Simon Chorley to Auction Orpheus Pavement Reconstruction
Published February 26th, 2010
One of the most significant archaeological projects of recent times – a reconstruction of the great Orpheus pavement – is to be sold by Chorley’s on Thursday 24 June 2010. Made from 1.6 million pieces of small, hand-cut clay blocks called tesserae, the 2,200 square foot (205 square metre) mosaic took ten years for brothers Bob and John Woodward to complete.
The mosaic depicts Orpheus, one of the most important figures in Greek mythology. Sometimes called the father of music and poetry, he was presented with his lyre by the god Apollo. In the poem @Argonautica’ he plays his music so beautifully that the Argonauts are able to ignore the seductive songs of the sirens. He was also one of the few mythological figures to enter the underworld and return. The mosaic depicts his lyre resting on his left knee, his hunting dog alongside him and a myriad of beasts all around including tiger, leopard, lion, elephant, bear, gryphon, stag, horse and wild boar and birds including pheansats, peacocks and doves. A pair of water nymphs are depicted in each spandrel.
Simon Chorley Art & Antiques, Prinknash Abbey Park, Gloucestershire, GL4 8EX. Tel: 01452 344499.
www.simonchorley.com
