Greek and Roman
Sculpture
A Brief Survey
Ancient Greece

Mycenaean Civilization: 1900 – 1100 B.C.E.

The Dark Ages: 1100 – 800 B.C.E.

Archaic Age: 800 – 479 B.C.E.

Hellenic (Classical) Age: 479 – 323 B.C.E.

Hellenistic Age: 323 B.C.E. – 31 B.C.E.
Mycenaean Civilization: 1900 – 1100
B.C.E.
 Feudal
Society
 Fortress-Palaces on Hilltops
 Skilled craftsmen, artists – ceramics,
metalwork (gold, bronze)
 Extensive trade, warfare in Eastern
Mediterranean
 Trojan War, ca. 1250 B.C.E.
The Dark Ages: 1100 – 800 B.C.E.
 Dorian
Invasions (Greeks) destroy
Mycenaean Civilization
 Writing System, skilled craftsmen, artisans
disappear
 Contact with other Eastern Mediterranean
cultures very limited.
Archaic Age: 800 – 479 B.C.E.

Greek Culture begins to emerge
 Epic Poetry:


Lyric Poetry:


Sappho’s Poems: ca. 600 B.C.E.
Architecture: The Doric Temple



Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey: ca. 800 B.C.E.
Temple of Hera at Paestum, ca. 560-550 B.C.E.
Temple of Aphaia, Aegina, 510 B.C.E.
Politics:

Cleisthenes est. democracy in Athens: 508 B.C.E.
Archaic Age Sculpture
– nude male statues
 Kore – clothed female statues
 Kouros




A new emphasis on the beauty of human
body
Seem to have depicted human heroes;
Seem to have been used as memorials
Early Kouros show strong Egyptian influence
New York Kouros: ca. 615-590 B.C.E.
http://www.iub.edu/~c101/images/new-york-kouros.jpg
Pharoah Menkaure and Chief Queen, ca. 2525 B.C.E.
Photo: Keith SchengiliRoberts
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image: Used by permission
Peplos Kore, Archaic Period, Limestone, ca. 600 B.C.E.
http://faculty.evansville.edu/rl29/art105/img/greek_kore.jpg
Peplos Kore, Archaic Period, Limestone, ca. 600 B.C.E.
•Found on the Acropolis of Athens
•Egyptian pose modified; less rigid
•Missing left hand extended forward (not across
chest)
•Right arm is bent forward slightly
•Hair is looser, less wig-like
•Clothing is not given much detail, but the shape of
the body is more clearly depicted
•Archaic Smile/Facial Expression overall – more
natural
•Made of marble
http://faculty.evansville.edu/rl29/art105/img/greek_kore.jpg
Modern Attempt at recreating original painted version of the
Peplos Kore, Archaic Period
•Chiton – blue garment visible
near ankles
•Peplos – red garment worn
over chiton
•Meniskos – umbrella-like
head covering
Cambridge University, www.chu.cam.ac.uk
Anavyssos Kouros: ca. 530 B.C.E.
Memorial to a young man named
Kroisos who died in battle
Inscription on base of statue reads:
“Stand and mourn for Kroisos now dead
Whom wild Ares struck down at the
battleline's head.”
Material: Parian marble
http://www.iub.edu/~c101/images/anavyssos-kouros-color.jpg
Anavyssos Kouros On display at
National Archaeological Museum
in Athens
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Statue_of_kouros.jpg
Used by permission
Classical Greek Sculpture
(Hellenic)
Severe Style
High classical style
Kritios Boy, Acropolis Museum in Athens, Marble, ca. 480 B.C.E.
Classical/Severe Style
Photo: Marsyas, 2007
Wikipedia Commons
Used by permission
Kritios Boy, detail
Photo: Marsyas, 2007
Wikipedia Commons
Used by permission
Severe Style: Transition from Archaic
to Classical

intended to convey nobility and dignity

First phase of Greek classical sculpture
Kritios Boy
• Contrapposto (counterpoise): a posture
that places the body's weight on one leg
and uses the other leg as a support.
• Trend toward greater naturalism
Muscles/anatomy skillfully represented;
• Slight tilt of the head and contrapposto
undermine frontality
High Classical Style
 Attempted
to represent motion
 Attempted
to represent ideal beauty
Doryphorus (Spear-Bearer), ca. 440 B.C.E.
Doryphorus, ca. 440 B.C.E.
 Marble
copy of bronze original by
Polykleitos
 Polykleitos – developed a canon of beauty
based on proportional relationships among
body parts.
 Example: the ideal ratio head/body size is
1/7.
 Opposite arms and legs balance each
other
Classical: Zeus Throwing a Lightning Bolt or Poseidon Throwing
a Spear ca. 460 B.C.E. Bronze, 6’11” high
www.historyforkids.org
Hellenistic Sculpture
Melodrama & Motion
The Dying Gaul, ca. 230-220 B.C.E. Roman copy of bronze orig.
By [http://www.flickr.com/photos/antmoose/ antmoose] {{cc-by-2.0}}
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 License.
Laocoon and His Sons Attacked by Serpents (Hellenistic) 175150 B.C.E. marble perhaps original)
Public Domain
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Laocoon02.jpg
Laocoon, Detail
Photo: Jastrow, 2003. PD: Self
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Laocoon_Vatican_detail.jpg
Winged Victory of Samothrace/Nike of Samothrace
Marcus Aurelius, fragments of a bronze portrait, after 170 CE.
Photograph: Jastrow 2005. Used by permission.
Marcus Aurelius - bust in the Louvre, Paris
Source: English Wikipedia, original upload 4 June 2004 by ChrisO
Bust of Cato the Elder
Public domain image. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Cato.jpeg
Bronze head of Constantine I, Musei Capitolini, Rome. 4th c. C.E.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Musei_Capitolini-testa_bronzea_di_
Costantino-antmoose.jpg Photo by Anthony Majanlahti, June 4, 2005.Used by permission
Head of the colossal marble statue of Constantine I, Musei Capitolini, Rome
Photographer: Markus Bernet Date: 07/10/2004 Used by permission
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Constantine_Musei_Capitolini.jpg