can stand on their own as testaments to the talent that could be found in the ancient world. The cultures that they come from have been, and will continue to be, a source of inspiration to countless generations and countries. This is the true purpose of both statues, and the legacy they have left behind.