Category Archives: Classical

Lucretius

DescriptionEnglish: Lucretius pointing to the casus, the downward movement of the atoms, from the frontispiece of a 1714 edition of Thomas Creech’s translation of Lucretius
Date1714
SourceT. Lucretius Carus of the Nature of Things (https://archive.org/details/tlucretiuscaruso01lucr/page/n5/mode/2up)
AuthorDesigned by “T. C.” (possibly Thomas Creech, died 1700); drawn and engraved by M. Burghers

South East View of the Mausoleum as Restored, by James Fergusson

Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, by James Fergusson
DescriptionEnglish: Speculative restoration of the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus by James Fergusson
Date1862
SourceThe Mausoleum at Halicarnassus Restored in Conformity with the Recently Discovered Remains (https://archive.org/details/mausoleumathalic00ferg/page/n7/mode/2up)
AuthorJames Fergusson

Minerva Supervises the Building of the Argo

DescriptionEnglish: [From the original description:] A bas-relief, representing the goddess Minerva superintending the construction of the ship Argo. The figure, employed in using a chisel and hammer, is Argus, the builder of the ship; and the other figure, assisted by Minerva in fixing the sail to the yard, is Tiphys, the pilot of the vessel.
Date1810
SourceA Description of the Collection of Ancient Terracottas in the British Museum (https://archive.org/details/descriptionofcol00brit/page/10/mode/2up?view=theater)
AuthorWilliam Alexander

Head of Medusa

DescriptionEnglish: A bas-relief, representing a head of Medusa, ornamented with wings; on each side of it an eagle is represented in the act of seizing, with its talons, one of the snakes, which are entwined in the locks of her hair. The custom of adding wings to the head of Medusa was not always followed by the ancient artists. Aeschylus and Apollodorus have both described her as furnished with wings, but on coins of the cities of Amisus, Cabira, and Comana in Pontus, and of Amastris, and Sinope in Paphlagonia, the wings are represented not on the head of Medusa, but on her shoulders. Dimensions 1 foot 7 inches, by 9½ inches.
Date1810
SourceA description of the collection of ancient terracottas in the British Museum (https://archive.org/details/descriptionofcol00brit)
AuthorWilliam Alexander