Four Horse Chariot in Front of Altar

Alternative Title

Siphnian Treasury South Frieze, Fragment M, Rape of Leucippidae

Creator

• Unknown

Files

Publisher

Saskia, Ltd., Cultural Documentation

Publication Date

1966

Time Period

circa 530-525 BCE

Abstract

Overall view from front center

Keywords

Greek High Archaic period, Sculpture (Visual works), Reliefs (Sculptures), Friezes (Entablature components)

Alt Text

A stone relief depicting two horses and a chariot wheel, with intricate detailing on the animals' bodies and harnesses. The carving is part of an architectural element, possibly from an ancient structure.

Extent

1 color photograph

Geographic Location

Greece; Delphoi (Greece); Treasury of Siphnos (Delphi)

Rights

This material is licensed by USF Libraries for the research and teaching needs of USF students, staff, and faculty only. See: https://lib.usf.edu/collections-and-discovery/collection-management/user-terms/

Access Restrictions

Only thumbnail images and descriptive information are available to non-USF users. Full access to this collection is available only to authorized users on the USF network on campus or via VPN.

Media Type

Color photographs

Format

Digital Only

Note

This relief fragment, attributed to the Siphnian Treasury at Delphi, Greece, depicts a chariot team before an altar. It would have been included in a frieze, with the structure surrounded by these reliefs. This piece derives from the South Frieze and is known as Fragment M. The larger scene was discovered with missing parts, so the story is not complete for modern viewers. The spaces between these portions would have seemed less empty in antiquity with the addition of painted details such as reins, but the effect would still be one of a procession passing in front of a solid wall. Four large fragments preserve the full height of the slabs. The chariot teams provide a sense of depth with the horses placed in an overlapping manner, with each carved in a slightly more recessive plane. The reliance on the profile view, however, does limit this depth. The modeling is shallow, with subtle detail, paying attention to the surface treatment of the marble. This work is currently held at the Delphi Archaeological Museum, Greece.

Identifier

A01-JGC0381

Recommended Citation

Unknown, "Four Horse Chariot in Front of Altar" (1966). Art and Art History Collection (Saskia). 407.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/saskia/407