Classics Kleobis and Biton

OCR sculpture

Kleobis and Biton

Date

580 BC cica

• Made from marble

• 2.18 Meters

• Stand in the Delphi archaelogical museuem

• Twin kouros

Context

Story from Greek historian Herodotus - The 2 brothers harnessed themselves to a cart their mother needed, and pulled it all the way to the temple as an act of love and devotion. In turn, their mother prayed to the Gods for them to grant her sons the greatest gift a God can give a human - they died in the temple peacefully sleeping

Anatomy

Resemble the NYK

• Sentry Box pose - rigid front pose

• Long Braided hair - stylised hair

There’s a bend in the elbows however, the arms aren’t straight down to the side, indicating a sense of movement

Rounded muscles, much more uperbody strength, improvement in anatomy

Emotions - Archaic smiling, majority of statues from now on with their almond eyes

The honorific element - impression they are content in their afterlife after their death

Proportions - lacks any realism in proportions, cylindrical limbs with overlybroad shoulders

Key terms

• These statues exemplify archaic style with their RIGID stance, SYMMETRY, SCHEMATIC musculature and their archaic smile

• LIMITED NATURUALISM, whilst we see defined muscle groups and a hint at movement, they are realistic in NEITHER PROPORTION NOR MOVEMENT

• The brothers were VOTIVE OFFERINGS at DELPHI, highlighting their dual religious and civic function. They’re IDEALISED male youths embodying a public representation of ARETE, KLEOS, ARGIVE PRIDE and MORAL VIRTUE.

• The myth told by Herodotus, celebrates PIETY and FAMILIAL DUTY, granted death at the peak of their honour,

• Reinforces not just PHYSICAL STRENGTH but more so ARETE,

• Their NUDITY, shows HEROISM, YOUTH and MORAL virtue as it links their PHYSICAL IDEAL with spiritual and civic ideas about the POLIS

• 2.18 M, enhances VISUAL and SYMBOLIC impact, the figures DOMINATED the space at Delphi, marking the prestige of ARGOS

• The scale combined with muscular build and symmetrical form, projects POWER and HONOUR reinforcing their mytholigcal status and the VALUES they EMBODY.