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Question 1

Why do the ancient statues of Greece (and Rome?) not show the eyes in any detail?

(From Polly, Godstone)

Bettany Hughes: Yes, it does seem odd doesn't it…that such vivacious, detailed works of art appear to stare blind. But in fact the eyes of Greek statues were either finely painted onto a white-wash (there is a lovely example currently displayed in The British Academy, at 10 Carlton House Terrace in London) or were in-filled with some kind of reflective material such as rock-crystal and/or semi-precious stones. The very finest glint with an amalgam of bronze, marble, fritz, quartz and obsidian.

The eyes were in fact designed to be as realistic as possible, a million miles from the blank, dull sockets that have survived.

Painted; spangled in metal; earrings in pierced ears; anointed with perfumed oil; in so very many ways the statues of the ancient world were much gaudier and brighter than we see them today. Have that in your own mind's eye the next time you walk around a museum. Thanks for contacting us.

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