| Abstract: | SUMMARIES. The epidermis on the Parthenon sculptures refers to the orange-brown surface layer encountered on many Greek and Roman monuments, often called scialbatura, calcium oxalate film, patina, etc. Despite the open-ended debate on the origin of the epidermis, it delineates authentic surface because it preserves tangible évidence of ancient craftsmanship and, possibly, creative intent. Based on this premise, an analysis of the condition of the west frieze of the Parthenon was undertaken in 1992 before it was dismantled, based largely on photographic interpretation, which enabled the calculation of the rate of erosion during the twentieth century. The comparative photographic interpretation of geological characteristics and weathering patterns for Pentelic marble further serves to inform hypotheses on the progress of erosion. This same method was used to identify abrasion in terms of surface area incurred in 1937-38 on the Parthenon marbles in the British Museum, an intervention which has aroused great controversy in recent years. This paper documents that analysis.
CONCLUSION. The epidermis defines that boundary between tangi¬ble and intangible, between air and matter. It denotes and has preserved to this day the surface of the artistic form which received the last touch of the sculptor, the last polishing touch of the carver, the last brushstroke of the painter, the last calculation of the architect, the sum of which embodied the spirit of fifth-century Athens. As such, it provides us with a valuable tool for reading and understanding not only original intent and craftsmanship but for interpreting the imprint of history on the artifact. The Parthenon sculptures, which have been hailed as our universal cultural heritage, must be interpreted on a number of interrelated levels. The sculptural form, the iconography and the symbolism, which embody the spirit of the society which created them, must be complemented by a detailed reading of the surface, i.e., the epidermis. The remaining vestiges of the epidermis, along with photographic interpretation, provide the framework for assessing condition and enriching the research on the history of these artifacts. A systematic survey of past conservation campaigns and a detailed report on the extent of the alterations incurred by the Parthenon sculptures at the British Museum will provide the facts as objectively and as accurately as possible. Only then can critical assessments be made and value judgments formed. Scholars from different fields of expertise — archaeology, history, sculpture, conser¬vation -- will inevitably place emphasis on different values in assessing the condition of an artifact. This comprehensive condition report should make it possi¬ble to weigh which values represented by the Parthe¬non sculptures have been most compromised: artistic value, aesthetic value, historic value, authenticity. |
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