Among the variety of masterpieces cultural heritage Ancient Greece special place takes . In Greek statues it is embodied and sung with the help of visual arts ideal person, beauty human body. However, not only the grace and smoothness of lines distinguishes ancient Greek sculptures - the skill of their authors is so great that even in cold stone they were able to convey the entire gamut human emotions and give the figures a special, deep meaning, as if breathing life into them and endowing each with that incomprehensible mystery that still attracts and does not leave the beholder indifferent.

Like other cultures, Ancient Greece experienced various periods of its development, each of which introduced certain changes in the process of formation of all types, which include sculpture. That is why it is possible to trace the stages of formation of this type of art by briefly describing the features of ancient Greek sculpture of Ancient Greece in different periods of its historical development.
ARCHAIC PERIOD (VIII-VI centuries BC).

Sculptures of this period are characterized by a certain primitiveness of the figures themselves due to the fact that the images that were embodied in them were too generalized and did not differ in variety (figures of young men were called kuros, figures of girls were called kora). The most famous sculpture of several dozen that have survived to this day is considered to be the statue of Apollo from the Shadows, made of marble (Apollo himself appears before us as a young man with his hands down, fingers clenched into fists and eyes wide open, and his face is reflected in the typical sculpture archaic smile of that time). The images of girls and women were distinguished by long clothes and wavy hair, but most of all they were attracted by the smoothness and elegance of the lines - the embodiment of feminine grace.

CLASSICAL PERIOD (V-IV centuries BC).
One of the outstanding figures among the sculptors of this period can be called Pythagoras of Rhegia (480 -450). It was he who gave life to his creations and made them more realistic, although some of his works were considered innovative and too bold (for example, a statue called Boy Taking out a Splinter). His extraordinary talent and liveliness of mind allowed him to begin researching the meaning of harmony with the help of algebraic methods calculations that he carried out on the basis of the philosophical and mathematical school he himself founded. Using such methods, Pythagoras explored harmonies of various natures: musical harmony, the harmony of the human body or an architectural structure. The Pythagorean school existed on the principle of number, which was considered the basis of the whole world.

In addition to Pythagoras, the classical period gave world culture such eminent masters as Myron, Polykleitos and Phidias, whose creations were united by one principle: displaying a harmonious combination perfect body and the no less beautiful soul contained in it. It was this principle that formed the basis for the creation of sculptures of that time.
Myron's works had a great influence on educational art 5th century in Athens (suffice it to mention his famous bronze Discus thrower).

The creations of Polykleitos embodied his skill in the ability to give balance to the figure of a man standing on one leg with his arm raised up (an example is the statue of Doryphoros the young spear-bearer). In his works, Polykleitos sought to combine ideal physical characteristics with beauty and spirituality. This desire inspired him to write and publish his own treatise, the Canon, which, unfortunately, has not survived to this day. Phidias can rightfully be called a great creator of sculpture of the 5th century, because he was able to perfectly master the art of bronze casting. 13 sculptural figures cast by Phidias decorated the Delphic Temple of Apollo. His works also include the twenty-meter statue of the Virgin Athena in the Parthenon, made of pure gold and ivory (this technique for making statues was called chryso-elephantine). Real fame came to Phidias after he created a statue of Zeus for the temple at Olympia (its height was 13 meters).

HELLENISM PERIOD. (IV-I century BC).
Sculpture during this period of development of the ancient Greek state still had its main purpose for decorating architectural structures, although it reflected the changes taking place in government administration. In addition, many schools and trends have emerged in sculpture, as one of the leading forms of art.
Skopas became a notable figure among the sculptors of this period. His skill was embodied in the Hellenistic statue of Nike of Samothrace, so named in memory of the victory of the Rhodesian fleet in 306 BC and installed on a pedestal, which in design resembled the bow of a ship. Classical images became examples of the creations of sculptors of this era.

In Hellenistic sculpture, the so-called gigantomania (the desire to embody the desired image in a statue of enormous size) is clearly visible: a shining example This can be illustrated by the statue of the god Helios made of gilded bronze, which rose 32 meters at the entrance of the Rhodes harbor. Lysippos’s student, Hares, worked tirelessly on this sculpture for twelve years. This work art rightfully took an honorable place in the list of Wonders of the World. After the capture of Ancient Greece by the Roman conquerors, many works of art (including multi-volume collections of imperial libraries, masterpieces of painting and sculpture) were taken outside its borders, in addition, many representatives from the field of science and education were captured. Thus, into culture Ancient Rome intertwined and had a significant influence on her further development elements of Greek culture.

Different periods of development of Ancient Greece, of course, made their own adjustments to the process of formation of this type visual arts,

Ancient Greek sculpture is the leading standard in world sculptural art, which continues to inspire modern sculptors to create artistic masterpieces. Frequent themes of sculptures and stucco compositions of ancient Greek sculptors were the battles of great heroes, mythology and legends, rulers and ancient Greek gods.

Greek sculpture received particular development in the period from 800 to 300 BC. e. This area of ​​sculptural creativity drew early inspiration from Egyptian and Middle Eastern monumental art and evolved over the centuries into a uniquely Greek vision of the form and dynamics of the human body.

Greek painters and sculptors reached the top artistic skill, which captured the elusive aspects of a person and showed them off in a way that no one else had ever been able to show them. Greek sculptors were particularly interested in proportion, balance, and the idealized perfection of the human body, and their stone and bronze figures became some of the most recognizable works of art ever produced by any civilization.

