Ancient Greek sculpture
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The sculpture of the Greek speaking world from the Lefkandi Centaur ca. 900 BC to Pasiteles ca. 50 BC.
Contents |
[edit] Development of Greek Sculptures
[edit] Geometric
The origins of Greek sculpture have been traditionally ascribed to the wooden cult statues described by Pausanias as xoana[1]. No such statue survives and the descriptions of them are frustratingly vague despite the fact that some were objects of veneration for hundreds of years. The first piece of Greek statuary come down to us is probably the Lefkandi Centaur (Eretria Mus.) found on Euboia. This terracotta statue of circa 900 BC was constructed in parts before being dismembered and buried in two separate graves, it bears an intentional mark on its knee perhaps indicating it represents Cheiron and the wound from Herakles’s arrow, if so it would be the first depiction of myth in Greek art.
Of the forms of art from the geometrical period (ca. 900 to 700 BC) we have terracotta figurines, bronzes and ivories. The bronzes are chiefly tripod cauldrons and freestanding figures or groups. Such bronzes were made using the lost-wax technique probably introduced from Syria and are almost entirely votive offerings left at the Panhellenic sanctuaries of Olympia, Delos and Delphi. These were manufactured elsewhere and a number of local styles may be identified by finds from Athens, Argos and Sparta. Typical works of the era include the Karditsa warrior (Athens Br. 12831) and the many examples of the equestrian statuette (for example, NY Met. 21.88.24 online). The repertory of this bronze work is not confined to standing men and horses however, as with the vase painting of the time we also find stags, birds, beetles, hares, griffins and lions. There are no inscriptions on early to middle geometric sculpture until the appearance of the Mantiklos "Apollo" (Boston 03.997) of the early 7th century found in Thebes. This is a standing figure of a man with an almost daedalic form with the legend "Mantiklos offers me as a tithe to Apollo of the silver bow; do you, Phoibos, give some pleasing favour in return" across his thighs in hexameter verse. Apart from the novelty of recording its own purpose this sculpture it adapts the formulae of oriental bronzes as seen in the shorter more triangular face and slightly advancing left leg. This is sometimes seen as anticipating the greater expressive freedom of the 7th century and as such the Mantiklos figure is referred to in some quarters as proto-daedalic.
[edit] Daedalic
proto-daedalic, early, middle, late-Daedalic
[edit] Archaic
Egyptian influence, Naxian, Samian, Attic, Argive and Parian kouroi, architectural sculpture, the Dying Warrior, Kleobis and Biton, the Kritios Boy.
[edit] Classical
Contrapposto, Severe style, high classical, Rich style, Late Classical Plain style.
The Sculptor Polykleitos could be deemed as the creator of the Classical Period. He created works with a true naturalism and balance, unlike the rigid poses of the Archaic period. He was the first to use ideas of scale and mathematical proportions in order to create the perfectly proportioned figure, referred to as "The Polykleitan Canon of Proportion". Polykleitos was very influential in Greek Sculpture, his realistic proportions were recognised by other sculptors such as Skopas and Lysippos who successfully followed him using the ideas set out in his canon.
Lysippos was the successor of Polykleitos; he took the ideas used in creating perfect proportions and gave rise to the "Lysippan Canon of Proportion". Lysippos noted a greater realism could be captured in making the heads of his figures smaller as well as elongating the body, creating much more realistic sculptures; which was his primary aim. His scrutinising attention to detail emphasised this desire to make his sculptures as realistic as possible. This sense of realism brought about the transition into the Hellenistic Period where use of the Lysippan canon of proportion and Contrapposto created extreme realism.
Creating realistic proportions was not the only way used to create statues as life like as possible. A perfectly proportioned figure will still look unnatural if in a rigid and unrelaxed pose. In the late classical period a combination of Contrapposto and “in the round” compositions (intended to be seen from multiple angles) created more interesting and natural poses. This was sparked by the sculptor Praxiteles, with his creation of the “Praxitelean curve” or Contrapposto. His fundamental aim was to create fluidity within the pose by changing from the conventional parallels of the shoulders, hips and knees to sloping angles. These angles, as seen in figures such as “Venus Braschi” (the first female nude) were much more comparable to the anatomy in real life, further emphasising naturalism and movement. This was a major step towards the extreme realism of the Hellenistic period.
[edit] Social and Religious Functions
[edit] Votive
[edit] Architectural
[edit] Other
[edit] Materials and techniques
Mostly marble and bronze is used.
[edit] Drapery
[edit] Female
 Diplax |
 Pallas over a peplos. |
 Chiton |
[edit] Male
 Chlamys |
[edit] Social status of sculptors
[edit] Archaeology and collecting
[edit] Theory and criticism
[edit] Notes
- ^ The term xoanon and the ascriptions are both highly problematic. AA Donohue's Xoana and the origins of Greek sculpture, 1988, details how the term had a variety of meanings in the ancient world not necessarily to do with the cult objects
[edit] Bibliography
- Andrew Stewart: Greek Sculpture, Yale, 1990.
- John Boardman: "Greek Sculpture:The Archaic Period, 1978.
- John Boardman: Greek Sculpture:Classical Period , 1987.
- John Boardman: Greek Sculpture:The Late Classical Period, 1995.
- R.R.R Smith: Hellenistic Sculpture, 1991.
- Jenifer Neils: The Parthenon Frieze, 2006.
