On Overview

Is seen as artistic perfection

It is the foundation of Western or European culture!

Greeks were concerned with the ideal focus-

representing it in the

What was happening in the

It was a time that saw a transition from a time of tyranny to democracy in Athens. A focus was placed on the establishment of history, philosophy, astronomy, mathematics, poetry, drama, music and aesthetics. Aristotle -all men by nature desire to know . Trained to use both their bodies and their minds.

 Man indeed became the measure of all things

Protagoras The Greek idea of freedom- the assertion of a mans autonomy and free will, and his ability to master his environment through his intellect transmitted into the visual arts and even liberated the depiction of the human form.

 The Greek myths became a rich source of meaning and

the Greeks believed that there was a connection between the Gods and man. Plato -man participates in the divine and is related to the gods. The great poet Pindar wrote, Gods and men have a single mother, only our strengths are different. Pride, courage, strength, resourcefulness, honesty and virtue made up the Greek ideal of manhood.

 Egyptian influence
Common characteristics:

Rigidity Bilateral symmetry Anatomy- geometric figures One foot in front of the other smile Viewed from the front

Represents humanity
A generalisation of the essential

features of the human figure. A movement away from the rigid measurement system, focusing on proportions of individual features in relation to each other. Expressed through the number of heads

 Knee in a relaxing state. Muscles and bones life-like. Rib cage expanded as if

breathing. Spine forms S- body now responds as a real body would to an extended leg. No more smile- face reflects and inward reflectiveness. Head now turned. Allowed for potential for fluidity and grace.

 Hippocrates A wise man

should consider that health is the greatest of human blessings. Speculums, micro surgery performed. Increased interest in the human body

Gods Athletic bodies are

admired Athletes considered as heroes New inspiration: beauty, aesthetics

 Reality and ideality reached

a state of equilibrium (balance). Perfectly proportion according to an aesthetic standard- not necessarily physical reality. Plato- If there are arts, there is standard of measure, and if there is a standard of measure there are arts.

 it is not anatomically possible

for a person to look like them. Something more human than human Reality has been exaggerated Relaxed in stance Lips parted as if ready to breathe.

 If you look closely, you will

notice something is not quite right Their legs have been made longer to match the length of their upper body. The division between the upper and lover parts of the body have been exaggerated by the use a crest muscle.

 They have no

coccyx at the base of their spine.

 Interested in the rules of beauty

Creating the perfection of beauty through

mathematical precision. Developed a theory of proportions- The Canon The body is made up of separate definable parts that are all related mathematically to each other. No matter how these are arranged, the whole body appears perfectly balanced.

 Perfect expression of

symmetria. Contrapposto- his weight rests on his right leg, freeing his left leg to bend. The right hip shifts up and the left down, the left shoulder raises and the right drops. His body is brought into a state of equilibrium through this counterbalancing act. Stand up and create this pose yourself.

 Nudity= marker of

civilisation, separating the Greeks from barbarians. Face- no individual features= represents the idealised version of the everyman. No human could ever achieve this body.

 Designed to be seen from a

single viewpoint. The torso remains stiff; the movement and tension of the legs does not appear to carry through into the chest and arms. The head has been wrongly restored, it should be turned to look towards the discus.

 The work goes beyond the

canon provided by Polykleitos as it attempts not to reveal an athlete at rest but within movement. He is about to throw the disc Tension in his body is shown by:
the curve of the back, the way the left hand is held

back, the fingers gripping the discus, the contraction of the toes of the right foot, the energy of his stance, with both feet firmly on the ground.

 Another example of

canon. A young, muscular, solidly built athlete in a moment of thought between disrobing ready to throw the discus and actually throwing it. Contrapposto stance evident.

 Research the Kritios Boy.

Is this evidence of male homosexuality in Ancient

Greece Or is it simply an example signs Greek love of balance- balance of emotion and intellect, Natural and ideal, Masculine and Feminine. Refer to the visual features of the work in your response and write using the S.E.X.Y paragraph structure.
Locate examples of the ideal and balance in sculptures

in Contrapposto poses
Look not only at Classical Greek sculpture but in art

over time (**Remember they are the foundation of Western culture- how is it evident?) Glue these in your art diary.