Greek Sculpture

A chronology of style and change in Ancient Greek sculpture through the Archaic Age, Classical Period, and

Hellenistic Period

Sculpture Throughout the Ages:Introduction

If there’s one key to identifying the style, beliefs, and philosophy of each period, it’s sculpture. Sculpture

provides a window into Ancient Greek life, and sums up the overall tone of its history.

Archaic Classical Hellenistic

The Archaic Age (850 – 480 BCE)

The Archaic Age brought the first emergence of Greek artistic identity. However, their earliest style was more of a combination of Egyptian and Mesopotamian cultures.

~Egyptian~> ~~~~~~~~Greek~~~~~~~~ <~~~~~Mesopotamian~~~~~~

However, unlike Egyptian sculpture, Greek sculpture was free standing, while Egyptian sculpture was supported by a stone background. Greek eyes featured a direct stare, while Egyptian eyes had a faraway glaze. Still, as one can see, they had very similar characteristics, one of which being their shared stance: one foot in front of the other and very four sided.

Influence of Egyptian IdeasAs Greece emerged

from the Dark Ages, trade flourished with various cultures around the Mediterranean, particularly the Egyptians. As a result much of Greek sculpture is influenced by Egyptian style and themes. The Sphinx to the left is just one example of a theme in Egyptian mythology transferred into Greece.

The Mycenaean culture also had a large impact on Archaic sculpture which results in a eastern, more oriental style.

Cycladic Examples

Henry Moore Sculpture

The Kouros and the KoreTwo main subjects were sculpted in the Archaic age: the Kouros (male, meaning youth) and the Koure (female, meaning maiden). Both were very rigid, and featured wig-like hair in a stylized pattern. Also, both were massive, measuring from 3-4m tall. They were almost always painted, adding an element of realism to the sculptures. Statues of the Archaic age were made of bronze or sandstone.

Kouros

The Kouros stood always nude, some times shown with a beard to signify maturity. It featured well-defined muscles, depicting the Greek focus on perfect ion and the ideal body

Kore

The Kore was always clothed. Women were more realistically depicted, as seen by the folds and creases in the dress. They had a solid form and wore a skirt, with only their toes showing through at the bottom.

Characteristics The Kouros and Kore featured

an emphasis on decorative architectural sculpture.

They were mainly found in temples, found on pediments and facades, but were also used to mark tombs.

In temples, they started out being carved deeply into stone walls to make them stand out from the background.

Changes in Form – The Age of Transition

As the Archaic Age progressed, slight changes developed in sculpture. The most noticeable change was the emergence of the Archaic Smile, best seen in he Rampin Head. Also, towards the end of the period the Kouros was depicted wearing a cloak, allowing the body to be seen yet straying away from a nude form. Even further into the period, statues became Greek bodies with Kouros shoulders, arms and legs. As time progressed, and sculpture started to feature different poses, statue themes developed into Gods and Mortals in Battle. The Rampin Head, featuring the

Archaic Smile

The Classical Period (480 – 323 BCE)

In the Classical Period, new subjects were used for sculpture. Young athletes and nude females took the place of the Archaic Kouros and Kore. They were sculpted for gifts to the Gods, and for celebrations of Greek success. Classical sculpture was more realistic, featuring detailed muscles, and a new form of sculpting: modeling. Action was introduced into sculpture, creating a shift in weight and balance. As the Classical Period progressed, a transition from using bronze to marble was made.

Development of Classical PathosA major characteristic of

the Classical Period was the development of a quality of “Pathos”, meaning suffering. This pathos is best seen in the “Dying Niobid” from myth.

The story goes that Niobid bragged about her seven sons and seven daughters, insulting Apollo’s and Artemis’ mother. The gods punished Niobid by killing all of her children. The statue shows one of her daughters kneeling to the ground after being shot in the back by an arrow.

The pathos is best seen in her facial expression and her posture. This statue is also particularly interesting, as it is one of the earliest examples of a large sculpture in which a woman is nude.

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Myron’s “Disk Thrower”

One of the best and most detailed examples of Classical sculpture is in Myron’s “Discobolos” (Disk Thrower). The sculpture features a young athlete frozen in time, twisting in a balanced movement. Its realism of anatomy and thrust of weight in a split second reflects the epitome of Classical art.

Pheidias

Another great sculptor of the Classical Period was Pheidias. In the Classical Period, famous sculptors were made celebrities, and Pheidias was the greatest of them all. He was made chief architect by Pericles, who rebuilt Athens in its Golden Age. He was the architect, sculptor, painter, and designer of new buildings atop Athens’ acropolis.

