29.4.14

8 - The Charoteer, at the Delphi Archeological Museum.

We finally made it to the museum, our preliminary stop, which turned out to be much more impressive than I had imagined. It has extraordinary sculptures such as the best portrait of Antinous I've ever seen, and the intelligent and lively Hagias.


The Omphalos, bellybutton, is also there (not the original, but an ancient copy still), which marked the navel of the Earth, or the center of the world, which was believed to be in Delphi.



I walked through the museum in silence, taking it all in, knowing that Oscar had been in the gallery of the Charioteer all along.
Oscar had told me many years ago that only once in his life he had an experienced that could be considered mystical. It was when he saw the Charioteer at Delphi with his friend Ivonne. They had been so touched by it that returned early next morning to sit in his presence again, in complete silence for as long as they could.

My friend Donna, who didn't know Oscar or anything about my conversation with him, told me basically the same thing a few days before my trip to Greece. She, literally, said that the only time she experienced what could be called mystical was when she saw the Charioteer.

I was, of course, very impressed by this, and my desire to see it grew stronger than ever before. Needless to say, I was in awe of it from the instant I saw it. I didn't even talk to Oscar, who was sitting nearby, until he stood up to leave.  His friend Ivonne had told him: "I don't love the sculpture, I love him!"

It's so true! He's indeed fully alive, and what he shows us is something hard not to admire and fall in love with. He was to me everything that I respect in a human being. He's as humble as he's confident, disciplined as he's sensitive, athletic and fully present to the now, before the gods, before all.

What impressed me the most though, were his eyes, so open, attentive and reverential, ready to act effectively if commanded, always looking straight ahead with alertness and intelligence. This bronze cast is of the highest quality of its time, a gift of a Sicilian city to the gods in Delphi to honor its triumph in the chariot race at the Pythian Games. The actual young man may have influenced its creation, which could explain the interesting departure from the Archaic style of the time, and the magnetic realism.

This sculpture is one of those rare examples of what art can do, that unexplainable mystery that elevates us and takes us beyond our comfort zones. These pictures won't show why, I had seen images of it many times before, and never really understood its importance. It was only then, in its presence, as I walked around him with my heart in my throat, that I comprehended why anyone would be so completely mesmerized.

I've never seen a sculpture with such powerful and intriguing presence before or since. In its own way it's as hypnotizing as the Mona Lisa, and for the very same reasons. No wonder it's considered one of the greatest artistic achievements of ancient times. 

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