AP ART HISTORY Mrs. Lawson
Chapter 5
– Greek Sculpture Name: Due: (BOP)___________________
FREE-STANDING
SCULPTURE
ANALYSIS
WORKSHEET
Page 6
CRITERIA:
(Artist if Known)
Artistic Time Period /
Date / Orig. Location
Context:
Cultural Belief System
(religion) / Historical
–
Social-Political-Economic
Patron-Architect
(relationship)
Location
–Geographical
Relationship to site = geography, climate, etc.
Man & Centaur , pgs 158-160
GEOMETRIC / 750 BCE /
Sanctuaries / Met Museum NY
Political -independent city-states = polis
- Corinth & Athens / rivals & most powerful / provided political identity / economic support / each managed own domestic & foreign affairs / Aristocratic government replaces kings - first ruled by aristocratic councils – then selfappointed tyrants / promoted urban development & economic influence abroad / Concept of Democratic Rule
– all citizens share in the rights & responsibilities of government ( only a few privileged males were citizens )
Economic: little farmland / depended on foreign trade / had large merchant fleets
/ pottery – exported to Near East & Italy
Religion: Gods, led by Zeus governed life & death-given human attributesthought to possess great power, knowledge, & immortality-sacrifices at outdoor altars
Bronze solid casting
Kouros , pgs 169-172
ARCHAIC / c 600 BCE / graves – sanctuaries / Met Museum NY
Marble
Chiseled
Greek youths trained & competed in the nude
Peplos Kore (Athens) pgs 169-172
ARCHAIC /
Medium / Technique :
Materials /
Construction / Building
Techniques / Process`/
Terms
Function / Purpose :
Symbolism / Iconography
Patron / Audience
Myth stories most found in sanctuaries / unknown patron / may have been votive offerings or trophies for winners of competitions
Small scale
Form reduced to simplified geometric shapes
Solid & open forms
Commemorative – marking graves – sanctuaries
Larger than lifesize 6’4”
Free of back stone block / stands freely on own / nude = ideal beauty
Formalism (visual) :
Principles & Elements of
Design
Form / Shape – geometric, organic / open, closed / Mass /
Volume / Texture- smooth, rough / Color / Value / Space – positive, negative
Movement / Gesture / Balance /
Type – free-standing / relief /
Orientation / Stance /
Presentation
Proportion / Scale / Relationship to viewer / space
Expressive Content:
Commonalities /
Originality of-
Figural-anatomical correctness / facial expression or Nonobjective elements
-Stylistic Characteristics /
Influences / Manner of expression / Dominant forms, motifs, symbols
- Narrative
-Artistic training
-Key Concepts
Other relevant structures and/or criteria
Subjects = humans & animals
Style = Geometric shape figures = tiny circular heads attached to triangular torsos, long thin rectangular arms
May represent Greek myth / actual meaning debated / meaning centered around man confronting or coming to terms with the uncivilized
Stance – frontal
Inspired by Egyptian funerary stature – arms to side, clenched fists, left leg slightly advanced
Archaic smile

AP ART HISTORY Mrs. Lawson
Chapter 5
– Greek Sculpture Name: Due: (BOP)___________________
FREE-STANDING
SCULPTURE
ANALYSIS
WORKSHEET
Page 7
CRITERIA:
(Artist if Known)
Artistic Time Period /
Date / Orig. Location
Context:
Cultural Belief System
(religion) / Historical –
Social-Political-Economic
Patron-Architect
(relationship)
Location –Geographical
Relationship to site = geography, climate, etc.