The Origin of Sculpture in Ancient Greece

From the 8th century BC archaic Greece observed an increase in the production of small solid figures made of clay, ivory and bronze. Of course, wood was also a widely used material, but its susceptibility to erosion prevented wooden products from being mass-produced as they did not exhibit the necessary durability. Bronze figures, human heads, mythical monsters, and in particular griffins, were used as decorative design and handles for bronze vessels, cauldrons and bowls.

In style, Greek human figures have expressive geometric lines, which can often be found on pottery of the time. The bodies of warriors and gods are depicted with elongated limbs and a triangular torso. Also, ancient Greek creations are often decorated with animal figures. Many of them have been found throughout Greece at refuge sites such as Olympia and Delphi, indicating their general function as amulets and objects of worship.

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The oldest Greek limestone stone sculptures date back to the mid-7th century BC and were found at Thera. During this period, bronze figures appeared more and more often. From the point of view of the author's intention, the plots sculptural compositions became increasingly complex and ambitious and could already depict warriors, battle scenes, athletes, chariots and even musicians with instruments of the period.

Marble sculpture appears at the beginning of the 6th century BC. The first monumental marble statues in life size served as monuments dedicated to heroes and nobles, or were located in sanctuaries in which symbolic service to the gods was carried out.

The earliest large stone figures found in Greece depicted young men dressed in women's clothing accompanied by a cow. The sculptures were static and rough, like in Egyptian monumental statues, the arms were placed straight at the sides, the legs were almost together, and the eyes looked straight ahead without any special facial expression. These rather static figures slowly evolved through the detailing of the image. Talented craftsmen focused on the smallest details images, such as hair and muscles, thanks to which the figures began to come to life.

A characteristic posture for Greek statues was a position in which the arms are slightly bent, which gives them tension in the muscles and veins, and one leg (usually the right) is slightly moved forward, giving a sense of dynamic movement of the statue. This is how the first realistic images of the human body in dynamics appeared.

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Painting and staining of ancient Greek sculpture

By the early 19th century, systematic excavations of ancient Greek sites had revealed many sculptures with traces of multicolored surfaces, some of which were still visible. Despite this, influential art historians such as Johann Joachim Winckelmann objected so strongly to the idea of ​​painted Greek sculpture that proponents of painted statues were labeled eccentrics and their views were largely suppressed for over a century.

Only the published scientific papers of the German archaeologist Windzenik Brinkmann in the late 20th and early 21st centuries described the discovery of a number of famous ancient Greek sculptures. Using high intensity lamps, ultraviolet light, specially designed chambers, plaster castings and some powdered minerals, Brinkmann proved that the entire Parthenon, including its main body, as well as the statues, were painted in different colors. He then chemically and physically analyzed the original paint's pigments to determine its composition.

Brinkmann created several painted different colors replicas of Greek statues that have gone on tour around the world. The collection included copies of many works of Greek and Roman sculpture, demonstrating that the practice of painting sculpture was the norm and not the exception in Greek and Roman art.

The museums in which the exhibits were exhibited noted the great success of the exhibition among visitors, which is due to some discrepancy between the usual snow-white Greek athletes and the brightly colored statues that they actually were. Exhibition venues include the Glyptothek Museum in Munich, the Vatican Museum and the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. The collection made its American debut at Harvard University in the fall of 2007.

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Stages of the formation of Greek sculpture

The development of sculptural art in Greece went through several significant stages. Each of them was reflected in the sculpture with its own characteristic features, noticeable even to non-professionals.

Geometric stage

It is believed that the earliest incarnation of Greek sculpture was in the form of wooden cult statues, first described by Pausanias. No evidence of this survives, and descriptions of them are vague, despite the fact that they were likely objects of veneration for hundreds of years.

The first real evidence of Greek sculpture was found on the island of Euboea and dates back to 920 BC. It was a statue of a Lefkandi centaur by an unknown terracotta sculpture. The statue was collected in parts, having been deliberately broken and buried in two separate graves. The centaur has a distinct mark (wound) on his knee. This allowed researchers to suggest that the statue may depict Chiron wounded by the arrow of Hercules. If this is true, this can be considered the earliest famous description myth in the history of Greek sculpture.

The sculptures of the Geometric period (approximately 900 to 700 BC) were small figurines made of terracotta, bronze and ivory. Typical sculptural works This era is represented by many examples of equestrian statues. However, the subject repertoire is not limited to men and horses, as some found examples of statues and stucco from the period depict images of deer, birds, beetles, hares, griffins and lions.

There are no inscriptions on early period geometric sculpture until the early 7th century BC statue of Mantiklos "Apollo" found at Thebes. The sculpture represents a figure standing man, at whose feet there is an inscription. This inscription is a kind of instruction to help each other and return good for good.

Archaic period

Inspired by the monumental stone sculpture of Egypt and Mesopotamia, the Greeks began carving in stone again. Individual figures share the solidity and frontal stance characteristic of oriental models, but their forms are more dynamic than those of Egyptian sculpture. Examples of sculptures from this period are the statues of Lady Auxerre and the torso of Hera (early archaic period - 660-580 BC, exhibited in the Louvre, Paris).

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Such figures had one characteristic feature in their facial expression - an archaic smile. This expression, which has no specific relevance to the person or situation depicted, may have been the artist's tool to give the figures an animated, "live" quality.

