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Ancient
Greek sculpture represents one of the most influential
artistic movements in the history of art. The
statues created by the ancient Greeks in the Classical
and Hellinistic ages provided the foundation not
only for Roman sculpture, but also for western
sculpture as we know it today.
Of course Greek sculpture is not necessarily
a movement, but rather an art form that developed
over 1000 years.
Archaic period (8th to early
5th century BC)
The first period of Greek sculpture was heavily
influenced by the works of the ancient Egyptians.
There was an emphasis on creating perfection in
human form. However, most of the statues created
during this time period appear very rigid and
unnatural. They reflected a body being assembled
in pieces much in the way a mannequin might be
created today. Referred to as kouros and kore,
these statues typically stood very erect with
their feet together and a blank stare on their
face. Despite the shortcomings, the Greeks were
the first to create free-standing statues during
this period.
Classical period (5th to 4th
century BC)
The Classical Period began after the defeat of
the Persian invasion at the battle of Marathon
in 490. A renewed sense of optimism led the artists
to strive for an improved sense of reality in
their sculpture.
The most significant advancement of this period
came in the formof the contrapposto stance. This
is when one leg is extended and the imaginary
shift in weight is modeled into the statue to
convey a sense of gravity and enhance the realism
of the piece.
Discobolos (The Discus Thrower) by Myron in the
Museo Nazionale Romano, Rome is one of the most
famous classic Greek statues from this period.
Myron's athlete engaged in the discus throw boasts
vigorous and convincing movement in a perfect
made form. His flexing muscles and concentrated
expression create the impression of a tightly
stretched bow a moment before the string is released.
While the original was cast in bronze, Statue.com
is proud to offer a cast version in beautiful
Italian bonded Carrara marble. Virtually identical
in appearance to the original, each detail is
finished with care by the artisan of Italy's Santini
workshop. You can get more information on this
statue in our Classical Statue gallery.
Hellenistic period (late 4th
- 1st century BC)
This period starts near the end of the 4th century
and lasts until the Roman invasion in the 1st
century. It was during this time that the Greek
Statues and Sculpture spread throughout the world
as the Greek empire continued to expand. During
this period, an even greater emphasis was placed
on generating dynamic movement and extreme poses
in the art.
The
Nike of Samothrace Statue reigns as the masterpiece
of the Hellenistic period due to its dynamic movement.
You can sense the wind blowing the folds of the
clothing and the feathers of the wings being pushed
back by the gust.
Statue.com is proud to offer an extensive line
of Greek statues, sculpture, and fountains in
our online store including replicas of this Nike
Statue in our Classical Sculptures Gallery.
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