Created circa 442–438 BC, South Metope VII is a notable marble relief panel from ancient Athens, which is currently housed in the British Museum. The panel, measuring 1.54m in height and 1.10m in width, is made from fine-grain white marble.
The depicted scene portrays a clash between a Centaur and a Lapith, displaying a prime example of high-relief in Classical sculpture. The dynamic Centaur figure, caught mid-gesture, opposes the distressed Lapith figure. Together, the figures convey the hostility inherent in their mythological feud.
The narrative depicted refers to the legendary battle which took place at the wedding of Peirithous, a king of the Lapiths. Here, the Centaurs, having been invited to partake in the celebration, descended into chaos due to the novel effects of wine. The Centaur-Lapith conflict is a recurring theme within Classical Greek art and mythology, often representative of the tension between civilized and uncivilized conduct.
In terms of aesthetics, both figures are constructed with meticulous attention to detail. Muscular definition and facial expressions are wrought with such precision as to express the strain and struggle of battle. The motion suggested by the Lapith's billowing chiton further increases the sense of realism. The composition's visual impact is heightened by the interplay of light and shadow on the defining lines of the draped clothing and the twisting forms of the figures.
As part of the extensive Parthenon Marbles collection, this metope was originally displayed high on the Parthenon in Athens as one of numerous panels adorning the Doric frieze. Procured in the early 1800s under contentious circumstances by Lord Elgin, the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, these marbles have since been at the center of international debates concerning rightful ownership.
