This is one of the most disappointing things I’ve learned all year — ancient Greek statues were probably extremely tacky when they were first erected. Accroding to i09, “Original Greek statues were brightly painted, but after thousands of years, those paints have worn away.” Scientists have used ultraviolet-light techniques to get a picture of what these statues originally looked like…and it’s jarringly gaudy.
Here’s a technical explanation:
Infrared and X-ray spectroscopy can help researches understand what the paints are made of, and how they looked all that time ago. Spectroscopy relies on the fact that atoms are picky when it comes to what kind of incoming energy they absorb. Certain materials will only accept certain wavelengths of light. Everything else they reflect. Spectroscopes send out a variety of wavelengths, like scouts into a foreign land. Inevitably, a few of these scouts do not come back. By noting which wavelengths are absorbed, scientists can determine what materials the substance is made of. Infrared helps determine organic compounds. X-rays, because of their higher energy level, don’t stop for anything less than the heavier elements, like rocks and minerals. Together, researchers can determine approximately what color a millennia-old statue was painted.
I’ve always loved the look of ancient Greek statues, but these colored ones look more Las Vegas than Athens. Bummer.
@ Rpad
I completely understand you on this one man. I am infatuated with that time period and to see how they really looked just ruined history for me, however it did open me up to another revelation. When I think about ancient Rome and Greece my thoughts tend to be in black and white like the pictures in history books but to see these statues in color makes my brain twist with thoughts like how did people react to the unveiling of the statues and things of that nature. Its mind boggling for me and really makes me appreciate the human species ability to create beauty, shock and awe, thousands of years later, despite our collective destructive qualities.
@Ray
While I also must admit they do not look as cool now as they did before, I can't say I'm really too shocked. These cultures were a little gaudy and extravagant, and statues like this actually seem to fit these cultures well for how they actually were (as opposed to how we perceive them after years of movies and television showing us otherwise).
@ BSU
Im glad you touched upon that topic and I agree with you.
I see it as bringing the most life they could to these in animate objects. Think about it, they didn't have cameras let alone games and movies. This was their art. Also, color palettes weren't as awesome as they became come the time of the renaissance. It makes sense.
Smart, artistic people… with limited capabilities.
been to both athens and corinth…yeah, they were totally gay (just like dirtfoot)
their art was HEAVILY influenced by the Egyptians. Loud and garish color schemes were the norm for the egyptians, so early greek and byzantine art simply borrowed that idea and tried to improve on the concept. Its new to me though, simply because i didnt quite anticipate the level of tack that im seeing here. These guys outdid even the pharaohs, thats hard to do.
I believe the sphinx was also once polychromatic..think i read that somewhere
Thundercracker beat me to the gay part! It fits.
the first statue actually resembles comedian eddie izzard–maybe its just the lipstick
@thundercracker So that's an ancient Greek executive transvestite?