Battle of the Gods and Giants
Date ca. 530 BCE
Movement Greek
Medium Marble
Height 26″
Provenance North frieze of the Treasury of the Siphnians, Delphi, Siphnos
Housed at Archaeological Museum, Delphi
Sculptors filled the frieze and pediment of the Siphnian Treasury with a multitude of mythological scenes. As in the Temple of Artemis at Corfu, deities here engage in a ferocious battle against mortal giants. By carving the sculptures in the round towards the bottom, while opting for a shallower relief at the top, the figures pop out towards the viewer, adding another sense of depth and naturalism in this already lively narrative.