Unidentified sculptor, Amazon fighting with a Greek and wounded Amazon supported by companion.

Amazon fighting with a Greek and wounded Amazon supported by companion., c. 420-400 B.C.

After Unidentified sculptor

RA Collection: Art

Plaster cast of a carved marble block from the South side of the continuous frieze of the Temple of Apollo Epikourios at Bassae, in the British Museum.

This cast shows a scene from the “Heraklean Amazonomachy”. On the left, an Amazon wearing a short peplos and a mantle draped over her arm and back rushes towards a Greek. The Greek wears an exomis and a cloak, his right arm raised holding a sword. To the right, a wounded Amazon who has sunk to the ground is supported by a companion.

The Temple of Apollo Epikourios ('Apollo the Helper') at Bassae (Phigalia) in southwest Arcadia, Greece was built between 420-400 BC by the architect Iktinos. A sculpted Ionic frieze of 23 slabs ran around the interior of the main room (cella) of the temple. It showed three battle scenes, the Trojan Amazonomachy, the Herakleian Amazonmachy, and the Centauromachy.

In the summer of 1811 Carl Haller and R.C. Cockerell noticed these panels by chance, supposedly while peering down a fox hole. Haller returned to excavate in 1812. In 1814, the British Museum purchased all of the slabs. Under the direction of Richard Westmacott RA in 1816, the Royal Academy commissioned casts of the complete frieze. Sixteen of the 23 casts are still today at the Academy.

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Object details

Title

Amazon fighting with a Greek and wounded Amazon supported by companion.

From

After Unidentified sculptor

Cast made by

Royal Academy of Arts

From

The Bassae Sculptures; The Phigaleian Frieze.

Date

c. 420-400 B.C.

Object type

Cast Sculpture

Medium

Plaster cast

Dimensions

725 mm x 1450 mm x 170 mm

Collection

Royal Academy of Arts

Object number

03/1969

Acquisition

Made in-house

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