Charioteer of Delphi
- Title:
- Charioteer of Delphi
- Collection:
- Cornell Cast Collection
- Creator:
- Unknown
- Photographer:
- Mericle, Danielle
- Date:
- ca. 1896-1910
478-470 BCE
- Site:
- Delphi, Greece (discovery site, 1896) (original)
- Location:
- Goldwin Smith Hall (west lobby, NE niche), Cornell University
Delphi, Greece (discovery site, 1896) (original) - ID Number:
- CCC_0688
- Accession Number:
- 672
- File Name:
- CCC_0688.tif
- Original Measurements:
- 180 (H) cm
- Culture:
- Greek
- Style/Period:
- Classical
- Work Type:
- casts (sculpture)
- Materials/Techniques:
- terracotta
bronze sculpture in the round (original) - Subject:
- Equestrians
Chariot racing - Image View Type:
- overall
- Image View Description:
- from side
- Measurement:
- 184 (with plinth) x 165 (without plinth) x 46.5 x 37 (centimeters, height x height x width x diameter)
- Description:
- This is a well-preserved terracotta cast of the nearly complete, life-sized bronze Charioteer from Delphi, a rare survival of a full-size bronze from the Greek Classical period. This figure was one of a larger statue group dedicated to Apollo by Polyzalos of Gela, a Sicilian tyrant, to commemorate his victory in the chariot races at Delphi in 478 and/or 474 BCE. The figure stands straight placing his weight on both bare feet. He turns his head slightly to his right and stares calmly but intently ahead. His short, curly hair is banded by a fillet. A long chiton that is belted above the waist and that billows slightly over the belt falls in long folds to just above the charioteer's ankles. He extends his right hand to hold reins. The bent remains of these can be seen on the original but are not included in this cast. As here, the original is missing his left arm from below the shoulder. This cast has been painted brown with added orange and green tones to reflect the current state of the bronze statue in the Delphi Museum. Additionally, the eyes have been painted to appear as the glass and stone inlays of the eyes of the original. Aside from its missing ring finger, the cast is in good condition. It underwent restorations in September 2010. The Charioteer was discovered in 1896 in the northwest area of the Sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi. This cast would have been added to Cornell's collection only after that date and is not listed in the Sage Collection catalog. It is noteworthy that this is a terracotta, instead of plaster, cast.
- Notes:
- Items in the Cornell Cast Collection are meant for inventory and reference purposes. Metadata may not be complete in all cases.
nos. 3484, 3520, 3540 - Bibliography:
- John Griffiths Pedley, Greek Art and Archaeology, 5th ed. (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2012) 234, fig. 7.41
Andrew Stewart, Greek Sculpture (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1990), 149, figs. 301-302 - Repository:
- Cornell University (current)
Delphi, Archaeological Museum (original) - Collecting Program:
- Cornell Collections of Antiquities
- Format:
- Image
- Rights:
- The images in the Cornell Collection of Antiquities: Casts are protected by copyright, and the copyright holders are their creators, generally Cornell University Library, Annetta Alexandridis, and Verity Platt. This collection of plaster casts owned by Cornell University was photographed by Cornell University Library, Alexandridis, Platt, and Andreya L. Mihaloew from 2010-2015, with funding from a Digital Collections in Arts and Sciences Grant to Annetta Alexandridis. Cornell is providing access to the materials for research and personal use. The written permission of any copyright and other rights holders is required for distribution, reproduction, or other use that extends beyond what is authorized by fair use and other statutory exemptions. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of an item and securing any necessary permissions ultimately rests with persons desiring to use the item. Please contact Annetta Alexandridis and Verity Platt for more information about this collection, or to request permission to use these images.