Aug 13
I found these blocks tucked in a corner at the Ephesus Museum. The figure on the right looks to me like an Eques gladiator (medium round shield and short sword) although the helmet is small. I imagine that this fragment was part of a celebrity fighter’s tomb, now broken and nestled in some overgrown plants.
Map of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World (Image: crystalinks.com)
While I am keeping a count of UNESCO World Heritage sites I have visited, I realized that I am quickly racking up the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World. I saw 2 alone in Turkey! I should use the verb “saw” loosely as both sites are essentially destroyed but definitely a notable stop along the way.
In honor of the opening of the Olympics today, I’ve picked out three of my favorite images of Nike from the ancient Mediterranean. I’ve always been amused by the iconography of the Goddess Nike – flying off in a flurry or racing away, arms and legs shown mid-stride.
Classical Greek Nike from the Ancient Agora in Athens
Everyone knows Ephesus and its iconic library. Maybe you even know Troy or Alexander the Great’s Pergamon. These are wonderful archaeological sites, but if you are in Turkey and love classical ruins, you absolutely have to visit Aphrodisias. A mere side-note in most guidebooks, I found that Aphrodisias had some of the most impressive architectural and sculptural pieces in Turkey and was completely devoid of tourists when we visited.
Major archaeological sites in central western Turkey: Aphrodisias (A), Pamukkale/Hierapolis (P) and Ephesus (E) (Adapted from Google)
When I started searching through Fliegende Blatter, my goal was to find the story that accompanied my own Wahle painting. I’ve also naturally found other Wahle’s each with their own stories. It is very clear that for these illustrations, their context matters.
Friedrich Wahle – “Der Galante Offizier (The Gallant Officier)” sold in 2003
Above is “Der Galante Offizier (The Gallant Officer)” which was sold at auction in Munich in 2003. A gentleman sits adjusting his lapel flower while a woman looks away. It’s a lot clearer in the print version below. It’s a pity the painting image isn’t clear because I like the use of colors in the purple flowers, red uniform collar and green tone in the woman’s gown.
Daydream Tourist 