2020 IB Extended Essays

11

the titan at his feet. We are able to see that the titan at his right has an object protruding

from his thigh. This object is representative of Zeus’s lightning bolt as how it was

portrayed by the Greeks. The use of both symbolic representations of Zeus, lightning and

eagle, gives us a sense of heroism due his effortlessness in defeating the giants. The use of

high relief in the portrayal of Zeus’s battle, almost connects the scene to the human

world, ‘spilling out’ of the marble. What draws us in is the momentary excitement of

chaos and action, depicted in this fragment of the frieze, which is key in the portrayal of

Hellenistic art. The way in which Zeus is positioned implies total control of the fight,

emphasising his Godly power and assisting in the glorification of his character. This

scene supports the notion of Zeus being King of the Olympians, instilling and portraying

his power and supremacy. The piece may also allude to the Pergamese victory over

invading Gauls during the 3 rd century BCE. Parallels may be drawn from this frieze as a

representation of the defeating of barbarians, containing an extent of truth in the piece of

art instils a stronger emotional connection to religion.