During this period, three types of figures predominated in sculpture: a standing naked youth, standing girl, dressed in traditional Greek attire, and a seated woman. They emphasize and summarize the main features human figure and show an increasingly accurate understanding and knowledge of human anatomy.

Ancient Greek statues of naked youths, in particular the famous Apollo, were often presented in enormous sizes, which was supposed to show power and masculine strength. These statues show much more detail of the musculature and skeletal structure than the early geometric works. Dressed girls have a wide range of facial expressions and poses, as in sculptures Athens Acropolis. Their drapery is carved and painted with the delicacy and care characteristic of the details of sculpture of this period.

The Greeks decided very early on that the human figure was the most important subject of artistic endeavor. It is enough to remember that their gods have a human appearance, which means that there was no difference between the sacred and the secular in art - the human body was both secular and sacred at the same time. A male nude without character reference could just as easily become Apollo or Hercules, or depict a mighty Olympian.

As with pottery, the Greeks did not produce sculpture just for artistic display. Statues were created to order, either by aristocrats and nobles, or by the state, and were used for public memorials, to decorate temples, oracles and sanctuaries (as is often proven by ancient inscriptions on statues). The Greeks also used sculptures as grave markers. Statues in the Archaic period were not intended to represent specific people. These were images of ideal beauty, piety, honor or sacrifice. This is why sculptors have always created sculptures of young people, ranging from adolescence to early adulthood, even when they were placed on the graves of (presumably) older citizens.

Classical period

The Classical period brought a revolution in Greek sculpture, sometimes associated by historians with radical changes in socio-political life - the introduction of democracy and the end of the aristocratic era. The Classical period brought with it changes in the style and function of sculpture, as well as a dramatic increase in the technical skill of Greek sculptors in depicting realistic human forms.

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The poses also became more natural and dynamic, especially at the beginning of the period. It was at this time that Greek statues began to increasingly depict real people, rather than vague interpretations of myths or completely fictional characters. Although the style in which they were presented had not yet developed into a realistic portrait form. The statues of Harmodius and Aristogeiton, created in Athens, symbolize the overthrow of aristocratic tyranny and, according to historians, become the first public monuments to show the figures of real people.

The classical period also saw the flourishing of stucco art and the use of sculptures as decoration for buildings. Characteristic temples classical era, such as the Parthenon in Athens and the Temple of Zeus at Olympia, used relief molding for decorative friezes, wall and ceiling decorations. The complex aesthetic and technical challenges faced by sculptors of that period contributed to the creation of sculptural innovations. Most of the works from that period survive only in the form individual fragments, for example, the stucco decoration of the Parthenon is today partly in the British Museum.

Funeral sculpture made a huge leap during this period - from rigid and impersonal statues archaic period to the very personal family groups of the classical era. These monuments are usually found in the suburbs of Athens, which in ancient times were cemeteries on the outskirts of the city. Although some of them depict “ideal” types of people (a yearning mother, an obedient son), they increasingly become the personification of real people and, as a rule, show that the deceased leaves this world with dignity, leaving his family. This is a noticeable increase in the level of emotions relative to the archaic and geometric eras.

Another noticeable change is the flourishing of the creativity of talented sculptors, whose names have gone down in history. All information known about sculptures in the Archaic and Geometric periods focuses on the works themselves, and rarely is attention given to their authors.

Hellenistic period

The transition from the classical to the Hellenistic (or Greek) period occurred in the 4th century BC. Greek art became increasingly diverse under the influence of the cultures of the peoples involved in the Greek orbit and the conquests of Alexander the Great (336-332 BC). According to some art historians, this led to a decrease in the quality and originality of the sculpture, although people of the time may not have shared this opinion.

It is known that many sculptures previously considered the geniuses of the classical era were actually created during the Hellenistic period. The technical ability and talent of Hellenistic sculptors is evident in such major works as the Winged Victory of Samothrace and the Pergamon Altar. New centers of Greek culture, especially in sculpture, developed in Alexandria, Antioch, Pergamon and other cities. By the 2nd century BC, the growing power of Rome had also absorbed much of the Greek tradition.

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During this period, sculpture again experienced a shift towards naturalism. Heroes for creating sculptures now became ordinary people– men, women with children, animals and domestic scenes. Many of the creations from this period were commissioned by wealthy families to decorate their homes and gardens. Lifelike figures of men and women of all ages were created, and sculptors no longer felt obligated to depict people as ideals of beauty or physical perfection.

At the same time, the new Hellenistic cities that arose in Egypt, Syria and Anatolia needed statues depicting the gods and heroes of Greece for their temples and public places. This led to sculpture, like ceramics, becoming an industry, with subsequent standardization and some decline in quality. That is why many more Hellenistic creations have survived to this day than eras classical period.

Along with the natural shift towards naturalism, there was also a shift in the expression and emotional embodiment of the sculptures. The heroes of the statues began to express more energy, courage and strength. A simple way to appreciate this shift in expression is to compare the most famous works created during the Hellenistic period with the sculptures of the classical phase. One of the most famous masterpieces of the classical period is the sculpture “The Carrier of Delphi”, expressing humility and submission. At the same time, the sculptures of the Hellenistic period reflect strength and energy, which is especially clearly expressed in the work “Jockey of Artemisia”.

The most famous Hellenistic sculptures in the world are the Winged Victory of Samothrace (1st century BC) and the statue of Aphrodite from the island of Melos, better known as the Venus de Milo (mid-2nd century BC). These statues depict classical subjects and themes, but their execution is much more sensual and emotional than the austere spirit of the classical period and its technical skills allowed.

