What I can see

“Theseus saving Hippodameia” is one of the most beautiful sculptures of Athens. It consists of four main figures: the centaur Eurytion lifts a stone to hit Theseus, who manages to grab Eurytion by the head and foot, thus freeing Hippodameia. The complex includes one more frightened woman, probably an attendant of Hippodameia. The centaur’s size is balanced out by the Theseus’ strength, while the half-naked body of Hippodameia is shown moving skillfully to slip away from Eurytion. The copper sculpture was made at WMF in Germany with electroplating. It is 3.4 metres high and rests on an octagonal base of 2.8 metres. The body of the sculpture is perforated with bullets, which probably date back to the Civil War. Because the sculpture’s cavities are ideal for birds to nest in, the material has been damaged by droppings.

What I can't see

It is about the Centauromachy, a myth according to which the Lapiths, a people of Thessaly, celebrated the wedding of their king Peirithoos with Hippodameia when the centaurs (half-man, half-horse mythical creatures) who were among the guests, got drunk during the feast and attacked the women. The centaur Eurytion abducted the bride, but Theseus, the king of Athens and a friend of Peirithoos, rescued her. The complex carries a special symbolism by portraying the battle of logic against irrationality and of virtue against evil.

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• Address: Victoria Sq.

Bibliography