Museum
of Cycladic Art
The Nicholoas P. Goulandris Foundation
The Museum of Cycladic Art is one of the most modern and important
museums of Prehistoric and Ancient Greek art. It was founded in
1986 to host the collection of Cycladic and Ancient Greek art
belonging to Nikolaos and Dolly Goulandri. The permanent collection
is exhibited in the modern building, designed by the architect
Iaonnis Vikelas, on Neofitou Douka Street. In 1991 the museum
acquired a new extension, the neoclassical Stathatos Mansion at
the junction of Vasilissis Sofias Avenue and Irodotou Street.
The
Stathatos Mansion is one of the finest examples of neoclassical
architecture in Athens. The home of the Stathatos family was designed
by Ernst Ziller and was built in 1895. It has been restored to
its original state and offers visitors a representative picture
of a 19th century bourgeois house. As an annex to the museum,
it has its own magnificent entrance. It is internally connected
to the new building through a specially designed corridor.
The
new wing has high quality temporary exhibitions. The ancient Greek
art collection of the Academy of Athens is displayed on the ground
floor. In the main building the collections are displayed over
four floors. The ground floor is occupied by the museum shop and
the atrium.
On
the first floor the Cycladic collection, one of the most impressive
and complete in the whole world, can be seen. It consists of about
350 items, displayed in a modern fashion, and it offers visitors
a full picture of the civilization that flourished on the Cycladic
Islands in the 3rd century BC. Prominent among the works of art
are marble figurines, some very rare, marble vessels and pan-shaped
utensils.
On
the second floor there is a display of Ancient Greek art with
representative pieces dating from the Bronze Age (2nd century
BC) to the late Roman period (4th century AD). The third floor
is dedicated to the collection of Cypriot antiquities formed by
Thanos Z. Zindilis
The
collection of Ancient Greek art formed by Karlos Politis is displayed
on the fourth floor. It was donated to the Goulandris Foundation
in 1989. There also is a small collection dedicated to educational
programs containing the “Treasure of Keros”, a hoard
of broken figurines found on the island of Keros.
Cycladic
figurines
The
marble figurines of the early Cycladic period (3200-2000
BC) represent the main objects of artistic expression
of Cycladic civilization. They reflect the anthropocentric
character of this early form of art as well as the simplicity
and freedom of the islander’s lifestyle. They express
both a sense of moderation and the aspiration towards
monumentality.
The
height of the figurines varies from a few centimeters
to 1,5m. It is from these figurines that the genre of
‘great sculpture’ first emerges in the area
bordering the Aegean Sea. They were made of marble with
painted details.
The
figurines are divided in two groups. The violin-shaped
group, stylized and abstract in shape and the naturalistic
group in which the human form is more accurately traced.
Some figurines reflect Cycladic society, representing
pregnant women, men playing musical instruments, warrior
or hunters, seated female figures as well as groups of
people in family life or game scenes.
Other
figurines represent animals, particularly birds. A unique
exhibit is the seated man with a drinking-cup (the ‘toaster’)
and the large, almost life-size, male statuette. The impressive
feature of these figurines, however, is their plastic
form and the abstract tendency of the artists, who, like
modern sculptors, seem to have aimed to express the essence
and inner peace of the human form.
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Opening hours and admission
Permanent collection: Neofitou Douka Street
Extension: Vasilissis Sofias Avenue and Irodotou Street
Syntagma - Evangelismos
For typical words, please consult our Greek
Glossary
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