REGGIO CALABRIA AND BRONZI DI RIACE - CALABRIA- SOUTH ITALY
Reggio Calabria
stands in a splendid seaside position at the right end of the "toe of Italy",
Calabria, on the eastern coast of the "Strait of Messina", that opens in the
Ionian Sea. This town has ancient origins and was born probably at the same time
of the other "Calcidian" town, Messina, in Sicily. Thanks to it it's great
position that put the town at the centre of the most important communication
line of the time, Reggio became very prosperous and aristocratic. At the time of
the Greek expansion in Italy, Reggio allied with the Romans for protection
against the invaders and then became part of the Roman Empire.
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Today Reggio's National Museum hosts many remains of history and art, as well as
archaeological collections of Basilicata and Calabria, but the real attraction are the "Bronzi di Riace".
Two human size statues made out of bronze. The reason why
they were found at the bottom of the sea bed of "Riace" is unknown.
The bronzes look human and divine at the same time, at the very close edge between
reality and myth. They represent the Greek conception of heroism and beauty, the
classical composure and dynamic vitality.
These elegant bronzes are wonderful works showing a very refined taste and
consequently they date back most probably to one of the most flourishing periods
of the Greek civilization and of the culture of the whole mankind, the
representation of the human body is very expressive and realistic in many
anatomical details.
A question rises... who do they
represent? no one knows exactly which two characters they are supposed
to represent, neither the paternity or origin, but surely they were
warriors armed with lances and shields.
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