A while back a significant photographer of contemporary Thessaloniki (his impressive photoblog is HERE) kindly contacted me to bring to my attention and offer me an amazing set of photographs of a house on 34 Euzonon Str. in Thessaloniki.
I kept them in store all this time, always hoping to do more justice to this impressive material through extensive research having the ambition to identify the artist and learn more about the owner, explore their source of inspiration and the story they're trying to tell.
Somehow I could never find the time, so I decided to post the pictures anyway for all of you to enjoy.
I limit my remarks to these points.
- The house bears an inscription under the pediment "K.I. ΜΗΤΤΑΣ 1920". K. Μήττας is the name of its owner who is said to have fought in the Macedonian Struggle.
- The curved pediment depicts a Gigantomacy involving an extensive number of persons - I think I counted 26 human heads. I could not detect an exact parallel for this depiction of the Gigantomacy, though similarities with the Pergamon Altar Gigantomachy may be discerned.
- Athena is the central figure of the scene with Apollo (?) to her right holding a bow. The bearded figure on lower right of Athena with arm raised maybe the Giant Typhoeus.
- In the corners of the pediment parts of chariots are portrayed. One the right-hand one a Macedonian star is visible.
- The artist is especially interested in depicting large spears with arrow-like heads.
- The whole scene seems to be made of gypsum.
Central part of pediment
Left part of pediment
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On a niche below the wall with the pediment there is the gypsum statue of a female figure holding a fruit or ball. Such clay statues are rather common in niches of neoclassical houses, but I confess I am unable to identify this lady.
Please remember all photographs are here reproduced by kind permission of Arcades.
2 σχόλια:
Ευχαριστίες για τα ευγενικά λόγια. Good work!
Χαίρομαι πολύ που σου άρεσε το κείμενο.
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