Medium / Technique :
Materials /
Construction / Building
Techniques / Process`/
Terms
Function / Purpose :
Symbolism / Iconography
Patron / Audience
Formalism (visual) :
Principles & Elements of
Design
Form / Shape – geometric, organic / open, closed / Mass /
Volume / Texture- smooth, rough / Color / Value / Space – positive, negative
Movement / Gesture / Balance /
Type – free-standing / relief /
Orientation / Stance /
Presentation
Proportion / Scale / Relationship to viewer / space
Expressive Content:
Commonalities /
Originality of-
Figural-anatomical correctness / facial expression or Nonobjective elements
-Stylistic Characteristics /
Influences / Manner of expression / Dominant forms, motifs, symbols
- Narrative
-Artistic training
-Key Concepts
Other relevant structures and/or criteria
Kritios Boy , pgs 179-183
Late Archaic-Early CLASSICAL/
480 BCE / Athens-Acropolis /
Athens Museum
Found in rubble at Acropolis=destruction undergone in the Persian Wars / after defeat of the Persian invasion at the battle of Marathon in 490, the Athenians
& other Greeks came into a new, widespread feeling of exuberance / provided turning point in consciousness,
Greek society began a close examination
& eventual rejection of their Archaic conventions
Marble
Carved
Polished
Painted
Symbolize – Athens strength
Beginning of “Ideal Beauty”
Youthful athlete –calm & confident – perfect form, no physical defects
Contrapposto – weight shift, curve of spine
Modeling of muscles
3’ tall
Figure more relaxed & natural
Straight left leg bears weight of body / right leg bent & relaxed
Head turned slightly to right
Calm serene expression - thoughtful
Muscles well defined
Smooth soft & natural flesh
Solid round body forms, large facial features transitional style of the Classical period was referred to as the ‘Severe Style’
CLASSICAL
Young Warrior , pgs 179-184 Charioteer , pgs 179-184
Early CLASSICAL / c470 BCE /
Sanctuary of Apollo / Delphi Museum
City-states developed faced threat to independence from expanding Persians
Empire. Cyrus the Great incorporated
Greek cities of Iona- 546 / Invaded in
480 destroyed many cities / Alliance of
Greek city-states led by Athens & Sparta repulsed the invasion / by 479 triumphed over Persia / turned to task of rebuilding cities
Bronze
5’11” hollow-casting = more flexible medium / becomes medium of choice / permits more off balance poses- figure in action
In a horse drawn chariot monument
Commemorates victory by driver sponsored by King Polyzalos of Gela
(Sicily) in the Pythian Games
Archaic= long, columnar fluting of robe
Classical = head turn to one side – slightly away from viewer / intimidating expression / colored glass eyes & silver eye lashes / smooth facial features = idealized youthful male / feet naturalistic
– toes, toenails, swelled veins / folds of fabric fall away in varying width & depth
More realistic in natural settings
Praxiteles, Hermes & the Infant Dionysos , pgs 200-203

AP ART HISTORY Mrs. Lawson
Chapter 5
– Greek Sculpture Name: Due: (BOP)___________________
FREE-STANDING
SCULPTURE
ANALYSIS
WORKSHEET
Page 8
CRITERIA:
(Artist if Known)
Artistic Time Period /
Date / Orig. Location
Context:
Cultural Belief System
(religion) / Historical
–
Social-Political-Economic
Patron-Architect
(relationship)
Location
–Geographical
Relationship to site = geography, climate, etc.
Medium / Technique :
Materials /
Construction / Building
Techniques / Process`/
Terms
Function / Purpose :
Symbolism / Iconography
Patron / Audience
Formalism (visual) :
Principles & Elements of
Design
Form / Shape – geometric, organic / open, closed / Mass /
Volume / Texture- smooth, rough / Color / Value / Space – positive, negative
Movement / Gesture / Balance /
Type – free-standing / relief /
Orientation / Stance /
Presentation
Proportion / Scale / Relationship to viewer / space
Expressive Content:
Commonalities /
Originality of-
Figural-anatomical correctness / facial expression or Nonobjective elements
-Stylistic Characteristics /
Influences / Manner of expression / Dominant forms, motifs, symbols
- Narrative
-Artistic training
-Key Concepts
Other relevant structures and/or criteria
Doryphoros (Spear Bearer), pgs
193-196 , Polykleitos
Laocoon & His Sons, pgs 209-219
Hagesandros, Polydoros,
Athanadoros
CLASSICAL / 450-440 BCE / HELENISTIC
City-states developed faced threat to independence from expanding Persians
Empire. Cyrus the Great incorporated
Greek cities of Iona- 546 / Invaded in
480 destroyed many cities / Alliance of
Greek city-states led by Athens & Sparta repulsed the invasion / by 479 triumphed over Persia / turned to task of rebuilding cities
Marble, carved
Original lost -Roman copies
Marble copies of bronze originals made to illustrate canon
Precisely proportioned = head is 1/7 th of figures height
Distance across shoulders is 1/4 th of figures height
Believed following harmonious numerical ratios could create ideal human figures
Polykleitos renowned sculptor- Classical ideals of harmony & proportion
Treatise = Canon & made larger than life size bronze statues to illustrate them
Created visual harmony using technique called the chaistic pose =left arm balance tension of the weight-bearing right leg- relaxed straight right arm counter relaxed bent left leg
Contrapposto stance of legs – bent, relaxed leg behind stiff supporting leg
= motion / rest
Action & repose in perfect balance
HELENISTIC
Nike of Samothrace