ΠΙΝΑΚΟΘΗΚΗ

Definition

According to the Liddell-Scott-Jones Lexicon, the pinakotheke (ἡ) is defined as a 'collection of pictures, a picture gallery.' The word is a compound, derived from 'pinax' (πίναξ), which originally meant a wooden board, plank, or writing tablet, and later evolved to mean a painting or relief, and 'theke' (θήκη), meaning a case, box, or more generally, a place for storing or depositing. Consequently, a pinakotheke is literally a 'place where pictures are deposited.'

The most famous pinakotheke of antiquity was located in the Propylaea of the Athenian Acropolis, as described by Pausanias. It was not merely a museum in the modern sense, but a public space where artworks, primarily painted panels, were exhibited, often with religious or historical content. These paintings could be votive offerings to deities or commemorative of events.

The function of the pinakotheke underscores the Greek conception of art as an integral part of public life and education. Access to such works was not restricted to an elite but was open to citizens, contributing to their aesthetic and intellectual cultivation. The pinakotheke thus constituted an important cultural institution, a precursor to modern art museums.

Main Meanings

1. A place for exhibiting paintings — The primary meaning in classical antiquity, such as the pinakotheke in the Propylaea of the Acropolis, where artworks were displayed to the public.
2. A collection of paintings or artworks — The collection of works itself, irrespective of the physical space, often referring to private or public collections.
3. A hall or building for the display of art — The architectural structure designated for the presentation of visual arts, akin to modern museums or galleries.
4. A place where votive tablets are kept — In a religious context, a space for the placement of panels offered as dedications to deities.
5. A catalogue or index (metaphorical) — In some instances, the word could be used metaphorically for a collection or list of ideas, images, or information.
6. A compilation of visual representations — More broadly, any collection of images or visual elements, such as a 'pinakotheke of faces' or 'events'.

Word Family

pin- (from pinax, meaning 'surface, tablet') and thek- (from tithemi, meaning 'to place, to store')

The word 'pinakotheke' is a compound derivative that draws its meaning from two fundamental Ancient Greek roots: 'pin-' and 'thek-'. The root 'pin-', found in the word 'pinax,' refers to flat surfaces, such as wooden boards or panels, and by extension, to the paintings housed on them. The root 'thek-', originating from the verb 'tithemi,' denotes the act of placing, storing, or organizing. The fusion of these two roots creates the concept of an organized space for the exhibition and preservation of visual works, highlighting its function as both a repository and a public gallery.

In Ancient Texts

The most significant ancient reference to the pinakotheke comes from Pausanias:

The 18 Methods

Applying the 18 traditional lexarithmic methods to the word ΠΙΝΑΚΟΘΗΚΗ:

Sources & Bibliography

• Liddell, H. G., Scott, R., Jones, H. S. — A Greek-English Lexicon, with a revised supplement. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1996.
• Pausanias — Description of Greece, Book 1: Attica. Edited and translated by W. H. S. Jones, Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press.
• Vitruvius Pollio, Marcus — De Architectura, Book VII, Praefatio 12. Edited by Frank Granger, Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press.
• Plato — Republic, Book III, 396c. Edited by John Burnet, Oxford University Press.
• Pollitt, J. J. — The Art of Greece, 1400-31 B.C.: Sources and Documents. Cambridge University Press, 1990.
• Camp, John M. — The Archaeology of Athens. Yale University Press, 2001.