Marble Relief Over 2,000 Years Old Found in the Attic of a Trogir House
It is one of the best-preserved depictions of the Greek god Kairos in the world, a work by ancient sculptor Lysippos, discovered in 1928 by Don Ivan Delalle.
It is one of the best-preserved depictions of the Greek god Kairos in the world, a work by ancient sculptor Lysippos, discovered in 1928 by Don Ivan Delalle.
In the heart of Trogir, in the attic of an old house, a treasure of inestimable value lay hidden for decades. This is an exceptional ancient Greek marble relief depicting the god Kairos, estimated to be over 2,000 years old. The work, attributed to Lysippos, one of the greatest sculptors of antiquity, is considered one of the rarest and best-preserved depictions of this deity in the world.
The precious artifact dates back to the 4th or 3rd century BC and was brought to light by Trogir art historian Don Ivan Delalle in 1928. The relief was found in the attic of a house that once belonged to the prominent Statilić (Statileo) family, from whose ranks came diplomats, artists connected to the Hungarian-Croatian court, and world travelers.
How the masterpiece ended up in a Trogir house remains a subject of debate, nearly a hundred years after its discovery. According to experts, the relief was brought from Greece to Croatia during the Renaissance. Historians speculate that a member of the Statilić family found the artwork during their travels and brought it back to Trogir. It remains an open question whether the owners at the time were aware of its true value.
In Greek mythology, Kairos was the youngest son of Zeus and was considered the deity of the fleeting, brief moment. Myth has it that Kairos, who represents the right and decisive moment, must be grabbed by the lock of hair before he flies away. Lysippos depicted the young god with wings on his feet and back, barely touching the ground, emphasizing his speed. On the back of his head, Kairos has no hair, signifying the transience of opportunities: once he passes us by, we can no longer catch him, and the missed moment cannot be regained.
