Did you notice the helmet? The statue of Pericles with the Corinthian helmet stands here. It represents the Athenian statesman and general. Sadly, the original life-sized statue is lost. Only the base survives but we can still learn so much.
Four Roman Imperial-era marble busts, modeled after the statue’s head, still exist. These copies give us a glimpse into what the original might have looked like. The sculptor Kresilas created the original bronze statue. It stood on the Acropolis. It was erected shortly after Pericles’ death.
Pausanias noted the statue was just beyond the Propylaea. This was the gate to the Acropolis. Details about the statue’s arrangement are unclear. Historians make guesses based on analogies. Pericles is not portrayed realistically. Instead, he is shown as an idealized leader. Some debate if he was naked, clothed, or in full armor.
The statue’s base had a dedicatory inscription. A slot suggests he held a spear in his left hand. The head’s slight turn indicates contrapposto. Pericles wears a Corinthian helmet in the depiction. The helmet symbolized his role as a strategos. The Berlin copy is especially well-crafted. Curly hair bursts out from under the helmet. His beard is neatly cropped with small curls.
Look closely at the eyeholes of his helmet. You can see more hair. This detail might hint at Pericles’ unusually shaped head. Attic Comedy writers nicknamed him “Leek-head.” Plutarch also mentions this in his “Life of Pericles”. Some say the helmet concealed his head’s height. The sculptor added the hair in the eyeholes intentionally.
Kresilas created a symbol of Athenian democracy with this image. The sculpture also embodies the citizen ideal. It showcases a calm and collected expression. Athenian art often strived for realism. However, this statue abandoned that to some extent. It favored an ideal. The face is serious and shows no emotion. This aligns with Pericles’ self-controlled personality. Two copies of the statue have inscriptions identifying him. One is in the Vatican Museum. The other is in the British Museum.
The original bronze statue by Kresilas once stood in the entrance hall of the Acropolis. Consider the power this image once held. It was a symbol of Athenian leadership. It embodied democratic ideals. The statue of Pericles with the Corinthian helmet reminds us of Pericles’ lasting legacy. It is a testament to his impact on Athens and democracy.