Art and Architecture in Asia Minor
Seminar 1: Temple Dedications
Kouroi and Korai
Read as many as possible of the following accounts of kouroi and korai (in the Greek
mainland as well as Ionia), and write notes on the questions below. While reading,
keep questioning the ways in which these scholars are treating the material — what
are they interested in and what assumptions do they make?
R. Osborne, Archaic and Classical Greek Art (Series: Oxford History of Art) 1998,
p.75-85.
R. Osborne, ‘Looking on — Greek style. Does the sculpted girl speak to women too?’
in I. Morris ed., Classical Greece. Ancient Histories and modern archaeologies, 1994,
p 81–96, especially 88–95.
A. Stewart, Greek Sculpture, 1990, p 47–51, 122–127.
A. Stewart, ‘When is a Kouros not an Apollo? The Tenea “Apollo” revisited’ in M. A.
del Chiaro ed., Corinthiaca. Studies in Honor of Darrell A. Amyx, 1986, p. 54–70 [in
box in office (not in library)].
N. Spivey, Greek Art, 1997, p.114–133.
J. M. Hurwit, The Art and Culture of Early Greece, 1985, p18–32, 186–202, 253–9.
Extra copies of some of these are in the ‘Art and Architecture’ box in the office and
can be borrowed overnight. Most of the books are in SRC or on 3/7 day loan.
(Note also the monographs by G. M. A., Richter, Korai: Archaic Greek Maidens, and
Kouroi: Archaic Greek Youths, which study the individual examples in depth and B.
S. Ridgway, The Archaic Style, 1977: chapters 3 and 4).
Questions:
What are the defining characteristics of Kouroi and Korai?
What contexts do they appear in?
How do they relate to other, earlier types of temple dedication?
What sorts of inscriptions accompany them? (give egs)
What sorts of functions did they serve — why did people commission them, who did
they represent?
What explanations have been given for why they disappear towards the end of the
sixth century? Can you think of any other reasons?
In what different ways do scholars discuss these statues — what do they focus on?
Consider especially style and function — are these categories separate?
Art and Architecture in Asia Minor
Presentations:
The Genelaos Group at Samos;
The ‘Branchidae’ figures from Didyma
Bibliography:
Herodotus, The Histories 1. 50-53, 92 (p. 58-60, 79 in old (smaller) penguin edition)
A. Stewart, Greek Sculpture (1990) 116-8 and check index
B. S. Ridgway, The Archaic Style in Greek Sculpture, 1977, chapter 5 and check
‘Samos, Genelaos group’ in index.
Look up Samos and Didyma in the indexes of other general books on Greek art
– e.g. J. Boardman, Greek Sculpture: The Archaic Period and Pedley, Greek Art and
Archaeology
On Samos, see G. Shipley, A History of Samos (look in index)
On Didyma, see J. E. Fontenrose, Didyma. Apollo’s Oracle, Cult and Companions,
1988.
Questions to address in your presentations:
Who do these statues represent?
Who commissioned them? Why?
How are they represented? You can draw attention to matters of style here.
What other dedications at sanctuaries do we know about from literary or other
sources?
What does all this reveal about the uses and position of religious sanctuaries in the
ancient world?
Provide images on Powerpoint. Good pictures in Stewart, Greek Sculpture.