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Elgin Marbles (Parthenon Sculptures)
by Ancient Greek (Unknown), -438
Artwork Details
Details
- Year
- -438
- Medium
- Pentelic marble
- Size
- Various; frieze sections up to 106 m long
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Ancient Greek The Parthenon Sculptures, often called the Elgin Marbles, include about half the surviving decoration from the Parthenon temple in Athens. Carved around 438 BCE under the direction of Phidias, they represent the high point of Classical Greek art. The collection includes metopes depicting battles, a frieze showing the Panathenaic procession, and pedimental sculptures of gods.
Lord Elgin removed these sculptures between 1801-1812 when Greece was under Ottoman rule. The British government purchased them in 1816. Greece has campaigned for their return since independence. The marbles remain among the most contested cultural objects in the world. They're displayed in a purpose-built gallery at the British Museum, where millions view them annually. The debate over repatriation continues to this day.
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About Elgin Marbles (Parthenon Sculptures)
The Elgin Marbles are sculptures from the Parthenon temple in Athens, removed by Lord Elgin in the early 1800s. They include frieze sections, metopes, and pedimental figures carved around 438 BCE.
Greece has requested their return since 1832, arguing they were improperly removed during Ottoman occupation. The British Museum maintains they were legally acquired and are better preserved in London.
The sculptures were created under Phidias, the greatest sculptor of Classical Athens. Multiple skilled craftsmen worked under his direction to complete the temple's elaborate decoration.
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