The horse and the jockey from Artemision: a bronze equestrian monument of the Hellenic period

Anyone who visits the National Archaeological Museum in Athens will vividly recall its centrepiece, the Horse and Jockey bronzes that were recovered in pieces from the sea off Artemision in 1928 and 1936. Bronze sculptures were popular throughout the Hellenistic world, the most famous being the Colossus of Rhodes, but very few survive today and the majority of those that do come from shipwrecks. The Horse and Jockey is one of the best to survive and forms the focus of this well-illustrated and informative study. Combining `a technical, stylistic, and iconographic examination of the bronzes with a careful assessment of the archaeological, epigraphic, literary, and iconographic evidence for horse racing', the volume discusses the rescue of the bronzes off northern Euboia, their initial condition and restoration before describing and analysing each part of the horse and its young jockey in turn. Hemingway considers the construction of the sculpture in detail, making comparison with similar examples, and assesses attempts by scholars during the last seventy years to date the bronzes and identify their purpose. Art historians have suggested that the bronzes depict a hunting or battle scene but Hemingway sides with those who interpret it as a representation of horse racing, `the most prestigious and splendid of all Greek sports'. The book concludes with Helen Andreopolou-Mangou's chemical analysis and metallographic examination of the bronzes. Annotation This Will Be The Definitive Study Of The History, Cultural Context, And Artistic Composition Of One Of The Very Few Surviving Hellenistic Bronze Sculptures, That Of A Horse And Jockey From Artemision. Annotation In 1928, And Again In 1937, Parts Of A Large-scale Bronze Horse And Nearly Complete Jockey Were Recovered From The Sea Off Cape Artemision In Greece, Where They Went Down In A Shipwreck. These Original Hellenistic Sculptures, Known Together As The Horse And Jockey Group From Artemision, Are Among The Very Few Surviving Bronze Sculptures From Antiquity. Sean Hemingway Has Been Allowed By The National Museum In Athens To Investigate The Horse And Jockey Statuary Group As No One Ever Has Before, And In This Book, Combining Archaeological And Art Historical Methods Of Investigation, He Provides The First In-depth Study Of This Rare And Beautiful Monument. New Technical Analyses Of The Statues By Helen Andreopoulou-mangou Form An Appendix To The Volume. Hemingway Begins With An Introduction To Hellenistic Bronze Statuary. He Then Recounts With Riveting Detail The Discovery And Painstaking Restoration Of The Statue Group, Describing The Technique Of Its Creation And Carefully Reviewing Scholarly Knowledge And Speculation About It. He Also Provides A Valuable Compendium Of What Is Known About Ancient Greek Horse Racing, The Most Prestigious And Splendid Of All Greek Sports. His Study Will Become The Definitive Resource On This Unique Sculpture From Ancient Greece. 1. Hellenistic Bronze Statuary : An Introduction -- 2. An Early Underwater Rescue Excavation -- 3. Technical Analysis -- 4. Questions Of Style And Identification -- 5. Ancient Greek Horse Racing -- 6. Conclusions -- App. Chemical Analysis And Metallographic Examination / Helen Andreopoulou-mangou. Séan Hemingway. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 191-209) And Index. In 1928, and again in 1937, parts of a large-scale bronze horse and nearly complete jockey were recovered from the sea off Cape Artemision in Greece, where they had gone down in a shipwreck. These original Hellenistic sculptures, known together as the'Horse and Jockey Group from Artemision,'are among the very few surviving bronze sculptures from antiquity. Seán Hemingway has been allowed by the National Museum in Athens to investigate the horse and jockey statuary group as no one ever has before, and in this book, combining archaeological and art historical methods of investigation, he provides the first in-depth study of this rare and beautiful monument. New technical analyses of the statues by Helen Andreopoulou-Mangou form an appendix to the volume.Hemingway begins with an introduction to Hellenistic bronze statuary and what we know about this extraordinary class of ancient sculpture. He then recounts with riveting detail the discovery and painstaking restoration of the statue group, describing the technique of its creation and carefully reviewing scholarly knowledge and speculation about it. He also provides a valuable compendium of what is known about ancient Greek horse racing, the most prestigious and splendid of all Greek sports. After a full consideration of all the available evidence, he speculates further about the work's original meaning and function. His study provides a glimpse of the excellence achieved by Hellenistic bronze sculptors, and it will become the definitive resource on this unique sculpture from ancient Greece. "In 1928, and again in 1937, parts of a large-scale bronze horse and nearly complete jockey were recovered from the sea off Cape Artemision in Greece, where they had gone down in a shipwreck. These original Hellenistic sculptures, known together as the "Horse and Jockey Group from Artemision," are among the very few surviving bronze sculptures from antiquity. Sean Hemingway has been allowed by the National Museum in Athens to investigate the horse and jockey statuary group as no one ever has before, and in this book, combining archaeological and art historical methods of investigation, he provides the first in-depth study of this rare and beautiful monument. New technical analyses of the statues, by Helen Andreopoulou-Mangou, form an appendix to the volume." "Hemingway begins with an introduction to Hellenistic bronze statuary and what we know about this extraordinary class of ancient sculpture. He then recounts the discovery and painstaking restoration of the statue group, describing the technique of its creation and carefully reviewing scholarly knowledge and speculation about it. He also provides a valuable compendium of what is known about ancient Greek horse racing, the most prestigious and splendid of all Greek sports. After a full consideration of all the available evidence, he speculates further about the work's original meaning and function. His study provides a glimpse of the excellence achieved by Hellenistic bronze sculptors, and it will become a resource on this unique sculpture from ancient Greece."--BOOK JACKET. List of Illustrations Preface 1. Hellenistic Bronze Statuary: An Introduction 2. An Early Underwater Rescue Excavation 3. Technical Analysis 4. Questions of Style and Identification 5. Ancient Greek Horse Racing 6. Conclusions Appendix: Chemical Analysis of the Horse and Jockey Group from Artemision in the National Archaeological Museum, Athens, by Helen Andreopoulou-Mangou Notes Bibliography Index Hellenistic sculptures are powerful in their immediacy and vivid portrayals, be they of men, women, heroes, gods, or beasts.