Early Classical Period Revision

1
Early Classical Period Revision

• Transitional Sculpture Archaic to Classical
• 480-450
• Sometimes called the Severe Period due to the
  Archaic smile completely replaced by the
  accurate rendering of the lips and the austere
  expression characteristic of this time often an
  improvement considering purpose and subject of
  statue!

2
Still a Kouros? Aristodikos 510-500 1.95 tall
Marble

• Typical because
• Frontal pose, looking straight forward
• Left foot forward - rigid pelvis and spine
  disallow illusion of natural movement.
• BUT
• Proportions more natural -smaller head, the
  half-height of the body set at crotch.
• Refined anatomy shows muscle groups and bone
  structure under the skin.
• The arms are detached from the body.
• Short more natural hair

3
Kritios Boy, c. 480

• Creation of Krito, the teacher of Myron
• Smaller than life-size (1.17 m or 3 ft 10 ins).
• Innovations
• The muscular/skeletal structure depicted with
  unforced life-like accuracy - the rib cage
  naturally expanded as if breathing
• Hips distinctly narrower.
• Early use of contrapposto - weight on left leg,
  relaxing right leg at knee in a. forcing a chain
  of anatomical reactions as the pelvis is pushed
  diagonally upwards on the left side, the right
  buttock relaxes, the spine acquires an S curve,
  and the shoulder line dips on the left to
  counteract the action of the pelvis

4
Bronze why is it more versatile than marble?

• Tendency of marble to crack restricted pose,
  e.g. if an arm was extended.  Bronze stronger/
  lighter/flexible.
• Lead weights easily placed inside hollow bronze
  feet, enabling wide variety of new poses that
  would otherwise cause marble to topple or crack
  from internal stress if the statue was bolted to
  a base.   
• Solid life size bronzes required immense
  quantities of the valuable metal, which distorted
  if dried as a large thick mass, so the trick was
  casting hollow sculptures.  Greeks developed the
  technique independently or from Egyptian
  influence c.550 BC bronze Piraeus Apollo
  believed one of the first.

5
Creating solid bronzes that are life size
required immense quantities of the valuable
metal, which distorted if dried as a large thick
mass, so the trick was casting hollow
sculptures.  Greeks developed the technique
independently or from Egyptian influence c.550
BCE
6
The Charioteer

• Part of a much larger chariot and horses group.
  It represents the victor of the race.
• Base inscription - statue for Polyzalus the
  tyrant of Gela - a Greek colony in Sicily as
  tribute to Apollo for helping him win the chariot
  race during the Pythian games in 478 or 474.
• The statue's eyelashes and the lips are made of
  copper.
• The head band in the shape of a meander is
  impressed in silver, and the eyes are made of
  onyx.
• Drapery NB naturalistic folding and straps on
  shoulders to prevent billowing
• Feet clenched
• Overall effect of calm but with aura of repressed
  strength and humanity

7
Using Sculpture to Tell a Story

• Two noblemen, Aristogeiton and Harmodios,
  assassinated Hipparchos, brother of the Athenian
  tyrant Hippias, in 514 BC.
• After the tyrant family was evicted from Athens
  the 'Tyrannicides were regarded as heroes of
  the democratic revolution and a statue group of
  them, by Antenor, was set up in the Agora. This
  was carried off by the Persian King Xerxes in 479
  BC, and replaced with a new group by Kritios and
  Nesiotes.
• Known from Roman copies
• Why do we have so few bronze originals?
• How do marble copies cope with adventurous pose?
• How is a sense of personality achieved?

8
Idealism and Naturalism - The Riace Warriors
(460-450 BCE, bronze, 6'6" ) Pronounced weight
shift and fluid integration of the parts of their
bodies.  Eyes inlayed with ivory and onyx, their
teeth are  silver, nipples and lips copper. 
Physique is idealized to some extent. 

Brash arrogance of a young warrior vs. the mature
strength of an older man.
Part of a group of Athenian warriors at Delphi or
Achaean heroes at Olympia.
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A Sense of Personality?

• Zeus or Poseidon? C.460-50
• Found in shipwreck off Cape Artemision, hence
  preservation.
• Aura of power and stern authority achieved by
• Mid-action shot- thunderbolt to punish offenders
• Full use of spread limbs dominates space. N.B
  abnormally long dimensions of arms create
  illusion of athleticism.
• Effortless balance on smallest possible surface
  area.
• Beard and fully developed physique to suggest
  mature man not youth.
• Stern expression and focussed gaze
• NB limitations abdomen not reacting naturally
  to vigorous pose. Less successful from different
  angles??

10
Discobolus, by Myron 460-450

• Adventurous action pose interesting from
  different angles some more successful than
  others
• Myron less interested in emotion on face.
• Well proportioned body reacting realistically to
  vigorous action

11
Conclusions what are the main transitional
features in the early Classical period?

• Move from stiff frontal pose to use of
  contrapposto and increasing interest in
  mid-action poses.
• Interest in realism rather than geometric
  symmetry.
• Popular subjects gods, heroes, athletes all
  idealised.
• Increased use of bronze casting allowing greater
  detail, and more adventurous poses due to its
  tensile strength.
• Inlaid materials for colour contrast and greater
  realism e.g. ivory, copper. Also weaponry etc
  added after casting.
• More interest in creating a sense of personality
  of individual, age, tableau.
• Severe/stern expressions rather than archaic smile