Kore (sculpture)

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For other uses, see Kore (disambiguation).

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Painted kore reconstruction (Glyptotek, Munich)

Note the hairstyle of primal earth goddess, the Gorgon, between two lionesses at the apex of a Greek temple facade

Kore (Greek - Κόρη - maiden; plural korai) is the name given to a type of ancient Greek sculpture of the Archaic period.

There are multiple theories on who they represent, and as to whether they represent mortals or deities - one theory is that they represent Persephone the daughter in the triad of the Mother Goddess cults or votary figures to attend the maiden goddess.^{[citation needed]}

Kouroi are the youthful male equivalent of Kore statues. They both show the restrained "archaic smile", but - unlike the nude kouroi - korai are depicted in thick drapery, ornate and (in painted examples) very colorful and often have elaborate braided hairdos. (Some of the hair styles of the statues are quite Egyptian and Minoan in style and often resembling the hairstyle of the Gorgon.^{[citation needed]}) They also often have a much more relaxed and natural posture, sometimes with an extended arm. Some, but perhaps not all, korai were painted, with colourful drapery and their skin having a natural coloring.

The Peplos Kore (left) dates from 530-520 BC. It was found in Athens and is in the collection of the Acropolis Museum in Athens. Some argue that this statue represents the goddess Athene.^{[citation needed]} Another well-known example of a Kore statue is the Lady of Auxerre at the Louvre, though this is from the Daedalic style of Cretan art and so is not typical of the kore type as a whole.