Gods in Color: Polychromy in the Ancient World offers an astonishing look at Classical sculpture swathed in their original vibrant colors questioning the perception of an all-white "classical" ideal. Ancient sculpture and architecture from Greece and Rome is revealed as intended—garishly colorful, richly ornamented, and full of life—along with original sculpture from the Near East, Egypt, Greece, and Rome against the backdrop of the Legion of Honor's neoclassical building.

To find out more about the exhibition, explore this digital offering from the Legion's friends at the the Liebieghaus in Frankfurt.

(The above text was exerpted from: The Legion of Honor)

Reconstruction of Riace Warrior B, 2015

Reconstruction of Riace Warrior B, 2015

Reconstruction of Riace Warrior A, 2015

Reconstruction of Riace Warriors B and A, 2016 and 2015

Detail of Reconstruction of Riace Warrior B, 2016

Reconstruction of the head of Riace Warrior A, 2013

The archaic figures high up on the west gable of the Aphaia Temple were once readily visible from afar, thanks to their colorful painting. An important effect, for the narratives of gods, heroes, and Greek history were meant to be precisely conveyed in sculptures. Ancient artists had to consider the distance between viewer and work it into the design of their figures. It was only through painting that the necessary visual contrast could be achieved.

This text is respectfully taken from the infromative and enlightening web site: Liebieghaus

Reconstruction of a horseman, 2007

Original: Greek Athens, ca. 490 BC

Reconstruction B of a Trogan archer, west pediment of the Temple of Aphaia, Aegina, 2005

Original: Greek, Aegina, ca. 480 BC

A colorful bowman aims his arrow at an invisible foe. The marble sculpture is part of a figural group that adorned the west gable of the Aphaia Temple in Greece.

This text is respectfully taken from the infromative and enlightening web site: Liebieghaus

Presumably the bowman was Paris, the Trojan prince. He is one of the most famous heroes in Greek mythology, who with his abduction of the beautiful Helen triggered the Trojan War.

This text is respectfully taken from the infromative and enlightening web site: Liebieghaus

Reconstruction of a section of the west pediment of the Temple of Aphaia, Aegina, 2005

Original: Greek, Aegina, ca. 480 BC

Detail of,

Reconstruction B of a Trogan archer, west pediment of the Temple of Aphaia, Aegina, 2005

Original: Greek, Aegina, ca. 480 BC

In the 18th century there was already considerable debate about the extent to which ancient architecture and sculptures were painted. Two centuries later technical investigations with ultraviolet light and glancing light are providing new evidence about ancient polychromy. Investigations carried out in Munich’s Glyptothek in the 1960s resulted in important findings. In the 1980s a group of researchers associated with the archaeologist Volkmar von Graeve studied the polychromy of ancient works of art with the help of modern technological aids. At the time, Vinzenz Brinkmann was a member of von Graeve’s team. Later, as head of the Liebieghaus’s Department of Antiquities, he brought the research subject to Frankfurt.

This text is respectfully taken from the infromative and enlightening web site: Liebieghaus

Reconstruction C of a head of a warrior, east pediment of the Temple of Aphaia, Aegina, 2005

Original: Greek, Aegina, ca. 480 BC

Reconstruction B of a head of a warrior, east pediment of the Temple of Aphaia, Aegina, 2005

Original: Greek, Aegina, ca. 480 BC

Pure marble white – this is the impression that stands out when we now look at sculptures from Greek and Roman antiquity in museums. But it's misleading. The figures of gods and heroes were once painted in brilliant colors. Why is this so little known to this day? The Liebieghaus Skulpturensammlung has been studying the original painting of antique sculptures for many years and leads research in the field.

This text is respectfully taken from the infromative and enlightening web site: Liebieghaus

Reconstruction of Antiope and Theseus, west pediment of the Temple of Apollo Daphnephoros, Eretria, 2005

Original: Greek, Eretria, ca. 490 BC

Reconstruction of a Greek archer, west pediment of the Temple of Aphaia, Aegina 2005

Original: Greek, Aegina, ca. 480 BC

Detail of:

Reconstruction of a Greek archer, west pediment of the Temple of Aphaia, Aegina 2005

Original: Greek, Aegina, ca. 480 BC

Detail of:

Reconstruction of a Greek archer, west pediment of the Temple of Aphaia, Aegina 2005

Original: Greek, Aegina, ca. 480 BC

Reconstruction of an Ionic capital, Agora of Athens, 2016

Original: Greek, Athens, ca. 430 BC

The Parthenon, looking east from Propylaea, 1803

Sepia on paper by Simone Pomardi

Acropolis looking east from near Propylaea, 1805

Watercolor on paper by Simone Pomardi

Parthenon, westen pteron, looking south 1805

Watercolor on paper by Edward Dodwell

Reconstruction of Artemis, 2010

Original: Roman, Pompeii, 1st century AD

Detail of:

