Louvre – Parthenon’s east frieze & south metope

The Parthenon metope (right) currently displayed at the Louvre will be going to Athens in light of the upcoming bicentennial celebrations of the War of Independence, in 2021.

The French President Emmanuel Macron accepted the proposal of the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to loan Parthenon artifact from the Louvre to Greece. The piece of metope is from the south side of the Parthenon.
Where are the metopes?

  • One of the metopes is in Athens
  • One is on display in the Louvre
  • Fifteen are in the British Museum, after the sculptures were looted by Lord Elgin.

In the context of bicentennial celebrations, Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Emmanuel Macron agreed to have an exhibition in 2021 with unique exhibits from the Louvre and other institutions at the Acropolis Museum and the Athens Byzantine & Christian Museum, whilst the first bronze exhibition in Greece time in the Louvre.

“In view of 2021 and the 200 years since the Revolution, we remember that France helped in the Revolution of 1821,” Mitsotakis stated, stressing the strong ties of friendship between the two countries.

Louvre displays a piece from the east frieze and a metope from the south side of the Parthenon. The sculptures are attributed to Pheidias and/or crafted under his supervision.

Ergastinai (“weavers”) block, from the east frieze of the Parthenon in Athens. Traces of ancient polychromy, Pentelic marble, c. 445–435 B.C. (Wikipedia)

Centaur raping a Lapith woman. Block X from the south metope, Parthenon. Pentelic marble, ca. 447–440 BC. (Wikipedia)

Friezes – Metopes – Pediments

Elgin, the vandal and the thief, removed and stole: 247 feet—just under half—of the total friezes(1), 15 metopes(2), 17 pediment(3), and various pieces of architecture figures from the Parthenon. In addition, removed and stole one of the caryatids (female sculptures) from the nearby portico of the Erechtheion, 4 fragments from the frieze of the temple to Athena Nike, and architectural members from the Propylaia.

Sources: Athens News Agency-Macedonian Press Agency (ANA-MPA), Wikipedia