Dr. Hugo H. van der Molen - Wederikweg
114 - 9753 AE Haren, The Netherlands
Tel: +31 (0)50 534 8795; Fax: +31
(0)50 534 0852; email:
molen@worldonline.nl
The Ionic architectural style (order) has developed in the 7th century B.C. in Ionia (Asia Minor) and has spread from there all over Greece. It is less severe and consequent than the Dorian order, more graceful and playful and more aimed at decorative effects. Building elements are less closely connected and speak more for themselves. Columns become more detached from their basis and from the pillar heads. They are slimmer and more graceful than the Dorian ones. The Ionian column lends itself very well for encompassing statues and for decorative purposes. The explicit Greek sense for the organic made them feel columns even as something being alive. It seems logical that the Dorian column is compared to the male figure and the Ionic column with the female figure. They went even a step further and replaced the Ionic column by a female figure. The Karyatides, or the young girls of the Erechteion , the so called Korai - girls or virgins - stand unconstrained, one knee bended a little, carrying the enormous weight, their hair inconspicuously going over in the column head. They stem from about 410 B.C. and from the Southtern Hall of the Erechteion, on the Acropolis in Athens. Legend has it that the Erechteion contains he grave of Cecrops, the first king of Athens and founder of the Acropolis.
One original Karyatide, as it seems from an illustration on p. 135 of Boardman (1966) the left girl on the stock of the National Bank of Greece, stands now in The British Museum. It came to the United Kingdom around 1800 as part of the so called Elgin Marbles, many sculptures from the Acropolis, "acquired" at that time by Lord Elgin (a British diplomat in Constantinopel, and an art collector) and shipped to his country. In 1816 they were acquired from him by the British Museum. In the place of the original a replica was placed at the Erechteion.
In St. Pancras Church, near Euston station, London, 2 complete replica's of the entire Karyatiden Hall were built around 1820 by the architect Inwood. An example of the fascination of the early 19th century architecture with ancient Greek architectural style.
In order to protect the other original 5 Karyatides from decay by environmental influences, plans were made - and have by now probably been carried out - to place these originals in the Acropolis Museum (on the Acropolis). Outside will thus stand 6 copies of the originals.
Sources:
Boardman, J. Griekse Kunst, Den Haag: W. Gaade, 1966;
Original title: Greek Art, copyright by Thames and Hudson, Nederlandse
vertaling door Y.C. van Oss; 286 pages with more than 300 illustrations
in black and in colour.
Grote Spectrum Encyclopedie, deel 2: Utrecht, Uitgeverij Het Spectrum, 1980.
Hokwerda, H., Literature Department, University of Groningen, The Netherlands, personal communication, May 2002.
Zadoks-Josephus Jitta, A.N., Antieke Cultuur in Beeld, uitg. van Dishoeck, Bussum, The Netherlands,1954.
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