High Classical prescribed statues

The Doryphoros (Spear-bearer)

Height? Date? Material? Location?

• Height: Over life size, 2.12M

• Date: 450-440 BC

• Material: Roman marble copy of the Greek bronze

• Location: Found in a palaestra (gymnasium) at Pompeii

Who sculpted the Doryphoros?

Polykleitos

The Doryphoros

What makes him aesthetically pleasing?

• Dynamic contrapposto pose exemplifies Polykleitos’ Canon as it displays a mathematical precision in the counterbalance of tense VS relaxed limbs e.g.tense left arm vs relaxed right arm, relaxed leg vs tense leg.

• Polykleitan ‘S’ curve

• Defined iliac crest and pectoral muscles→Ideal male athletes physique

• Missing prop: Spear→Conveys a rich narrative→breaking frontal plane

• Integrated and harmonic anatomy seen in the reactive features→raised left pectoral reacting to raised foot

• Original bronze→sign of wealth

The Doryphoros

Scholarly quotes

Barringer: ‘signals the change from severe to high classical’

Spivey: ‘sets up an equilibrium of opposing ‘moments’

Aphrodite from the Agora

Height? Date? Material? Location?

• Height: 1.83M (without head) so she would have been over life size

• Date: c.420 to c.410 BC→Early Classical but has traits pointing to the late classical period

• Material: Parian marble

• Location: Identified as one of the two statues of Aphrodite that the travel writer Pausanias saw within the Sanctuary of Ares

Aphrodite from the Agora

What makes her aesthetically pleasing?

• Modelling and motion lines on billowing himation curves naturally around the body illustrating her ethereal figure and ideal female anatomy→ characterisation

• Contrapposto pose→ counter balance of tense and relaxed limbs

• Asymmetric action pose with a raised right foot and planted foot→ she appears to be moving makes her feel more 3D→ Polykleitan stance

• Wet drapery technique seen on the lower drapery→knee and upper thigh on the left leg→navel is visible

Aphrodite of the Agora

Where does her characterisation come from?

Pausanias describes seeing two statues of Aphrodite at the Sanctuary of Ares in the Athenian agora

Aphrodite from the Agora

Scholarly quotes

• Woodford: ‘swirl of vigorous curvilinear drapery’ ‘excuse for his virtuoso rendering of exuberant drapery’

UNPRESCRIBED

The Diadoumenos by Polykleitos (Fillet Binder)

Height? Date? Material?

• Height: 1.95m

• Date: The original bronze is dated to c.430 BC

• Material: Roman marble copy of a lost bronze original

UNPRESCRIBED

How is The Diadoumenos aesthetically pleasing?

• Ideal male athletic physique: narrative of him tying his fillet which is a symbol of an athletes victory, highly defined iliac crest, pectorals and abdominals

• The techne in his advanced asymmetric contrapposto pose showing his reactive anatomy e.g. his raised left foot and planted right foot cause the hips to jut out at an angle and his left pectoral to rise higher than his right

• Disinterested serene facial expression creates a sense of calm confidence

• Turned head looking down reacting to the fillet being tied.

UNPRESCRIBED

Nike by Paionios

Height? Date? Material? Location?

• Height: 2.16m (c.3M with wings)

• Date: 420 BC

• Material: Parian marble

• Location: Originally located on an 8M+ pillar close to the temple of Zeus

UNPRESCRIBED

What is the context behind Nike by Paionios?

The statue was dedicated by the Messenians and Naupactians in the Sanctuary of Zeus at Olympia to celebrate a military victory over the Spartans.