Studies conducted up to the present date show that color is far from being just a decorative element added to a sculpture's aesthetic quality. The Archaic period's aesthetic perception of color included the use of color to emphasize certain attributes. The blond hair of the gods projected their power, the brown skin of warriors was a sign of valor, while the white skin of the korai expressed the grace of youth.
Art at Acropolis Museum — Photo courtesy of Acropolis Museum
The Acropolis Museum's initiative on Archaic Colors is based on observation, photography sessions, efforts to reproduce the colors of antiquity and research on written sources for information. The statues' crisp colors and bright garments, combined with rich jewelry and elaborately curled hair created a singular aesthetic pleasure for the people of the period.
The initiative on Archaic Colors includes collaboration with families who are invited to discover the colors through games and by coloring the Peplos Kore. Those outside of Athens can also color the Peplos Kore from home through a digital interactive application. Gallery talks on the Archaic Colors, with visual material, will be hosted by Museum archaeologists and presented in both Greek and English. Gallery talks begin on August 1, 2012 and will be held daily at 12 noon in English for visitors who wish to learn more about this fascinating subject.
