Deel van het fries van het Parthenon in Athene, afgebeeld een man en een paard before 1868

Editor: Here we have a photograph of a section of the Parthenon frieze in Athens, dating from before 1868. The relief, likely made of marble, features a dynamic scene of a man riding a rearing horse. It’s incredible how much movement is captured in stone. What can you tell us about this piece? Curator: This photograph presents a crucial fragment of a larger narrative, a narrative deeply entwined with power, identity, and the very definition of "civilization." What stories did the Greeks choose to tell, and why? Were there marginalized voices within that ancient society that are excluded? Editor: That's interesting, I hadn’t thought of that. Who is being represented here? Is it a victorious general, a god, or someone else? Curator: This image speaks volumes about the dominant culture, reinforcing ideas about heroism, aristocracy, and equestrian prowess, yet at what cost? It demands we look critically at the concept of power, embedded here in classical Greek ideals. Who were the enslaved people who made such building programs even remotely feasible? Who bore the material burdens of Athenian "democracy?" Editor: It makes you consider a lot of issues about society's values at the time. This carving certainly raises some challenging questions about history and interpretation! Curator: Precisely. By viewing this fragment through an intersectional lens, we unlock a more comprehensive understanding of the power structures at play in shaping history, allowing a reevaluation of this past. Editor: That's given me so much food for thought, to dig deeper than just what is apparent. Curator: Me too, it’s essential to remain self-critical, it avoids a narrow understanding of such an era.