ancient statues in color

[Bill W4]

ancient statues in color   http://www.cnn.com/style/article/gods-in-color-ancient-world-polychromy/?iid=ob_article_organicsidebar_expansion&gallery=%2F%2Fcdn.cnn.com%2Fcnnnext%2Fdam%2Fassets%2F171121135833-reconstruction-c-of-a-crouching-lion-from-loutraki.jpg

[mix_val]

Interesting pictures.  The ancients would think it odd that we don't color our statues

[peterpil19]

Thanks for sharing,

To me, some look better in colour whilst others look like they belong at comic-con...

Peter

[esnible]

The museum itself has a web page for the exhibit at https://legionofhonor.famsf.org/exhibitions/gods-color-polychromy-ancient-world

Even better is this gigantic web brochure about the exhibition: http://buntegoetter.liebieghaus.de/en

[Aarmale]

A group from Yeshiva University were able to determine the colours on the images on the Arch of Titus in this way: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R40uHXbofwA

[David Atherton]

Thanks for the links everyone! Ancient Rome was apparently quite garish compared to our modern sensibilities. Luckily, they did not apply this to the coins we collect!

[David Atherton]

A group from Yeshiva University were able to determine the colours on the images on the Arch of Titus in this way: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R40uHXbofwA

The same University's reconstructed panel from the Arch of Titus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zj4ZMG6hpdI

[shanxi]

Interessting, but nevertheless I have some problems with this coloration.
The original statues are real works of art, antique paintings that still exist are real works of art.
One can expect that also the coloration of the statues was real art, but the colorations shown are at best good craftsmanship, some look as if only the primer has been applied.

[Robert_Brenchley]

What colours did they have that could be used on something standing outdoors like the Arch of Titus?

[SC]

The dyes (orche, madder, etc) were mixed with gypsum to make a waterproof stucco-like material.

SC

[esnible]

Without paint ancient sculptures look like masterpieces.

With paint they look like the worst form of amusement park decoration.  I suspect this is due to the strong, solid colors.  Today nothing is painted like this except the cheapest decorations.

I know that ancient Greek vases are painted with a limited set of colors.  I know this kind of color scheme is called "polychrome".  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polychrome .  Why does this new research indicate that the statues are made of flat colors and not realistic colors?

I have seen ancient Egyptian mummy paintings and they look as good as anything made in the 1800s.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fayum_mummy_portraits .  Why wouldn't the sculptures look as good, with realistic skin tones?

[Akropolis]

Well said, Ed. My feelings exactly. Once they use sophisticated tools to detect the approximate color, they should turn the job over to artists and use tints of nature, not out-of-the-tube shocking raw colors.......IMHO.
PeteB

[Molinari]

Apparently the terracotta warriors in China were all painted, too, but almost as soon as they were unearthed, the paint faded.  The archaeologists involved and Chinese government have partnered with Johnson & Johnson to develop some formula to preserve the colors.  Until they do so, any further excavations are on hold (at least this is what I was told on the tour in 2012).

[SC]

I agree that the statues look better white.  I also like bronzes when they have a green patina.  Though that is often done on purpose by a sculptor these days ancient bronzes were all meant to be shiny, just as many ancient statues were meant to be what we consider garish and "loud".

The fact we find them ugly and surprising is just testament to the fact that these cultures are 2500-1500 years old.  We think them just like us.  HBO's Rome makes them seem like us.  Even many of Cicero's or Pliny's writings make them seem like us.  But they are not.  All that time hides a lot of differences.

SC

[shanxi]

The fact we find them ugly and surprising is just testament to the fact that these cultures are 2500-1500 years old.  

I don`t think so. I am sure that a if a colored roman  statue will be found in the future, nobody will find it ugly.

Why?

All surviving paintings look still good or even beautiful to us.

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/a4/a5/6b/a4a56b17f116ac0c5276ad3f74b03a9c--life-and-death-british-museum.jpg

http://ancientrome.ru/art/artwork/paint/rom/p0007.jpg


Also the still colorful mosaics are adorable pieces of art:

http://www.numismatikforum.de/download/file.php?id=129985&mode=view


The best example for a colored statue or bust is Nofretete. Defintely not ugly at all 

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Nofretete_Neues_Museum.jpg


Even if you take in account that Nofretetes colors were originaly more intense, the difference to the modern coloration is like the difference between ancient coins and cheap tourist fakes.





(Another, less serious modern addition to ancient statues: https://www.designboom.com/art/hipsters-in-stone-leo-caillard-08-11-2017/)

[Roma_Orbis]

(Another, less serious modern addition to ancient statues: https://www.designboom.com/art/hipsters-in-stone-leo-caillard-08-11-2017/)

Amazing work on these ! But I feel these classical gods and goddesses just seem to lament themselves to have to wear those mortal attires, and their grandeur is all the more obvious.

Jérôme

[Roma_Orbis]

Reminds me of the 'Venus in a bikini' from Pompei. Gilding, red paint (tree, hair), glass paste (for eyes), gold earrings ...
http://cir.campania.beniculturali.it/museoarcheologiconazionale/thematic-views/image-gallery/RA49?set_language=en

Jérôme

[Bill W4]

another in color, who knows.   http://c7.nrostatic.com/sites/default/files/arch-recreation.jpg