Jeremiah Brown
The piece of artwork that most left an impact on me was a beautiful gilt sword currently on the top floor of the Benaki Museum in Athens, Greece. The sword was a gift to Dimitrios Kalergis from the Greeks of London. The swirling pattern on the scabbard reminds me of the Rococo style as it seems very excessive and gratuitous. The sword hilt bears a figurehead which may be representative of the Greek goddess Athena, and the end of the scabbard twists into the face of a serpentine dragon. The metalwork on the hilt of the sword and its scabbard is exquisite, inlaid with precious stones and an inscription that says "Religion Country Constitution." This sword is an example how something that is stereotypically used for violent purposes can also be used as a magnificent example of artistic expression and unity between people of a shared culture though they live in different countries.
While on this trip to Greece I have learned a lot, both of art and of philosophy. Something that moved me while on this trip was visiting Socrates' prison in Athens. To stand outside the cell where one of the most profound minds on earth died because of his beliefs was a heartbreaking experience. While it was heartbreaking, it was also encouraging to be where a key thinker in Western civilization held firm to his ideals, even to the point of his death. The experience here in Greece has been life-changing, and I am very glad I was given this opportunity.
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