Ceremonial Front
original west front
Scrolling Acanthus Relief at lower-right
Unlike the scrolling acanthus panel at the left of this ceremonial entrance front, most of the original marble of this relief has survived. The two prints below contrast the number of original pieces known before the excavations of 1902 with those known after the excavation of 1937-38. Areas for which there are no comparable surviving sections are left blank. The reconstruction of the extensive horizontal band running around the precinct wall, separating the upper and lower reliefs, is based on a few fragments such as those seen here. The quality of the often overlooked pilaster reliefs can be seen in the well-preserved example to the left of this scrolling acanthus panel.
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Flat lighting. photo July 2008
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Raking light, emphasizing some forms, obscuring others. photo Oct. 2008
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Demonstration of an innovative, technically complex color projection to suggest the original colors of the front facades. photo May 2010 |
The main body of this swan survives but with worn surface, portions deliberately left unfilled. photo Oct. 2008 |
The visible portions of this swan are original, but in poor condition. photo Oct. 2008
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Dark lines are shadows caused by the sculpted relief. photo May 2010
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"Fig. 15 bottom - ". This print reveals how little of the original panel was known previous to the historic, first, 1903 excavation. Scanned from Eugen Petersen, Ara Pacis Augustae, von Eugen Petersen, mit Zeichnungen von George Niemann; Sonderschriften des Österreichischen Archäologischen Institutes in Wien, 1902; vol.1, fig.15 bottom. Reproduced with appreciation.
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"Fig. 119 - Design of the preserved parts of the right decorative floral panel (west)", print by "Ennio Paoloni ". Planar elevation. This detailed print shows this scrolling acanthus relief as reconstructed in 1938. Scanned from Giuseppe Moretti, L'Ara Pacis Augustae; Rome, 2005 (ist ed. 1948), vol.1, fig.119. Courtesy of the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato, Rome. Reproduced with appreciation.
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Extraordinarily vigorous growth springing from the central calyx of the acanthus. photo Oct. 2008
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A few of the very rare surviving remants of the original, horizontal Greek meander pattern, which separates the upper and lower reliefs. These and the other few remnants are the basis for the reconstruction of the meander running around almost the entire exterior of the monument. photo Oct. 2008 |
Fig. 18 Meander remnant". Scanned from Eugen [Adolf Hermann] Petersen, and George Niemann, Ara Pacis Augustae. mit zeichnungen von George Niewmann; Sonderschriften des Österreichischen Archäologischen Institutes in Wien; Vol. 2 of 2 vols. Wien: A. Hödler, 1902. Reproduced with appreciation.
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Well-preserved detail of a bird, toward upper-right of vegetal panel, original marble frgament. photo July-Oct. 2008
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Demonstration of an innovative, technically complex color projection to suggest the original colors of the front facades. photo May 2010 |
Central stalk, slightly above middle of relief. photo Oct. 2008
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Central stalk, slightly below middle of relief. photo Oct. 2008
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