Aug 222009
These graceful ladies are carying a heavy burden on their heads, the balcony above the entrance to the Adriatica-Trieste building in United Nations Square. According to wikipedia, it was the Greeks who came up with the idea of using female figures as decorative supports instead of columns or pillars. They are called caryatids from the Greek word “maidens of Karyai”, an ancient town of Peloponnese which had a famous temple dedicated to the goddess Artemis.
Beautiful! Oh I just love architectural details like these. I call them "superfluous" because, practically speaking, they don't have to be beautiful to perform their function. But the architects made them beautiful anyway, bless them. They enrich our lives.
Well said Petrea.
Funny image, I like the unusual amused expression of the caryatids. I never miss to shot something like this…