BITING CENTAUR
TEMPLE OF ZEUS WEST PEDIMENT
By Arthur Cross
Facts
• Date- 460-50 B.C.
• Depiction- Centauromachy
• Material- Parian Marble
• Style- Early Classical or Severe
• Earthquake (374 B.C.) so somewhat destroyed.
• ‘Repairs included replacing three of the old women figures
on the west pediment with new statues made of Pentelic
marble’
What is depicted?
• The whole of the west pediment of the Temple of Zeus
depicts a battle between the Lapiths (a mythological people)
and Centaurs.
• This fight occurred due to the Centaurs not being able to
handle their drink at the wedding of the Lapith King Pirithoos.
Their animalist nature is then revealed and so they try to
steal all the Lapith women namely Deidameia the bride of
Pirithoos
• Apollo can be seen in the center of the pediment flanked by
the hero Theseus who has come to help Pirithoos and his
people.
Why is this story shown?
• Apollo Zeus’ son is depicted in the center of the West
Pediment. Apollo was the God of music, light and youth;
virtues of civilization.
• I personally think that his placement here in the center of
this pediment may be to show the triumph of Greek
civilization over barbarism, Greek/ Persians War
(490B.C.) parallels perhaps.
A Renowned Myth
Battle of Centaurs and Lapiths, by Piero di Cosimo (Italian Renaissance painter)
Lack of Weapons
• The Lapith’s had come unarmed of course and so
everyday instruments where used when fighting, for
example wine jars, spits, bare hands and teeth.
The Focus
Civilized & Barbaric Forms
• The young Lapith(s) has a controlled (basically
expressionless) face to show he is civilized and can
contain most of his emotions (typical trait of severe style)
• The centaur(s) however have grotesque facial expression
to truly convey their barbaric nature
• However this young Lapith does somewhat break this
trend.
• ‘Others’ faces show their feelings more freely. Thus a
Lapith youth wrinkles his brow as his lips part to emit a cry
of pain, while a centaur sinks his teeth into his arm’
Woodford (p96)
Woodford Quotes
• ‘The west pediment is full of action, and virtually all the
figures are interlocked in violent combat’- Woodford
(p95)
• ‘The idea of men defending their women against such
a savage onslaught seems to have had a special
significance for the Greeks just after the Persian wars,
and the theme was used again on the Parthenon.’(p96)
• ‘In both form and subject a strong contrast was made
between the east and west sides of the temple. The
metopes immediately beneath the two pediments
were left blank; nothing distracted from the powerful
scenes’ above’(p96-97)