Marble grave stele of Antigenes

Unknown

end of the 6th century BCE · Marble, Hymettian (base) · Greek and Roman Art

Attic grave monuments of the end of the sixth century B.C. tend to be simpler than their earlier counterparts. In particular, the sculpted finials in the form of sphinxes are replaced by palmettes that are integral with the shaft. The figures, moreover, may be painted instead of carved in relief. It is enlightening to compare a representation such as this with contemporary vase-painting. The light figure against a darker background is comparable to the red-figure technique in pottery. Indeed, the influence of painted sculpture has been adduced in precipitating the change from black-figure to red-figure.

Artist

Unknown

Date

end of the 6th century BCE

Medium

Marble, Hymettian (base)

Culture

Greek, Attic

Department

Greek and Roman Art

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1915