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Hellenistic sculpture also underwent an increase in scale, culminating in the Colossus of Rhodes (late 3rd century), which historians believe was comparable in size to the Statue of Liberty. A series of earthquakes and robberies destroyed this heritage of Ancient Greece, like many other major works of this period, the existence of which is described in the literary works of contemporaries.

After the conquests of Alexander the Great Greek culture spread to India, as shown by the excavations of Ai-Khanum in eastern Afghanistan. Greco-Buddhist art represented an intermediate stage between Greek art and the visual expression of Buddhism. Discoveries made since the late 19th century regarding the ancient Egyptian city of Heracles have revealed the remains of a statue of Isis dating back to the 4th century BC.

The statue depicts the Egyptian goddess in an unusually sensual and subtle way. This is uncharacteristic of the sculptors of that area, because the image is detailed and feminine, symbolizing the combination of Egyptian and Hellenistic forms during the time of Alexander the Great's conquest of Egypt.

Ancient Greek sculpture is the progenitor of all world art! Until now, the masterpieces of Ancient Greece attract millions of tourists and art connoisseurs who want to touch the timeless beauty and talent.

What are the features of ancient Greek sculpture?

When confronted with Greek art, many outstanding minds expressed genuine admiration. One of the most famous researchers of the art of ancient Greece, Johann Winckelmann (1717-1768) speaks about Greek sculpture: “Connoisseurs and imitators of Greek works find in their masterful creations not only the most beautiful nature, but also more than nature, namely its certain ideal beauty, which... is created from images sketched by the mind.” Everyone who writes about Greek art notes in it an amazing combination of naive spontaneity and depth, reality and fiction. It, especially in sculpture, embodies the ideal of man. What is the peculiarity of the ideal? Why did he charm people so much that the aged Goethe cried in the Louvre in front of the sculpture of Aphrodite?

The Greeks always believed that only in beautiful body can live beautiful soul. Therefore, harmony of the body and external perfection are an indispensable condition and the basis of an ideal person. The Greek ideal is defined by the term kalokagathia(Greek kalos- wonderful + agathos Kind). Since kalokagathia includes the perfection of both physical constitution and spiritual and moral makeup, then at the same time, along with beauty and strength, the ideal carries justice, chastity, courage and rationality. This is exactly what does greek gods sculpted by ancient sculptors, uniquely beautiful.

http://historic.ru/lostcivil/greece/gallery/stat_001.shtmlThe best monuments of ancient Greek sculpture were created in the 5th century. BC. But earlier works have also reached us. Statues of the 7th-6th centuries. BC symmetrical: one half of the body - mirror reflection another. Shackled posture, outstretched arms pressed to the muscular body. Not the slightest tilt or turn of the head, but the lips are open in a smile. A smile seems to illuminate the sculpture from within with an expression of the joy of life.

Later, during the period of classicism, statues acquired a greater variety of forms.

There have been attempts to conceptualize harmony algebraically. First Scientific research Pythagoras undertook what harmony is. The school that he founded examined issues of a philosophical and mathematical nature, applying mathematical calculations to all aspects of reality. There were no exceptions musical harmony, nor the harmony of the human body or architectural structure. The Pythagorean school considered number the basis and beginning of the world.

What does number theory have to do with Greek art? It turns out that it is the most direct, since the harmony of the spheres of the Universe and the harmony of the entire world is expressed by the same ratios of numbers, the main of which are the ratios 2/1, 3/2 and 4/3 (in music these are the octave, fifth and fourth, respectively). In addition, harmony presupposes the possibility of calculating any correlation of parts of each object, including sculpture, according to the following proportion: a / b = b / c, where a is any smaller part of the object, b is any most of, s - integer. On this basis, the great Greek sculptor Polykleitos (5th century BC) created a sculpture of a young spearman (5th century BC), which is called “Doriphorus” (“Spearman”) or “Canon” - after the title of the work sculptor, where he, discussing the theory of art, considers the laws of depicting a perfect person. It is believed that the artist’s reasoning can be applied to his sculpture.

The statues of Polykleitos are full of intense life. Polykleitos liked to depict athletes in a state of rest. Take the same “Spearman”. This powerfully built man is full of self-esteem. He stands motionless in front of the viewer. But this is not static peace ancient egyptian statues. Like a man who skillfully and easily controls his body, the spearman slightly bent one leg and shifted the weight of his body to the other. It seems that a moment will pass and he will take a step forward, turn his head, proud of his beauty and strength. Before us is a man strong, handsome, free from fear, proud, reserved - the embodiment of Greek ideals.

Unlike his contemporary Polykleitos, Myron loved to depict his statues in motion. Here, for example, is the statue “Discobolus” (5th century BC; Thermal Museum, Rome). Its author, the great sculptor Miron, depicted a beautiful young man at the moment when he swung a heavy disc. His body, caught in motion, is curved and tense, like a spring ready to unfold. Under the elastic skin of the arm pulled back, trained muscles bulged. The toes, forming a reliable support, pressed deeply into the sand. The statues of Myron and Polykleitos were cast in bronze, but only marble copies of ancient Greek originals made by the Romans have reached us.

The Greeks considered Phidias the greatest sculptor of his time, who decorated the Parthenon with marble sculpture. His sculptures especially reflect that the gods in Greece are nothing more than images of an ideal person. The best preserved marble strip of the relief of the frieze is 160 m long. It depicts a procession heading to the temple of the goddess Athena - the Parthenon.

