After 15 years working on the ancient monument, the Greek specialist says its original colours were far from gaudy, revealing an artistic vision rooted in beauty, harmony and nature.
The Parthenon has moved countless visitors to tears, perhaps more than any monument in the world apart from the Taj Mahal, as historian Mary Beard has suggested in her book on the ancient Greek temple.
Eleni Aggelakopoulou knows the feeling firsthand. Having spent 15 years working on the monument as head of conservation at the Acropolis restoration service, she admits that she, too, has been overwhelmed by emotion. Last June, she found herself in tears when she finally saw the Parthenon without scaffolding.
“It’s a monument that provokes that intensity in people because of its scale, harmony and beauty,” she said in Barcelona, where she participated in a course at the Centre for the Restoration of Movable Cultural Heritage of Catalonia.
A 52-year-old chemical engineer, Aggelakopoulou specialises in researching the materials used to conserve and restore historic monuments. Much of her work has focused on the traces of colour preserved on the Parthenon’s architectural elements, including the sloping edge of its pediment, which served as a gutter.
The lost colours of ancient Greece
The idea that classical Greek temples and statues were once painted in vivid colours can seem jarring to modern eyes, accustomed to imagining ancient marble as pristine white. But Aggelakopoulou rejects the suggestion that polychromy made these monuments vulgar or kitsch.
“Not at all,” she said, explaining that while some modern reproductions may look garish, the original decoration was exceptionally refined.
The colours were applied using encaustic techniques, in which beeswax served as a binding material. Painting on marble, a stone prized for its luminosity, produced a striking visual effect, she said.
Colour was not simply an ornamental layer added to an otherwise complete monument. It was an essential part of the work itself. The sculptor Praxiteles, for example, regarded his statues as unfinished until the painter Nicias had decorated them.
For Aggelakopoulou, the surviving traces of pigment and the scientific evidence gathered by researchers make it possible to reconstruct much of the Parthenon’s original appearance.
“We know; we can see the colours of Antiquity in several places. We have a lot of information, and there are intact areas,” she said. “The most fascinating part of my work is being so close to the Parthenon’s real appearance.”
She believes the temple’s design reflected the principles of nature, drawing a parallel with the architectural thinking of Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí.
Technology helps reconstruct the past
Historical depictions of the Acropolis made by travellers during the 18th and 19th centuries, many of whom visited Greece as part of the Grand Tour, have also contributed to conservation research.
However, Aggelakopoulou cautioned that these images must be treated carefully. Their creators were not scientists, lacked precise measuring tools and sometimes relied heavily on their imagination.
Modern researchers have access to far more sophisticated technology. Even tiny surviving fragments can help specialists reconstruct the appearance of architectural features and decorative elements.
The same principle applies to the monumental statue of Athena that once stood inside the Parthenon. The original chryselephantine sculpture, made using gold and ivory, has been lost, but Roman reproductions provide clues about its appearance. The precise arrangement of its materials, however, remains uncertain.
Aggelakopoulou is reluctant to choose between the Parthenon and the nearby Erechtheion, another major building on the Acropolis renowned for its elaborate decoration.
“Every building on the Acropolis has its own personality and is unique,” she said.
The Erechtheion is also famous for its caryatids, the sculpted female figures that serve as architectural supports. One of the six original figures is held by the British Museum.
Aggelakopoulou hopes it will eventually return to Greece, although she noted that the caryatid is not currently part of the negotiations over the Parthenon sculptures.
“It’s not for me to say,” she said. “Of course I believe they should return. I hope to see it happen.”
The issue remains important to the Greek public, she added, even as people contend with more immediate economic and social problems.
Looking beyond the famous columns
For visitors to the Acropolis, Aggelakopoulou recommends paying attention to details that can easily go unnoticed.
She highlights the Temple of Athena Nike, although access requires special permission, and encourages visitors to examine the Propylaea, the monumental gateway to the Acropolis. Evidence in the structure shows that the complex was never completed, with construction interrupted by the outbreak of the Peloponnesian War.
The Parthenon itself contains subtle architectural refinements that are central to its visual effect. These include entasis, the slight outward swelling of its columns, and the gentle curvature of the stylobate, the platform on which the columns stand. Such features are sometimes questioned, but Aggelakopoulou insists they are real.
The conversation also turned to the political and social context in which the monument was built. Ancient Athens was an imperial power whose society depended on slavery and excluded women from many aspects of public life.
Aggelakopoulou acknowledged the historical realities but rejected the idea that the Parthenon should be reduced to propaganda for the political leadership of Pericles.
“Pericles wasn’t Hitler, nor was the Parthenon cheap propaganda,” she said, contrasting the monument with the architecture of Albert Speer, the architect associated with Nazi Germany.
The Parthenon, she argued, expresses a much broader ideal of life and beauty — one that continues to move people thousands of years after its construction.
“That’s why it moves us to tears.”
Be First to Comment