Archaic Ancient Greek sculpture

kleobis , biton, kouroi of archaic period, c. 580 bce. held @ delphi archaeological museum.

inspired monumental stone sculpture of egypt , mesopotamia, greeks began again carve in stone. free-standing figures share solidity , frontal stance characteristic of eastern models, forms more dynamic of egyptian sculpture, example lady of auxerre , torso of hera (early archaic period, c. 660–580 bce, both in louvre, paris). after 575 bce, figures such these, both male , female, began wearing so-called archaic smile. expression, has no specific appropriateness person or situation depicted, may have been device give figures distinctive human characteristic.

three types of figures prevailed—the standing nude youth (kouros, plural kouroi), standing draped girl (kore, plural korai), , seated woman. emphasize , generalize essential features of human figure , show increasingly accurate comprehension of human anatomy. youths either sepulchral or votive statues. examples apollo (metropolitan museum of art, new york), work; strangford apollo anafi (british museum, london), later work; , anavyssos kouros (national archaeological museum of athens). more of musculature , skeletal structure visible in statue in earlier works. standing, draped girls have wide range of expression, in sculptures in acropolis museum of athens. drapery carved , painted delicacy , meticulousness common in details of sculpture of period.

the greeks decided on human form important subject artistic endeavour. seeing gods having human form, there no distinction between sacred , secular in art—the human body both secular , sacred. male nude without attachments such bow or club, apollo or heracles year s olympic boxing champion. in archaic period important sculptural form kouros (plural kouroi), standing male nude (see example biton , kleobis). kore (plural korai), or standing clothed female figure, common; greek art did not present female nudity (unless intention pornographic) until 4th century bce, although development of techniques represent drapery important.

as pottery, greeks did not produce sculpture merely artistic display. statues commissioned either aristocratic individuals or state, , used public memorials, offerings temples, oracles , sanctuaries (as shown inscriptions on statues), or markers graves. statues in archaic period not intended represent specific individuals. depictions of ideal—beauty, piety, honor or sacrifice. these depictions of young men, ranging in age adolescence maturity, when placed on graves of (presumably) elderly citizens. kouroi stylistically similar. graduations in social stature of person commissioning statue indicated size rather artistic innovations.