The Fittleworth Iphigenia references the Euripides play Iphigenia In Tauris
Sculptor uncovers rare Roman find
A sculpture known as the Fittleworth Iphigenia, which has been confirmed as an important Roman work, was discovered by Exeter graduate Jon Edgar (Biology/Geography 1990).
The stone column fragment was being used as a planter in a garden in the village of Fittleworth near Chichester, when it was discovered by sculptor Jon around ten years ago.
Work has been carried out to establish the stone’s origins and verify its age and through petrological comparison it has been identified as coming from Northern France; other identical samples link with sculpture in southern England from around first or second century AD. A statue of the goddess Artemis stands on its base as part of a frieze indentifying all the characters from the Euripides play Iphigenia In Tauris.
Jon said: “It is the only known work from the Roman Province which ultimately references a Greek play and was thus indicative of the owner’s high cultural aspirations. What is interesting to me is that the relief sculpture has influenced my own body of work some two thousand years later.“
A Britannia Journal paper details work on the identification and interpretation of the stone column fragment: jonedgar.co.uk/IphigeniaBritannia2012.pdf.
Jon’s latest commission is to carve a three tonne block of Portland stone as part of a community Heritage Lottery project, to celebrate with end of major engineering work to relieve traffic congestion on the A3 at the Devil’s Punch Bowl in Surrey. Jon will be working on the stone until March.
A solo exhibition The Sculpture Series Heads will take place at The Lightbox, Woking in July.
Find out more on his website www.jonedgar.co.uk.
Date: 2 January 2013
