The Statue of Zeus at Olympia

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The Statue of Zeus at Olympia

In the world today, there are many spectacular sculptures and artworks. The statue of Zeus at Olympia and the seated statue of Khafre are just two examples of dominant artworks. The statue of Zeus at Olympia was possibly the most famous statue in the ancient world. The Greek sculptor Phidias made it about 435 BC, and dedicated to Zeus, the king of gods. The seated statue of Khafre from the fourth dynasty of the Old Kingdom (2520- 492 BC) was created by an unknown artist. The artists of these two statues captured the royalty of the kings by seating them on a throne to inspire tremendous awe in all that beheld each statue.

In honor of the ancient Olympic games, Phidias built the statue of Zeus. The statue rested on a pedestal 3 feet high and 22 feet wide and nearly 40 feet high in the Temple of Zeus. It barely fit into the temple when it was completed and his head was very close to the roof. The sculptor gives us the idea that when Zeus stands up, he is capable of unroofing the temple. The statue was made of ivory and plates of gold (chryselephantine) that was secured to a framework of wood. Zeus is shown seated on a huge golden throne that was set in ebony, ivory, and precious stones. Zeus’ head was decorated with an olive wreath that symbolized peace. In his right hand he held Nike, symbolizing the importance of winning. In his left hand, a golden scepter representing royalty, topped with a golden eagle. His feet rested on a golden footstool that reached the eye- level of the worshippers. A layer of gold flowed across his ivory shoulders. His face was calm, commanding, and bearded that was without doubt, the face of a powerful god.

The seated statue of Khafre was one of several statues carved for his temple. This particular statue is 66” high and originally from Gizeh. Two main devices were used in Egyptian art from the fourth dynasty are naturalism and sculpture in the round. The statue of Khafre was carved out of graywacke in order to capture naturalistic form of King Khafre.

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