Reconstruction of Artemis, 2010

Original: Roman, Pompeii, 1st century AD

Detail of:

Reconstruction of Artemis, 2010

Original: Roman, Pompeii, 1st century AD

For more detailed information, be sure to visit: The Liebieghaus

Cast of kourou from Melos

Original: Greek, Melos, ca. 330 BC

Cast of a horse and rider

Original: Greek, Athens, ca. 490 BC

Cast of a horse and rider

Original: Greek, Athens, ca. 490 BC

Cast of a horse and rider

Original: Greek, Athens, ca. 490 BC

Reconstruction of Antiope and Theseus, west pediment of the Temple of Apollo Daphnephoros, Eretria, 2005

Original: Greek, Eretria, ca. 490 BC

Cast of a caryatid, Erechtheion on the Acropolis, Athens

Original: Greek, Athens, ca. 421-406 BC

Aegina, Aphaia Temple from the southeast, 1805

Watercolor on paper by Simone Pomardi

Reconstruction of the grave statue of Phrasikleia, 2010

Original,Greek, Merenda, ca. 520 BC

Reconstruction of the grave statue of Phrasikleia, 2010

Original,Greek, Merenda, ca. 520 BC

Reconstruction of the grave statue of Phrasikleia, 2010

Original,Greek, Merenda, ca. 520 BC

Lion near Hymettos, looking north towards Mount Pentele, 1805

Watercolor over graphite by Edward Dodwell

Statue of a lion

Greek, ca.350 BC

marble

Reconstruction of a lion, 2012

Original, Greek, Loutraki, ca. 550 BC

Detail of: Reconstruction of a lion, 2012

Original, Greek, Loutraki, ca. 550 BC

Reconstruction of the Kouros of Tenea, 2015

Original, Greek, Tenea, ca. 530 BC

Detail of: Reconstruction of the Kouros of Tenea, 2015

Original, Greek, Tenea, ca. 530 BC

Detail of: Reconstruction of the Peplos Kore, 2005

Original, Greek, Athens, ca. 530 BC

Figure in the left foreground:

Reconstruction B of the Peplos Kore, 2005. Original: Greek, Athens, ca. 530 BC; New Acropolis Museum, Athens. Reconstruction: plaster cast with natural pigments in egg tempera, 53 1/2 in. (136 cm) height. Liebieghaus Sculpture Collection (Polychromy Research Project), Frankfurt

Detail of: Reconstruction B of the Peplos Kore, 2005. Original: Greek, Athens, ca. 530 BC; New Acropolis Museum, Athens.

Backside of the reconstruction of the grave statue of Phrasikleia, 2010

Original,Greek, Merenda, ca. 520 BC

The Theseion (Temple of Hephaistos) Athens 1805

Watercolor on paper by edward Dodwell

Reconstruction of the Chios Kore, 2012.

Original: Greek, Athens, ca. 520 BC

Acropolis Museum, Athens.

Reconstruction of the east frieze of the Siphnian Treasury at Delphi, 2006/2012.

Original: Greek, Delphi, ca. 520 BC

Detail of: Grave stele of Poseides and his wife

Greek, ca. 275 BC

marble

Detail of: Grave stele of Poseides and his wife

Greek, ca. 275 BC

marble

Head of a horse

Roman, ca. 1st century AD, with 19th century restorations

Marble

Head of a horse

Roman, ca. 1st century AD, with 19th century restorations

Marble

Season sarcophagus

Roman, AD 260-280

Marble

For more detailed information, visit: The Liebieghaus

Reconstructions of Cycladic figures, 2006

Original: Greek, Early Cycladic II ca. 2700-2400 BC

Entrance to the show, Gods in Color, at the Legion of Honor

Detail of: Reconstruction of Riace Warrior B, 2015

Detail of: Reconstruction of Riace Warrior B, 2015

For more detailed information, be sure to visit: The Liebieghaus

The numerous reconstructions produced by Vinzenz Brinkmann and his wife, the archaeologist Ulrike Koch-Brinkmann, illustrate most impressively for modern viewers the sculptures’ original polychromy. They were first exhibited in Munich’s Glyptothek in 2003, in the exhibition “Gods in Color.” In 2008 that successful exhibition was presented in the Liebieghaus Sculpture Collection in Frankfurt am Main. It is now touring around the world, and has meanwhile cast more than two million visitors under its spell. With additional reconstructions, each presentation provides new information about ancient polychromy and brings the once multicolored sculptures to life again. An exciting journey that is by no means ended.

For more detailed information, be sure to visit: The Liebieghaus

At closing time, the show Gods in Color, as seen by looking down into the skylight which is located in the center of the Legion of Honor Courtyard

For more detailed information about the reconstructions, be sure to visit: The Liebieghaus