Leiden University Student Repository

Antwerpen, Anne van (2024)

Fragmentary State of Being: Exploring the Genre of Visual Ekphrastic Restoration through the Sculpture of the Belvedere Torso

Bachelor thesis | Kunstgeschiedenis (BA)

No arms, no legs as well as no prevailing identity due to the unfortunate loss of head and neck. As the fragmented sculpture of the Belvedere Torso arose from the soil almost seven centuries ago, one was faced with the seemingly impossible task of restoring its mutilated appearance. Inspired by the age-old notion of ekphrasis and its recent connotation with the restoration of artifacts, this thesis aims to propose, categorize and characterize a specific genre of painting that could help one to restore the fragment of the torso without having to handle it. By moving away from the descriptive traditional interpretation of ekphrasis and applying its method to the visual, this paper concerns itself with exemplifying the new genre of visual ekphrastic restoration through a selection of paintings that feature the Belvedere Torso in its scenery.

Belvedere Torso

Ekphrasis

Fragmentation

Antiquity

Restoration

Author

Antwerpen, Anne van

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Specialisation

Arts, Media and Society

Supervisors

S.M. Lauritano

ECTS Credits

10

Language

en