Hermogenes in Colour – Magnesia, Didyma, and other ‹Polychrome White› Temples

At the Antikensammlung Berlin, a pilot project of 2016/17 discovered traces of ancient polychromy on the architectural fragments of Hermogenes’ 2nd cent. B.C. Temple of Artemis. These discoveries led to innovative insights concerning the use of applied colour and its surprising effects on the visual appearance of the Magnesia temple. This set the stage for pursuing afresh the long‑discussed question of polychromy in ancient Greek architecture. At the Hellenistic‑Roman Temple of Apollo at Didyma, J. Riederer’s colour analyses of 1987/88 now appear in their broader context. Along with the reported evidence from Priene, Belevi, and Halikarnassos, they trigger a dramatic change in our perception of how colour – including white – was applied in Late‑Classical and Hellenistic Greek architecture. Most importantly, new light is shed on the use of specific colour schemes (such as the triad of blue, red, and yellow), calculated contour‑shading, and the purposeful white‑coating of marble columns.