Prescribed Archaic Sculpture Scholars

New York Kouros Harris & Zucker

the unrealistic features are stylised and create a deliberate tension between reality and symbolism

New York Kouros Woodford

the unrealistic elements are deliberately included to appeal to the ancient Greek eye

New York Kouros Boardman

the sculpture has not shrugged free of the rectangular block of stone from which it was hewn

New York Kouros Metropolitan Museum

the sculptor attempted realism, but ultimately lacked the requisite skills to achieve this

Kleobis and Biton Woodford

the sculptor pursued robustness over patterns, using many rounded planes to this end

Kleobis and Biton Boardman

in spite of certain primitive features, they convey dedication and strength nonetheless, although these are not portraits but representations of masculine virtue

Berlin Standing Goddess Mitropolous and Snook

her thick drapery and jewellery connote wealth and propriety, as befitting an important lady

Berlin Standing Goddess Neer

the pomegranate connotes fertility, and her femininity is largely obscured by drapery

Berlin Standing Goddess Woodford

the artist has added interest using the action arms and showed his talent through patterns in the drapery, such as catenary and fluting

Anavysos Kouros Mitropolous and Snook

rounded planes and gentle modelling lines show the move to naturalism, whilst the archaic smile is added to make it more lifelike

Anavysos Kouros Woodford

the rounded planes evoke soft flesh rather than hard stone, and there is a radiant expression

Anavysos Kouros Harris & Zucker

the rounded planes and softened musculature, combined with a reduction in groove lines, make for an integrated flow of bodyparts

Peplos Kore Woodford

her simple drapery, with slight asymmetries, accentuates her radiant face

Peplos Kore Spivey

she has such clear evidence of polychromy that she may have been repainted several times; her clothes are a riot of colour

Peplos Kore Neer

she does not wear a peplos, but a dress and a cape, and she is not a kore but instead a cult statue of Artemis

Aristodikos Kouros Woodford

“unnaturally stiff”

Aristodikos Kouros Boardman

“embarrassingly inert”