Chapter 5: Ancient
Greece
Lesson 7: Early Classical
Warm-up 10-6-14 Respond to the
following:
Ch.5 L6 Greece
Obj: SWBAT
Describe the
characteristics
classical Greek
Sculpture
HW Due Today:
•Test Corrections
•Read pages 124128, 132-133
1. What is the title of this
work?
2. What period is this
work from?
3. What are the stylistic
characteristics?
Title:
Kroisos, from Anavysos, Greece, ca. 530
BCE
Period:
Archaic Period
Stylistic Features:
•Frontal pose, arms at sides with clenched
hands
•Similar to Egyptian statues—canon of
proportions
•More naturalistic rendering
•“Archaic Smile”
Announcements:
 Due
today—Test
corrections


½ point for each multiple
choice correction
½ point for each point lost
on short answer
pages 124-128,
132-133
 Mrs Q will have a sub on
thurs and Friday next
week
 Excellent report & clean
room = movie for a period
& a candy bar
Agenda:



Warm-up
Announcements and
Reminders
Review Hera Temple I
 Read
Office Hours
Tuesday 3:00-4:00
Thursday 3:00-4:00
Early Classical
Period
Greek Context
Early Classical Period Context
Context:
• The Greeks defeated the Persians
• High point in Greek society
• The era of Socrates, Pythagoras, and other influential people on
philosophy, science, literature, etc.
• Pythagoras discovers harmonic chords expressed in ratios or
proportions—thought that these proportions could be found in nature
Classical Sculpture
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tS0u8XpLoT
I
What is so special about Classical Greek
sculpture?
What is revolutionary about it?
CONTRAPPOSTO
If we look at the early Greek sculpture, the
Anavysos Kouros (c 525 BCE), the
unnatural stiffness is still present.
...the shoulders are level
...the hips are level
...both fists are level
...even the knees are level
...but the left leg is thrust forward.
The left leg is forward and would
have to be six inches longer!
Does the Anavysos Koursos statue
demonstrate contrapposto?
The Answer is NO.
CONTRAPPOSTO
CONTRAPPOSTO (or COUNTERBALANCE)-describes the stance of the human body in which
one leg bears the weight while the other is relaxed.
An asymmetry is created in the shoulder-hip axis.
This is a natural, relaxed body pose.
Early sculptures of human figures, while
anatomically correct, appeared stiff and unnatural
Contrapposto first appeared in classical Greek
sculpture.
...the left shoulder is higher than the right shoulder
...an angle from the right shoulder to the left hip. The leg is
relaxed and the hip bone is lower.
...the right leg bears all the body’s weight.
Also notice how the knees are not level and at an
angle. The shoulders counterbalance the hips.
If the hips and shoulders were parallel, we could not
balance and would fall over!
Check for understanding
• What is “contrapposto”?
Kritios Boy
from the Acropolis, Athens, Greece
ca. 480 B.C.E.
marble
34 in. high
Early Classical Period
Kritios Boy, from the Acropolis, Athens, Greece,
ca. 480 B.C.E.
Stylistic Features:
One of the most important statues in the history
of art
Contrapposto-weight shift, head turn and tilt,
Sculptor was the first to represent this more
naturalistic pose
Check for understanding
• What is the title of this work?
• What period is this work from?
• What is the significance of this work?
Polykleitos
Doryphoros (Spear Bearer)
ca. 450-440 B.C.E.
Roman marble copy after a bronze original
6’ 11”
Classical Sculpture
• http://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/classicalgreek.html
What is so special about Classical Greek
sculpture?
What is revolutionary about it?
Polykleitos
Doryphoros (Spear Bearer)
ca. 450-440 B.C.E.
6’ 11”
Early Classical Period
Doryphoros (Spear Bearer)
Artist: Polykleitos
Stylistic Features:
Contrapposto , asymmetrical
Canon or Canon of Polykleitos–
mathematical formula for perfect
proportions of a statue
Early Classical Period
Function & Significance:
This is a Roman copy
The embodiment of the perfect
statue of a nude male or warrior
Harmony of opposites—appearing to
step forward but not moving
Motion while at rest
Check for understanding
• What are the stylistic features of this
work?
• Why did the Greeks abandon the Egyptian
style (stiff and rigid)?
Exit Slip—No
Notes Allowed
• List the 3 unusual
characteristics about
the Temple of Hera I
Paestum, Italy