Colour & Space. Interfaces of Ancient Architecture and Sculpture

The compilation of papers from the ‹10th International Round Table on Polychromy in Ancient Architecture and Sculpture› (Berlin 2020) focuses on the phenomenology of colour in both architectural and sculptural contexts. Featuring both case and comprehensive studies from Greco-Roman Antiquity to the Medieval period, it primarily explores the impact of polychromy within spatial settings. Additionally, it examines how colour enhances form and alters meanings and investigates artistic and technological practices. Overall, the volume advocates for a cross-disciplinary perspective on colour and surface treatments.

This volume presents a compilation of papers focused on the phenomenology of colour in both architecture and sculpture. It specifically highlights interactions of polychromy within spatial settings, as well as the shared technological and artistic knowledge base of architecture and sculpture. Research on ancient polychromy has evolved significantly since the first scientific pigment analysis in the 1830s, with the «International Round Table on Polychromy in Ancient Architecture and Sculpture», established in 2009, serving as a testament to this progress. The present volume features a selection of papers from the 10th Meeting of the International Round Table, jointly hosted by the German Archaeological Institute in Berlin and the Antikensammlung Berlin in 2020. Both the case and comprehensive studies presented span from the Greek Archaic to the Medieval period, covering a geographic range that includes the Mediterranean basin and Great Britain. Papers explore various themes, such as the potential of spatial re-contextualizations to offer new insights into the choices of colours and materials, the dynamics of colour as a medium influencing form and syn-aesthetics, as well as symbolisms and meanings, particularly in the use of specific colors such as purple, black, gold, and blue. Additionally, a final section on ongoing museum research showcases groundbreaking polychromy studies and experimental visualization strategies. This volume stands as a collaborative effort to move beyond the traditional academic separation of architecture and sculpture. It advocates for viewing colour (and surface treatments in general) as enduring interfaces between architecture and sculpture, emphasizing conceptual and technological connections that challenge conventional taxonomies.

• Edited by Frederik Grosser
• Edited by Stephan Zink