Silent Witnesses

Silent Witnesses
Author: Christos D̲oumas
Publisher: Onassis Foundation USA
Total Pages: 124
Release: 2002
Genre: Art
ISBN:

The exhibition Silent Witnesses is a succinct presentation in the third millennium AD of the picture we have of the Cycladic islanders in the third millennium BC. Cycladic works of art speak to the modern audience both through their silence, as objects of unique conception and beauty, and as testimonies of a brilliant and significant culture that flourished in the Cyclades at the dawn of Western Civilization. Silent Witnesses is divided into three thematic sections: Simple Beauty, In His Own Image, and Silent Witnesses. In Simple Beauty, the exhibition presents streamlined, elegant objects with quotidian uses but whose beauty places them in the realm of sculpture. These artifacts were made from readily available materials on the islands, such as wood, marble, bone and stone. The section In His Own Image examines the variety of sculptures based on the human form, revealing the anthropocentric aspects of Aegean culture of this time. The final section, Silent Witnesses, presents the contents of graves that were systematically excavated by archaeologists. Having been collected as objects d'art, they are presented here as artifacts for serious historical and scientific examination. This final section emphasizes the need to educate the public about these pieces whose heritage was nearly lost. This volume explores the artistic tradition that existed in the so-called prehistoric period in the Cyclades. It includes illustrations and descriptions of the 59 objects in the exhibition such as clay and stone vases and of course numerous examples of the renowned Cycladic marble figurines.

Sculptors of the Cyclades

Sculptors of the Cyclades
Author: Pat Getz-Gentle
Publisher:
Total Pages: 288
Release: 1987
Genre: Art
ISBN:

Discusses the culture of the Cyclades and the work of 16 artists who lived between ca. 3000 and 2200 B.C.

Aegean Waves

Aegean Waves
Author: Nikolaos Chr Stampolidēs
Publisher:
Total Pages: 224
Release: 2007
Genre: Art
ISBN:

Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age Cycladic culture is best known for its flat female idols carved out of the islands' pure white marble. This beautiful illustrated book explores these periods in Cycladic culture and how the natural environment of the islands shaped its art. It also addresses the settlements of these periods and the artifacts produced by their potters, marble-carvers, and metalworkers. Maps are interspersed throughout the text, along with a chronological table, plans of known settlements, cemeteries, and individual tombs, as well as photographs of archaeological digs and landscapes by well-known photographers. Items from the Museum's Collection are also presented, followed by commentary and comprehensive text that venture at the items' probable significance and functions.