Palace of Minos
Title
Palace of Minos
Date
ca. 1400 BCE
Identifier
1847
Alternative Title or Name
Fresco of the Bull-leapers
Work Type
paintings (visual works)
Work Location
Greece (nation)
Knosós (ancient site)
Style/Period
Late Minoan
Subject
frescoes (paintings)
bulls (animals)
Description
View of bull-leaping fresco from the Palace at Knossos in Crete. "The most famous image of bull-leaping is probably the Bull-Leaping Fresco from the palace at Knossos, Crete, Greece. The fresco was painted around 1400 BCE, and depicts a young man performing what appears to be a handspring or flip over a charging bull. Two young women flank the bull. (We know the sexes of the stylized figures by the way they are painted—women’s skin is usually much lighter than men’s in ancient Greek art.) Archaeologists and anthropologists have studied the Bull-Leaping Fresco for centuries. Many say that this form of bull-leaping is purely decorative or metaphorical. Some scholars say the fresco represents a cultural or religious event, and not a display of athletic skill. Others disagree, suggesting a series of maneuvers—including using the bull’s horns for leverage—that would propel an athlete over a bull’s back as shown in the fresco,"--National Geographic Education website.
Reproduction Type
jpeg
Copyright Statement
©2013 Lawrence Technological University. These images may be used for personal or educational purposes. They are not available for commercial purposes without the explicit permission of LTU.
ID Number
A1GRKNO31300BI50A13
- Date Added
- August 29, 2013
- Collection
- LTU Digital Images
- Item Type
- VRA Core
- Tags
- bulls, frescoes
- Citation
- “Palace of Minos,” LTU Digital Images, accessed May 4, 2024, https://ltuimagecollection.omeka.net/items/show/11871.