The Parthenon sculpture was badly damaged. And “Athena Parthenos” died back in ancient times. She stood inside the temple and was incredibly beautiful. The goddess's head with a low, smooth forehead and rounded chin, neck and arms were made of ivory, and her hair, clothes, shield and helmet were minted from sheets of gold. The goddess in the form of a beautiful woman is the personification of Athens.

http://historic.ru/lostcivil/greece/gallery/stat_007.shtmlMany stories are associated with this sculpture. The created masterpiece was so great and famous that its author immediately had many envious people. They tried in every possible way to insult the sculptor and looked for various reasons why they could accuse him of something. They say that Phidias was accused of allegedly concealing part of the gold given as material for the decoration of the goddess. To prove his innocence, Phidias removed all the gold objects from the sculpture and weighed them. The weight exactly coincided with the weight of the gold given for the sculpture. Then Phidias was accused of atheism. The reason for this was Athena's shield. It depicted the plot of the battle between the Greeks and the Amazons. Among the Greeks, Phidias depicted himself and his beloved Pericles. The image of Phidias on the shield became the cause of the conflict. Despite all the achievements of Phidias, the Greek public was able to turn against him. The life of the great sculptor ended in a cruel execution.

The achievements of Phidias in the Parthenon were not exhaustive for his work. The sculptor created many other works, the best of which were the colossal bronze figure of Athena Promachos, erected on the Acropolis around 460 BC, and the equally huge ivory and gold figure of Zeus for the temple at Olympia. Unfortunately, the original works no longer exist, and we cannot see with our own eyes the magnificent works of art of Ancient Greece. Only their descriptions and copies remain. This was largely due to the fanatical destruction of statues by Christian believers.

This is how one can describe the statue of Zeus for the temple at Olympia: A huge fourteen-meter god sat on a golden throne, and it seemed that if he stood up, straightened his broad shoulders, he would feel cramped in the vast hall and the ceiling would be low. The head of Zeus was decorated with a wreath of olive branches - a sign of the peacefulness of the formidable god. The face, shoulders, arms, chest were made of ivory, and the cloak was thrown over the left shoulder. The crown and beard of Zeus were made of sparkling gold.

Phidias endowed Zeus with human nobility. His handsome face, framed by a curly beard and curly hair, was not only stern, but also kind, his posture was solemn, stately and calm. The combination of physical beauty and kindness of soul emphasized his divine ideality. The statue made such an impression that, according to ancient author, people, depressed by grief, sought consolation in contemplating the creation of Phidias. Rumor declared the statue of Zeus one of the “seven wonders of the world.”

The works of all three sculptors were similar in that they all depicted harmony beautiful body and contained in it kind soul. This was the main trend at the time.

Of course, norms and guidelines in Greek art changed throughout history. Archaic art was more straightforward; it lacked the deep meaning of understatement that delights humanity in the period Greek classics. In the Hellenistic era, when man lost his sense of the stability of the world, art lost its old ideals. It began to reflect the feelings of uncertainty about the future that reigned in the social trends of that time.

One thing united all periods of the development of Greek society and art: this, as M. Alpatov writes, a special passion for plastic art, for spatial arts. Such a predilection is understandable: huge reserves of variously colored, noble and ideal material - marble - represented ample opportunities for its implementation. Although most Greek sculptures were made in bronze, since marble was fragile, it was the texture of marble with its color and decorativeness that made it possible to reproduce the beauty of the human body with the greatest expressiveness. Therefore, most often “the human body, its structure and pliability, its harmony and flexibility attracted the attention of the Greeks; they willingly depicted the human body both naked and in light transparent clothing.”

Outstanding sculptors of Ancient Greece

Features of ancient Greek sculpture The main theme is the image of a person, admiration for the beauty of the human body.

Archaic sculpture: Kouros - naked athletes. Installed near temples; They embodied the ideal of male beauty; They look alike: young, slender, tall. Kouros. 6th century BC

Archaic sculpture: Kory - girls in tunics. They embodied the ideal of female beauty; Similar to each other: curly hair, mysterious smile, the epitome of sophistication. Bark. 6th century BC

GREEK CLASSICAL SCULPTURE End of V-IV centuries. BC e. - the period of the turbulent spiritual life of Greece, the formation of the idealistic ideas of Socrates and Plato in philosophy, which developed in the fight against the materialistic philosophy of the Democrat, the time of the formation of new forms of Greek fine art. In sculpture, the masculinity and severity of the images of strict classics is replaced by an interest in the spiritual world of man, and a more complex and less straightforward characteristic of it is reflected in plastic.

Greek sculptors of the classical period: Polykleitos Myron Scopas Praxiteles Lysippos Leochares

Polykleitos Polykleitos. Doryphoros (spearman). 450-440 BC Roman copy. National Museum. Naples The works of Polykleitos became a real hymn to the greatness and spiritual power of Man. The favorite image is a slender young man with an athletic build. There is nothing superfluous in him, “nothing in excess”; his spiritual and physical appearance are harmonious.

Doryphorus has a complex pose, different from static pose ancient kouros. Polycletus was the first to think of posing the figures in such a way that they rested on the lower part of only one leg. In addition, the figure seems mobile and animated, due to the fact that the horizontal axes are not parallel (the so-called chiasmus). “Doripho?r” (Greek ????????? - “Spear-bearer”) is one of the most famous statues antiquity, embodies the so-called Canon of Polykleitos.

