Study 01Parthenon · c. 438–432 BC
River god
Possibly Ilissos · West pediment, figure A
Marble · British Museum, London
A torso in suspension. The curve of the body carries the movement through its missing head and limbs.
Stolen Treasures
Studies of the Elgin Marbles
British Museum, London
A study by Amr Ali
AA Editions by AMR Studio · 2026
The Parthenon sculptures
Athens / London
Fragments of a place.
Studies of possession.
Four studies of the Parthenon sculptures, reimagined in a crimson gallery. The series considers the fragment as a witness to removal, display and belonging.
Study 02Parthenon · c. 438–432 BC
Demeter & Persephone
Traditional identification · East pediment, figures E–F
Marble · British Museum, London
Weight, folds and the closeness of two seated figures. The fabric holds the gesture after the faces and hands have gone.
Study 03Parthenon · c. 438–432 BC
Three goddesses
Often identified as Hestia, Dione & Aphrodite · East pediment, figures K–M
Marble · British Museum, London
Drapery moves across three bodies as a continuous surface. Deep folds gather the light, connecting upright stillness with repose.
Study 04Parthenon · c. 438–432 BC
Reclining figure
Probably Dionysos · East pediment, figure D
Marble · British Museum, London
The turned head and open posture retain a sense of presence. Worn marble holds the tension between an intact gesture and a fragmented form.
A note on the study
The sculptures were made for the Parthenon in Athens in the fifth century BC. Works removed by Lord Elgin’s agents were purchased by Parliament in 1816 and placed in the British Museum. Their separation from the monument remains the subject of Greece’s campaign for reunification.
Stolen Treasures gives this history an artistic frame through the body, the fragment and the act of looking.
Sources & object identifications
- Figures and traditional identifications follow the British Museum’s gallery guide. Read the Parthenon guide ↗
- The reclining river god is tentatively identified as Ilissos. British Museum object record ↗
- The British Museum records Parliament’s acquisition of the sculptures in 1816. Historical chronology ↗
- The Acropolis Museum documents the campaign for their return and reunification. Read the Acropolis Museum account ↗
Digital studies created through AI-assisted image-making. The crimson gallery and sculptural details are interpretive.
Art direction · Amr Ali / AA Editions by AMR Studio
Art direction · Amr Ali / AA Editions by AMR Studio