Greek Sculpture
A Timeline of Greek Sculpture
Polykleitos, Doryphoros (early fourth century BC)
As Paul Johnson (2003) records, this ancient example of Greek classicalism "epitomizes a canon of male beauty embodied in mathematical proportions" (p. 63). Showing the perfection of contraposto, Doryphoros (or the spear-carrier) is a balanced representation of the body's muscles. Polykleitos, a contemporary of Phidias, had his own school of young artists, which carried on into the third century BC. Polykleitos' works are treated on in his own treatise, called "The Canon," which gave explicit attention to symmetry, clarity, and wholeness. The Spear-carrier is one of the best examples of Polykleitos' teaching -- however, this example is a copy of his original, and is held in Naples -- a fitting representation of the art of Greek sculpting.
Praxiteles, Aphrodite of Knidos (mid-fourth century BC)
Praxiteles actually made two statues for Kos -- so the legend goes. One statue depicted Aphrodite (Venus), modestly clothed in draping garments -- the other boldly depicted the goddess in the nude. The modest Venus (as it has been called) has been lost to history, but the nude Aphrodite was set up in an open temple and could be viewed from every side. The Aphrodite of Knidos that survives today is believed to be a Roman copy. According to Paul Johnson, it is the first "fully-realized female nude statue in history, certainly in Greek monumental sculpture, and was evidently modeled on Phryne, as the bracelet on her left arm reveals" (p. 65). Praxiteles' Aphrodite serves as the basis for the cult of Venus "as the arch-image of female sexuality" (p. 65).
3. Praxiteles, Hermes and the Infant Dionysus (fourth century BC)
Again, like many ancient sculptures, the originality of this one is debated. Whether it is a Roman copy or an original by Praxiteles, this representation of Hermes is nonetheless still attributed to the Greek sculptor. It contains that special kind of reverence for emotion that the classical Greek sculptor appreciated and attempted to capture in stone (Haaren, 2000, p. 86). Here, Hermes is carrying Dionysus (an infant about to be raised by the nymphs to whom Hermes is delivering his charge)....
There is an emphasis on harmony in this structure that shows a new way of thought, and this sense of harmony would be carried over into other works of art of the period and later periods, harmony now being seen as an important artistic virtue. The elaborateness of the decorations have become identified with the Gothic period. As can be seen from the column from Saint-Denis, this sort of
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/35.11.3 Thompson, James. "What Athenian men said about women." Women in the ancient world. Revised July 2010. November 15, 2010. http://www.womenintheancientworld.com/whatathenianmensaid.htm Figure 1: Michael Lahanas Figure 2: From the Metropolitan Museum of Art Figure 3: From the Metropolitan Museum of Art Figure 5: Discus thrower Figure 5: From the Metropolitan Museum of Art Figure 6: Metropolitan Museum of Art James Thompson, "What Athenian men said about women," Women in the ancient world, Revised July 2010, accessed November 15, 2010
Artists express feelings, thoughts, and images within their art. Sometimes they show more than that and paint their spirit on canvas. Spirituality was an important aspect of identity for many throughout the centuries and millennia. In modern times, artists like Georges Braque and Wassily Kandinsky wished to showcase the essence of the intangible by illustrating it through unique patterns and shapes. During the Renaissance period, and during the Baroque
Art Since the Greek kouros, sculpture has depended on at least a basic understanding of human anatomy. Anatomy was in fact studied by ancient civilizations independently of its relevance to rendering the human body in two dimensions or three for art. The fusion of anatomy and art reached its first peak during the Renaissance, when artists in Europe longed to deepen their technique and enhance the realism of their human forms
" understand it quite well, your highness, as the classical form is one that most pleases me." You must study him well and long before you begin this piece, I think." agree, my lady, I agree." Please, I want this statue to captivate from all angles. I do not need to tell you, I know, of the lighting in my garden, you will no doubt take that into consideration. In shadow and
Museum Paintings Fauvism in 20th-century Paintings The medium I have selected for the time line I will be working on for the museum website is 20th-century Western painting, sharing the common theme of Fauvism. th-century Western painting began with the weighty influence of painters like Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh, Georges Seurat, Henri de Toulouse Lautrec and the like - all of whom played critical roles in shaping the modern art. At the
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now