The canon of Polykleitos Doryphoros is not an image of a specific winning athlete, but an illustration of the canons of the male figure. Polykleitos set out to accurately determine the proportions of the human figure, according to his ideas about ideal beauty. These proportions are in numerical relation to each other. “They even assured that Polykleitos performed it on purpose, so that other artists would use it as a model,” wrote a contemporary. The work “The Canon” itself had a great influence on European culture, despite the fact that only two fragments of the theoretical work have survived.

Canon of Polykleitos If we recalculate the proportions of this Ideal Man for a height of 178 cm, the parameters of the statue will be as follows: 1. neck volume - 44 cm, 2. chest - 119, 3. biceps - 38, 4. waist - 93, 5. forearms - 33 , 6. wrists - 19, 7. buttocks - 108, 8. hips - 60, 9. knees - 40, 10. shins - 42, 11. ankles - 25, 12. feet - 30 cm.

Polykleitos "Wounded Amazon"

Myron Myron - Greek sculptor of the mid-5th century. BC e. The sculptor of the era immediately preceding the highest flowering of Greek art (6th century - early 5th century) embodied the ideals of the strength and beauty of Man. He was the first master of complex bronze castings. Miron. Discus thrower.450 BC. Roman copy. National Museum, Rome

Miron. “Disco thrower” The ancients characterize Myron as the greatest realist and an expert in anatomy, who, however, did not know how to give life and expression to faces. He depicted gods, heroes and animals, and with special love he reproduced difficult, fleeting poses. His most famous work is “The Discus Thrower,” an athlete intending to throw a discus, a statue that has survived to this day in several copies, of which the best is made of marble and is located in the Massami Palace in Rome.

"Disco thrower" by Myron at the Copenhagen Botanical Garden

Discus thrower. Miron

Sculptural creations of Skopas Skopas (420 - c. 355 BC), a native of the island of Paros, rich in marble. Unlike Praxiteles, Skopas continued the traditions of high classics, creating monumental heroic images. But from the images of the 5th century. they are distinguished by the dramatic tension of all spiritual forces. Passion, pathos, strong movement are the main features of Skopas’ art. Also known as an architect, he participated in the creation of a relief frieze for the Halicarnassus mausoleum.

In a state of ecstasy, in a violent outburst of passion, the Maenad is depicted by Scopas. The companion of the god Dionysus is shown in a rapid dance, her head is thrown back, her hair has fallen to her shoulders, her body is curved, presented in a complex angle, the folds of her short chiton emphasize the violent movement. Unlike the sculpture of the 5th century. The Skopas maenad is designed to be viewed from all sides. Skopas. Maenad Sculptural creations of Skopas

Skopas. Battle with the Amazons Sculptural creations of Skopas Also known as an architect, he participated in the creation of a relief frieze for the Halicarnassus mausoleum.

Praxiteles Born in Athens (c. 390 - 330 BC) Inspirational singer of female beauty.

The statue of Aphrodite of Knidos is the first depiction of a nude female figure in Greek art. The statue stood on the shore of the Knidos peninsula, and contemporaries wrote about real pilgrimages here to admire the beauty of the goddess preparing to enter the water and throwing off her clothes on a nearby vase. The original statue has not survived. Sculptural creations of Praxiteles Praxiteles. Aphrodite of Knidos

Sculptural creations of Praxiteles In the only marble statue of Hermes (the patron of trade and travelers, as well as the messenger, “courier” of the gods) that has come down to us in the original of the sculptor Praxiteles, the master depicted a beautiful young man in a state of peace and serenity. He looks thoughtfully at the baby Dionysus, whom he holds in his arms. The masculine beauty of an athlete is replaced by a beauty that is somewhat feminine, graceful, but also more spiritual. The statue of Hermes has traces of ancient coloring: red-brown hair, silver color bandage. Praxiteles. Hermes. Around 330 BC e.

Sculptural creations of Praxiteles

Lysippos the Great sculptor of the 4th century. BC. (370-300 BC). He worked in bronze, because sought to capture images in a fleeting rush. He left behind 1,500 bronze statues, including colossal figures of gods, heroes, and athletes. They are characterized by pathos, inspiration, emotionality. The original has not reached us. Court sculptor of A. Macedonian Marble copy of the head of A. Macedonian

Lysippos. Hercules fighting a lion. 4th century BC Roman copy of the Hermitage, St. Petersburg In this sculpture with amazing skill the passionate intensity of the duel between Hercules and the lion is conveyed. Sculptural creations of Lysippos

Sculptural creations of Lysippos Lysippos sought to bring his images as close as possible to reality. Thus, he showed athleticism not at the moment of the highest tension of forces, but, as a rule, at the moment of their decline, after the competition. This is exactly how his Apoxyomenos is represented, cleaning off the sand from himself after a sports fight. He has a tired face and his hair is matted with sweat. Lysippos. Apoxyomenos. Roman copy, 330 BC

The captivating Hermes, always fast and lively, is also represented by Lysippos as if in a state of extreme fatigue, briefly sitting on a stone and ready to run further in the next second in his winged sandals. Sculptural creations of Lysippos Lysippos. "Resting Hermes"

Lysippos created his own canon of proportions of the human body, according to which his figures are taller and slimmer than those of Polykleitos (the size of the head is 1/9 of the figure). Sculptural creations of Lysippos Lysippos. "Hercules of Farnese"

Leohar Leohar. Apollo Belvedere. 4th century BC Roman copy. Vatican Museums His work is an excellent attempt to capture the classical ideal of human beauty. His works contain not only the perfection of images, but also the skill and technique of execution. Apollo is considered one of the best works Antiquity.

