high relief marble sculpture created upper sculpted likely direction feet original feet survives percent rest known drawings attributed french artist thirteen years venetian bombardment ruined temple present majority london forming major largest proportion rest athens remainder fragments shared institutions casts found archive oxford construction life informs man directed projects supervision said charge owing friendship artists description term usually given creative influence building project claim evidence known work central role building programme attributed authorship consists figures animals meters length complete meter height projects forward maximum depth composed blocks average meters length depicting parallel files procession particular novelty carries expected temple judging existence east wall innovation introduced late building process replaced placed marble transported athens persistent question carved channel high served access sculptor finishing heads feet relief guide strip best evidence blocks carved wall additionally practical grounds easier sculptor sculpture place potentially edges information workshop estimates range basis style suggests grounds number necessary produce work time given finished metal detailing painted colour survives background blue judging comparison grave paint remnants possibly figures held objects rendered paint laurel hand drill holes found heads indicate bronze probably crowned gods system numbering blocks dates adolf work revised scheme light recent discoveries convention preserved blocks numbered roman figures arabic figures numbered left right direction procession north west south description narrative begins southwest corner procession appears divide separate files west procession instead preparatory stages participants figure marshal dressing followed men preparing horses figure suggested engaged enrollment knights ambiguous figure protesting owner rejected horse herald hand held lost trumpet way point marks beginning procession proper following ranks horsemen constitute divided lines ranks number attic tribes youths exception wear dress fur cap patterned high boots identified horse armed passenger south north passengers depicted taken represent participants ceremonial race found equestrian parade end following figures north south taken elders athens judging hair attribute distinguished age classical art figures raise right hand fist gesture suggestive pose associated olive branch older men chosen good looks competition drill holes exist branch inserted hands line musicians variant flute players water vessel carriers men girls mentioned literature animals altar cows north cows sheep south meant sacrifice presumably abbreviated form usually offered occasion rhythm cows files converge east encounter women carry instruments including wine case evidently handed marshal making girl groups problematic left right count figures group taken eponymous heroes gave names tribes proximity gods indicates importance selecting differently officials managed procession insufficient evidence determine interpretation correct seated gods taken taller figure arranged groups common forms ancient furniture exception backs turned culminating event procession figures children adults badly children left probably girls girls bear objects heads probably boy assists adult folding piece cloth usually understood presentation style defining monument style attic sculpture stands gradual eclipse severe style witnessed evolution style exemplified sources designer drew hard gauge certainly large scale narrative art familiar 5th century painting overall work design differences opposing sides suggested scholars possibility designer pattern influence greater nudity north south distribution figures greatly different east widely spaced west east north generally exhibit greater innovation evidence frequency greek artists seen collaborate led existence designers working sculpture admit possibility later designer comparing competing earlier explain changes composition period discovery expressive possibilities human body greater freedom poses gestures increased attention observed figures partially noticeable ease compared eye joints veins careful important innovation style use expression motion suggest body beneath archaic early classical sculpture clothing fell body curtain form horsemen multi women surface movement tension static poses variation horses particular interest scholars attempting artistic personalities far analysis conclusion interpretation description survives antiquity question meaning sculpture persistent unresolved published attempt interpretation belongs 15th century referred victories athens time orthodox view piece depicts greater procession gate stuart second volume athens subsequent interpretations largely built theory temple sculpture represent contemporary event mythological historical recent years alternative thesis depicts founding myth city athens instead festival emerged contention scene document festival problems later sources indicate number classes individual performed role procession present include allies league umbrella female male portrayed slaves ship suggest evidence accounted meant generic image religious festival problematic temple sculpture depicts contemporary event involving locating scene mythical historical time principal difficulty line inquiry suggested cavalry portray fell marathon riders took pre war greater support points number horsemen passengers comes number gives dead equally suggestive reference persian war similarity scholars noted sculpture variously democratic athens counter posing oriental aristocratic athens argument contention embodies manifesto cultural institutions contests witnessed sacrifices military training number democratic virtues recent scholarship pursuing vein site ideological tension elite demos aristocracy present merely reference tribes shield illustrate mythological past gods observing east natural reach mythological explanation ventured relief shows procession instituted mythical king explanation account absence allies ship post date original practice rite evidence offers future king presenting predecessor similar boy depiction recent interpretation identifies central scene east door focal point procession handing daughter preparation sacrifice life interpretation suggested text remains life demanded order save city gods turn backs prevent pollution sight death contentious subject field solution problem meaning poses problems answers influence earliest surviving works art exhibit traces influence belong media painting grave find echo motifs themes poses tenor direct imitation quotation begins pronounced example explicit copy attributed youth parking horse exactly manner figure paintings resemble cluster quote nearer end century giving evidence priority program accomplished painters found inspiration sculpture group especially late work later painters talent managed capture mood thoughtful procession example sacrifice apollo shares quiet dignity best high classical sculpture impact sought attic relief sculpture late 5th century resonance discovered degree public works imagery seated gods respectively likely owes debt traces found private commissions grave period example cat bears distinct similarity figures figure relief known roman copy later art roman eras looked inspiration attested pieces generation
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