Identifier

etd-04142005-184207

Degree

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Art

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

Two monumental bronze statues were discovered by a diver in the remains of an ancient shipwreck in the Riace Marina off the coast of Calabria in 1972. After their recovery and extensive conservation in the Archaeological Museum in Florence, the Riace bronzes have now come to reside in the Reggio Calabria Museo Nazionale. Lacking any inscriptions and removed from their original context, the Riace bronzes have been the source of much conjectured debate throughout the art world. This paper examines the Riace bronzes on both technical and stylistic grounds by addressing such matters as the method of construction, the physical state of the statues and their metallurgical makeup, and stylistic comparanda. Although the Riace bronzes initially seem indistinguishable, the stance and treatment of anatomy of the two statues differ significantly when comparatively studied. Despite ongoing controversy on the Riace bronzes, it is through this study of casting techniques and the stylistic subtleties employed by the artists that the distinctions between these two statues are truly communicated.

Date

2005

Document Availability at the Time of Submission

Release the entire work immediately for access worldwide.

Committee Chair

Patricia Lawrence

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_theses.2355

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