Sculptural masterpieces of the Hellenistic era

Greek sculpture So, in Greek sculpture, the expressiveness of the image was in the entire human body, his movements, and not just in the face. Despite the fact that many Greek statues have not preserved their top part(as, for example, “Nike of Samothrace” or “Nike Untying her Sandals” came to us without a head, but we forget about this when looking at the holistic plastic solution of the image. Since the soul and body were thought of by the Greeks as an inseparable unity, so were the bodies of Greek statues unusually spiritual.

Nike of Samothrace Nike of Samothrace 2nd century BC Louvre, Paris Marble The statue was erected on the occasion of the victory of the Macedonian fleet over the Egyptian in 306 BC. e. The goddess was depicted as if on the bow of a ship, announcing victory with the sound of a trumpet. The pathos of victory is expressed in the swift movement of the goddess, in the wide flap of her wings.

Nike of Samothrace

Nike Untying her Sandal The goddess is depicted untying her sandal before entering the Marble Temple. Athens

Venus de Milo On April 8, 1820, a Greek peasant from the island of Melos named Iorgos, while digging the ground, felt that his shovel, clinking dully, came across something solid. Iorgos dug nearby - the same result. He took a step back, but even here the spade did not want to enter the ground. First Iorgos saw a stone niche. It was about four to five meters wide. In the stone crypt, to his surprise, he found a marble statue. This was Venus. Agesander. Venus de Milo. Louvre. 120 BC

Laocoon with his sons Agesander, Athenodorus, Polydorus

Laocoon and his sons Laocoon, you have not saved anyone! You are not a savior of either the city or the world. Reason is powerless. Proud Three's mouth is destined; the circle of fatal events closed in a suffocating crown of snake coils. Horror on the face, the pleas and groans of your child; the other son was silenced by poison. Your fainting. Your wheezing: “Let me be...” (...Like the bleating of sacrificial lambs Through the darkness, both piercing and subtle!..) And again - reality. And poison. They are stronger! In the snake's mouth, anger blazes powerfully... Laocoon, and who heard you?! Here are your boys... They... are not breathing. But every Troy has its own horses.

Phidias and the Parthenon friezes

Statue of Zeus by Phidias at Olympia

His images are sublime and beautiful. Phidias

Phidias Phidias. Athena statue

check yourself

Ancient Greece was one of the greatest states in the world. During its existence and on its territory the foundations were laid European art. The surviving cultural monuments of that period testify to the highest achievements of the Greeks in the field of architecture, philosophical thought, poetry and, of course, sculpture. Few originals have survived: time does not spare even the most unique creations. We know largely about the skill for which ancient sculptors were famous thanks to written sources and later Roman copies. However, this information is enough to understand the significance of the contribution of the inhabitants of the Peloponnese to world culture.

Periods

The sculptors of Ancient Greece were not always great creators. The era of the heyday of their skill was preceded by the archaic period (VII-VI centuries BC). The sculptures that have come down to us from that time are distinguished by their symmetry and static nature. They do not have that vitality and hidden internal movement that makes the statues look like frozen people. All the beauty of these early works is expressed through the face. It is no longer as static as the body: a smile radiates a feeling of joy and serenity, giving a special sound to the entire sculpture.

After the completion of the archaic period, the most fruitful time follows, in which the ancient sculptors of Ancient Greece created their most famous works. It is divided into several periods:

• early classic - beginning of the 5th century. BC e.;
• high classic - 5th century BC e.;
• late classic - 4th century. BC e.;
• Hellenism - end of the 4th century. BC e. - I century n. e.

Transition time

Early Classics is the period when the sculptors of Ancient Greece began to move away from static body position and look for new ways to express their ideas. Proportions are filled with natural beauty, poses become more dynamic, and faces become expressive.

The sculptor of Ancient Greece Myron created precisely during this period. In written sources, he is characterized as a master of conveying the anatomically correct structure of the body, capable of capturing reality with high accuracy. Myron's contemporaries also pointed out his shortcomings: in their opinion, the sculptor did not know how to impart beauty and liveliness to the faces of his creations.

The master's statues embody heroes, gods and animals. However, the sculptor of Ancient Greece Myron gave greatest preference to the depiction of athletes during their achievements in competitions. The famous “Discobolus” is his creation. The sculpture has not survived to this day in the original, but there are several copies of it. “Disco thrower” depicts an athlete preparing to launch his projectile. The athlete's body is superbly executed: tense muscles indicate the heaviness of the disc, the twisted body resembles a spring ready to unfold. It seems like just a second and the athlete will throw the projectile.

The statues “Athena” and “Marsyas” are also considered to be superbly executed by Myron, which have also come down to us only in the form of later copies.

Heyday

Outstanding sculptors of Ancient Greece worked throughout the entire period of high classics. At this time, the masters of creating reliefs and statues comprehend both the methods of conveying movement and the basics of harmony and proportions. High classics is the period of formation of those foundations of Greek sculpture, which later became the standard for many generations of masters, including the creators of the Renaissance.

At this time, the sculptor of Ancient Greece Polykleitos and the brilliant Phidias worked. Both of them made people admire themselves during their lifetime and were not forgotten for centuries.

