“Marblescape of Memory”: An Examination of Aesthetics, Identity Construction, and Museum Display through the Appropriation of Ancient Greek Sculpture in Neoclassical England

Authors

Presley Feezell, The College of WoosterFollow

Abstract

The present study examines sculptural decoration on large scale ancient Greek architecture and its influence on the Neoclassical movement in eighteenth and nineteenth-century England. The Elgin Marbles – the famous Parthenon Sculptures dating to the fifth century BCE, now in the British Museum – represent an important touchstone for reappraising key themes related to the development of the Neoclassical style in England, as well for reconsidering the sculptures’ connection to their place of origin. Moreover, the relocation of the Elgin Marbles to England raises issues regarding ethics and expatriation, illuminating aspects of the imperial English identity in relation to ancient and contemporary Greek society. This research analyzes the multivalent quality of the Parthenon Marbles, studied through the British adaptation of the ancient Athenian narrative, thus illustrating a crucial moment of aesthetic change and imperialistic ambition in European history.

Advisor

Cosgriff, Tracy

Second Advisor

Kardulias, Nick

Department

Art and Art History; Sociology and Anthropology

Recommended Citation

Feezell, Presley, "“Marblescape of Memory”: An Examination of Aesthetics, Identity Construction, and Museum Display through the Appropriation of Ancient Greek Sculpture in Neoclassical England" (2019). Senior Independent Study Theses. Paper 8531.
https://openworks.wooster.edu/independentstudy/8531

Disciplines

Arts and Humanities

Publication Date

2019

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis