ARCHAIC GREECE
•Male standing figure: usually found at
gravesites: known as a Kouros
•Commemorative of individuals but not
representative of them…
Lifesize or larger
Influenced by Egyptian canon
Plural is Kouroi
Figure 5-8 Kouros, ca. 600 BCE. Marble,
approx. 6’ 1/2” high. Metropolitan
Museum of Art, New York.
2
Figure 5-9 Calf Bearer
(Moschophoros), dedicated by
Rhonbos on the Acropolis, Athens,
Greece, ca. 560 BCE. Marble,
restored height approx. 5’ 5”.
.
Acropolis Museum, Athens
•Partial nudity is respectful
but hints at ideal.
Archaic smile is meant to
Break the Egyptian canon of
Eternal stasis and show some
vitality
3
•More naturalism evolves and the marble
gives way to softer rounded flesh
•Nudity begins to be a way to remove
The image from a specific time and place
And is associated with the non-specific here
Although we will see it associated with
Gods and goddesses specifically before long
Figure 5-10 Kroisos, from Anavysos, Greece,
ca. 530 BCE. Marble, approx. 6’ 4” high.
National Archaeological Museum, Athens.
4
•Female standing figure: usually found at
gravesites: known as a Kore
•Always fully clothed because the heroic
Image of the nude athletic Greek hero
•Commemorative of individuals but not
representative of them…
Often seems to reference a deity/priestess or
nymph
Lifesize or larger
Influenced by Egyptian canon but drape of
Clothing is very Greek
Plural is Korai
Figure 5-12 Kore, from the
Acropolis, Athens, Greece, ca. 520–
510 BCE. Marble, approx. 1’ 9 1/2”
high. Acropolis Museum, Athens
.
5
•Flesh stays marble-colored
•Lips, hair and clothes painted
With encaustic
Figure 5-12 Detail
bust detail from
left front
© 2005 Saskia Cultural Documentation, Ltd.
6
Greek Vase Painting
• Discuss the evolution of the human figure related to early
Greek vase painting.
• Know the different vase types, materials, and techniques.
• Identify individual painters and potters who signed their
vases.
7
Figure 5-18 KLEITIAS and ERGOTIMOS, François Vase (Attic black-figure
volute krater), from Chiusi, Italy, ca. 570 BCE. General view (left) and
detail of centauromachy on other side of vase (right). Approx. 2’ 2” high.
Museo Archeologico, Florence.
8
Figure 5-19 EXEKIAS, Achilles and Ajax playing a dice game (detail from
an Attic black-figure amphora), from Vulci, Italy, ca. 540–530 BCE. Whole
9
vessel approx. 2’ high. Vatican Museums, Rome.
Figure 5-20 ANDOKIDES PAINTER, Achilles and Ajax playing a dice
game (Attic bilingual amphora), from Orvieto, Italy, ca. 525–520 BCE.
Black-figure side (left) and red-figure side (right). Approx. 1’ 9” high.
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
10
Figure 5-21 EUPHRONIOS, Herakles wrestling Antaios (detail of an Attic red-figure calyx krater),
from Cerveteri, Italy, ca. 510 BCE. Whole vessel approx. 1’ 7” high. Louvre, Paris.
Revolutionary piece: overlapping/red-figure allows for details/real depth of space-like
11
A space that is an illusion.
Figure 5-22
EUTHYMIDES, Three
revelers (Attic redfigure amphora),
from Vulci, Italy, ca.
510 BCE. Approx. 2’
high. Staatliche
Antikensammlungen
, Munich.
12
Figure 5-23 ONESIMOS, Girl preparing to bathe (interior of
an Attic red-figure kylix), from Chiusi, Italy, ca. 490 BCE.
Tondo approx. 6” in diameter. Musées Royaux, Brussels.
13