Peace and Harmony

Polykleitos worked in the second half of the 5th century. BC e. He is known as a master of creating sculptures depicting athletes at rest. Unlike Miron’s “Disco Thrower,” his athletes are not tense, but relaxed, but at the same time the viewer has no doubt about their power and capabilities.

Polyclitus was the first to use special position bodies: his heroes often rested on the pedestal with only one leg. This pose created a feeling of natural relaxation characteristic of a resting person.

Canon

The most famous sculpture of Polykleitos is considered to be “Doriphoros”, or “Spearman”. The work is also called the master's canon, since it embodies some of the principles of Pythagoreanism and is an example of a special way of posing a figure, contrapposto. The composition is based on the principle of cross-uneven movement of the body: the left side (the hand holding the spear and the leg set back) is relaxed, but at the same time in motion, in contrast to the tense and static right (the supporting leg and the arm straightened along the body).

Polykleitos later used a similar technique in many of his works. Its basic principles are set out in a treatise on aesthetics that has not reached us, written by the sculptor and called “Canon”. Enough great place in it, Polykleitos devoted a principle that he also successfully applied in his works, when this principle did not contradict the natural parameters of the body.

Recognized genius

All the ancient sculptors of Ancient Greece during the high classical period left behind admirable creations. However, the most outstanding among them was Phidias, rightfully considered the founder of European art. Unfortunately, the majority of the master’s works have survived to this day only as copies or descriptions on the pages of treatises by ancient authors.

Phidias worked on decorating the Athenian Parthenon. Today, an idea of ​​the sculptor’s skill can be gathered from the preserved marble relief, 1.6 m long. It depicts numerous pilgrims heading to the rest of the decorations of the Parthenon were lost. The same fate befell the statue of Athena, installed here and created by Phidias. The goddess, made of ivory and gold, symbolized the city itself, its power and greatness.

Wonder of the world

Others outstanding sculptors Ancient Greece may have been little inferior to Phidias, but none of them could boast of creating a wonder of the world. Olympic was made by a master for the city where the famous Games took place. The height of the Thunderer, seated on a golden throne, was amazing (14 meters). Despite such power, the god did not look formidable: Phidias created a calm, majestic and solemn Zeus, somewhat strict, but at the same time kind. Before its death, the statue attracted many pilgrims seeking solace for nine centuries.

Late classic

With the end of the 5th century. BC e. The sculptors of Ancient Greece did not dry out. The names Scopas, Praxiteles and Lysippos are known to everyone who is interested in ancient art. They worked in the next period, called the late classics. The works of these masters develop and complement the achievements of the previous era. Each in their own way, they transform the sculpture, enriching it with new subjects, ways of working with material and options for conveying emotions.

Boiling passions

Skopas can be called an innovator for several reasons. The great sculptors of Ancient Greece who preceded him preferred to use bronze as a material. Skopas created his creations mainly from marble. Instead of the traditional calm and harmony that filled his works in Ancient Greece, the master chose expression. His creations are full of passions and emotions, they are more like real people than imperturbable gods.

Most famous work Skopas is considered to be the frieze of the mausoleum at Halicarnassus. It depicts Amazonomachy - the struggle of heroes Greek myths with the warlike Amazons. The main features of the style inherent in the master are clearly visible in the surviving fragments of this creation.

Smoothness

Another sculptor of this period, Praxiteles, is considered the best Greek master in terms of conveying the grace of the body and inner spirituality. One of his outstanding works - Aphrodite of Knidos - was recognized by the master's contemporaries as the best creation ever created. goddess became the first monumental depiction of the naked female body. The original has not reached us.

The features of the style characteristic of Praxiteles are fully visible in the statue of Hermes. With the special posing of the naked body, the smoothness of the lines and the softness of the halftones of the marble, the master was able to create a somewhat dreamy mood that literally envelops the sculpture.

Attention to detail

At the end of an era late classic Another famous Greek sculptor, Lysippos, worked. His creations were distinguished by special naturalism, careful elaboration of details, and some elongation of proportions. Lysippos strove to create statues full of grace and elegance. He honed his skills by studying the canon of Polykleitos. Contemporaries noted that the works of Lysippos, unlike Doryphoros, gave the impression of being more compact and balanced. According to legend, the master was the favorite creator of Alexander the Great.

Eastern influence

A new stage in the development of sculpture begins at the end of the 4th century. BC e. The border between the two periods is considered to be the time of the conquests of Alexander the Great. With them, the era of Hellenism actually begins, which was a combination of the art of Ancient Greece and eastern countries.

The sculptures of this period are based on the achievements of the masters previous centuries. Hellenistic art gave the world such works as the Venus de Milo. At the same time, the famous reliefs of the Pergamon Altar appeared. In some works of late Hellenism, there is a noticeable appeal to everyday subjects and details. The culture of Ancient Greece at this time had a strong influence on the development of the art of the Roman Empire.

Finally

The importance of antiquity as a source of spiritual and aesthetic ideals cannot be overestimated. Ancient sculptors in Ancient Greece laid not only the foundations of their own craft, but also the standards for understanding the beauty of the human body. They were able to solve the problem of depicting movement by changing the pose and shifting the center of gravity. The ancient sculptors of Ancient Greece learned to convey emotions and experiences with the help of processed stone, to create not just statues, but practically living figures, ready to move at any moment, sigh, smile. All these achievements will form the basis for the flourishing of culture during the Renaissance.