Description
Poseidon Neptune Ancient Greek god Head Bust. Identical Museum Copy. Large size (this bust is also available in small and medium sizes – please see the other 2 listings). This a replica of an original from the Museum of Athens. Made of cast stone and coated with bronze finish. About: This bust was taken from the magnificent full figure which was first called Poseidon, God of the Sea. That identification is now questioned. An arm of the statue was first found in 1926 under the sea in the remains of an old shipwreck north of Athens. The rest of the figure was recovered two years later. The handsome idealized face is superhuman in each spiritual beauty. The posture of the head and the intense expression are appropriate for the greatest of the Gods. That expression is riveting even though the eye sockets are empty. The hair style is that of those men of the first half of the 5th century B.C. who wore their hair long. The front hair is combed forward to form bangs and that at the back is wound in braids about the crown of the head. About 450 B.C.)
The Artemision Bronze (often called the God from the Sea) is an ancient Greek sculpture that was recovered from the sea off Cape Artemision, in northern Euboea. It represents either Zeus or Poseidon,is slightly over lifesize at 209 cm,and would have held either a thunderbolt, if Zeus, or a trident if Poseidon. However, the iconography of Ancient Greek pottery portrays Poseidon wielding the trident, when in combat, in more of a stabbing motion (similar to a fencing stance or an ‘advance-lunge’); Zeus is depicted fighting with his arm raised, holding the thunderbolt overhead, in the same position as the Artemision Bronze (see ‘Poseidon and the Giant Polybotes’ an Attic Red Figure Stamnos attributed to the Trolios Painter, as well as ‘Zeus hurling his lightning at Typhon’ ca. 550 BC which is a black-figured Chalcidian hydria). The empty eye-sockets were originally inset, probably with bone, as well as the eyebrows (with silver), the lips, and the nipples (with copper). The sculptor is unknown. The Poseidon/Zeus is a highlight of the collections in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens.