Pheidias’ best claims to fame are a colossal statue of Athena located inside the Parthenon and a 523ft long frieze behind the Parthenon's columns. The purpose of the frieze is unknown. Some think it was a religious procession honoring Athena, while others think it may be depicting a Mycenean king of Athens sacrificing his daughters for the city. Nonetheless, the frieze still stands as one of the greatest, due to its rhythmic movements and absence of repeated stiff forms, so commonly seen throughout history.

A modern recreation based on ancient accounts. This statue is in the “Parthanon overlooking Nashville, Tenn.

Pheidias

Another attempt to recreate the statue of

Athena, originally located inside

Parthenon

It originally stood 12m tall and was made out of

ivory and gold.

Pheidias Continued

An artist’s rendition of what it was like while Pheidias created the 523ft long, 4ft tall frieze.

Parthenon (Elgin Marbles)Sculptures

Parthenon (Elgin Marbles)Sculptures

PraxitelesPraxiteles- Who also worked on

the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus is known for his statues of gods who epitomize the ideal of Greek perfection.

More Praxitles

More of the Charioteer

Myron’s Discobolus

LysippusAnother famous

sculptor of the Classical Period was Lysippus. He changed the syle of sculpture by making new body proportions.His statues were slender and lithe, with smaller heads and expressive postures.

His most famous sculpture, “The Scraper” features a young athlete scrapping olive oil from his arm after bathing in it, keying us in to what Greek life was like.

Warrior from Raice -425?

More Classical Sculpture

Women in Classical Sculpture

The Hellinsitic Age (323 – 44 BCE)As Alexander the Great spread Greek culture

eastward, it was also highly influenced by local culture. However, sculpture was an exception. Greek sculpture continued to be Greek and influenced other cultures.

A Mural depicting Alexander the Great’s confrontation with the Persian King Darius at Issus

Pride Vs. PathosThroughout the Hellenistic Age, a different character of sculpture developed. It

had a more victorious feel, reflecting Greek pride at the time. However, it still had an emphasis on pathos and a variety of poses. This contradiction can be seen in this sculpture of a Greek boxer. He has an aura of pride in his pose, yet his face reveals an inner pathos.

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A Sense of Victory

Throughout the Hellenistic Age, a greater sense of victory and detail developed. Sculpture became more beautifully created, with a more realistic and victorious tone. This sense of victory spawned from the Greek’s pride in the accomplishments of Alexander the Great in his quest to conquer the Persians and beyond. This feeling is best represented in one the Hellenistic Age’s most well known pieces, “The Dying Trumpeter”.

The sculpture depicts a dying Celtic trumpeter, after his defeat by Alexander. Great detail and expression are found in facial characteristics as well as his body’s pose. The newfound sense of detail is best shown in the rope found around his neck, a Celtic symbol. This sculpture also provides another example of the contrast between the pride of the Greek’s victories and the pathos of the sculptures.

Change in Subject

One of the most noticeable changes in the Hellenistic Age comes with the change in subject. No longer were sculptures made of beautiful athletes, or Gods. Now, they were made of a variety of people, from sovereigns to market loungers. The point of the sculptures was not to be beautiful, but realistic and dynamic.

This sculpture of an old woman is obviously not the most beautiful, but it is realistic. It once again shows great detail, found in the face and pose.

A Change in Structure

Another change in sculpture that can be found in the Hellenistic age is its structure. Sculpture acquired a heavier quality, requiring more weight and balance. A prime example of this is found in the Pergamum Altar.

The Altar features an intertwining of dramatic, muscular bodies with extreme poses and swirling garments. It is the epitome of dynamic movement.

The Pergamum Altar (Up Close)

A Hellenistic Masterpeice

One of the greatest masterpiece of the Hellenistic Age is “The Victory of Samothrace”. The displays a dynamic feeling of movement. The wind whips around its wings, ruffling its feathers and sweeping through her garments. The sculpture is truly renowned for its forceful animated action and advancement.

The Laocoon Group

This sculpture is known forits outstanding technical skills as well as “artistic bravado”. It ultimately captures raw emotion; a characteristic of the era. Although this marble sculpture is believed to be a cast of a bronze original, it maintains its dramatical aspects. The Laocoon has three main figures, this bearded man in the center, and his two sons, connected by a snake. Supposedly, the myth of Laocoon is about a Trojan Priest who alarmed the people of Troy to not accept the wooden horse outside their gates. He gave a speech and at its conclusion, threw his spear into the horse. But, he was punished afterwards and this sculpture captures his pain and agony during his punishment.

Aphrodite of Melos 150 BCMusee du Louvre, Paris

This sculpture is also referredto as “Venus de Milo” and depictsthe goddess of love and beauty.The form of this sculpture has characteristics of Classical sculpture, although it was made inthe Hellenistic Period. But, there aredetails that purely resemble this era. One is the drapery around Aphrodite'ships and legs. This cloth has carefullycarved folds to resemble the“swirling” garments worn by anotherfamous Hellenistic statue Nike ofSamothrace.