A Summary Of The Lansdowne Athlete

Throughout the history of art, the human body and figure has captivated both artisans and their audiences. This can be said especially of the Greeks and their sculptures. Even from the earliest periods, Greeks motivation for the search of the ideal human body can be seen through the sculpture Metropolitan Kouros (c 120-50 BCE), created in the Archaic period and said to be found in Attica, Ancient Greece (Richter 1931, p. 220). However, it is not until High Classical period that they truly achieve their goal with Polykleitos’ The Spear Bearer (c. 120-50 BCE) or the Doryphoros (its Greek name). The sculpture, found in a Palestra in Pompeii, Italy is said to be the epitome of perfection during its period. Although there is exquisite rendering and beauty in both sculptures, there are also a vast number of differences that make each work unique.

Tony Percott’s The Naked Olympics created a vivid image of what Greek life used to be consumed by, specifically in times surrounding the Olympics. This book confirmed prior knowledge, as well as dive into greater detail about certain aspects of the Olympics, for example how athletes were treated. Several aspects written about were completely astounding, like the Greek obsession with the human body and physical fitness. All of this information has been explained by telling stories of Olympic athletes and Grecians, and how the events came to life. The Naked Olympics has provided more knowledge on certain topics and offered new concepts and ideas of ancient Greece to explore by recreating an Olympic experience in ancient Greece.

This article is of use to the contextualization of Ancient Greek Art as it presents the sultriness of the times, including the possibly more liberal perspective men and women during those times had about the human body. Through the article, there are images and memories relating to the myths of those times which have been repressed. This article provides a more playful and romantic perspective of Ancient Greek Art, one which very much views the human body as a

Not only does the ideal body image vary culture to culture, but, also, by gender. The idealized statues, Heyl Aphrodite, by an unknown artist, from the late Hellenistic period, and Capitoline Gaul, by an unidentified artist, from 100 AD to 199 AD, differ in the sense of gender.

The Greeks’ increased confidence after defeating Persian invaders in 480 BCE is recognized in the artwork of that time. Sculptures evolved from rigid, less lifelike structures to more relaxed and humanlike works, typically evoking self-confidence. The work “Kritios” Boy exemplifies this shift. Assumed to be the work of the Greek sculptor Kritios, “Kritios” Boy was created at the close of the Persian wars. I love how realistic this piece and others like it appear in comparison to the Kouroi before it. These sculptures are visibly relaxed and confident, perfectly emulation the Greek attitude of that era. The way the statue’s weight appears to be shifted onto one leg is the most significant factor in presenting the “Kritios” Boy as self-confident.

The primary focus of ancient Greek sculptures was that of the human body. Almost all Greek sculptures are of nude subjects. As the first society to focus on nude subjects, Greek sculptors attempted to "depict man in what they believed was the image of the gods and so would come to celebrate the body by striving for verisimilitude or true – likeness (realism and naturalism!)."(Riffert) Not only did the Greeks celebrate the human form in their art but also in everyday life. (Riffert) One of the favorite topics for sculptors was that of the athlete. In Greek culture athletes were described as "hero–athletes". (Riffert) This shows that athletes were revered and looked upon as heroes. The influence

This paper will focus on the Statue of Dionysos leaning on a female figure. Also known as the Hope Dionysos. The statue is displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art and is located on the first floor Roman and Greek art chamber. Upon entering this sector, you will notice a grand statue that catches your eyes and captivates you as it welcomes you in gracefully. The exhibition is set up in the back center of the room, and is noticeable due to the largeness in scale and the enigmatic yet calming disposition the statue portrays. My first impression of the sculpture was how detailed and realistic the statue is. Since the statue was so defined you would be able to identify what he was wearing and how his body was shaped to how long his hair was during this time period. I was profoundly intrigued by how peaceful the statue of Dionysos embodied and found myself coming back to it and looking in awe. In curiosity, I would choose this statue for my assignment because I wanted to learn more about the history of the Hope Dionysos. In this essay I will be describing my formal analysis of the artwork, the subject matter behind it, the artist and the historical content of the statue of Dionysos.

Greek art, especially sculpture, was a common way to explore and reach past the confines of mankind’s natural appearance be it through penises, huge muscles, or generalized unrealistic body standards. Hercules and the Hydra, a sculpture by Mathias Gasteiger, presents an image of masculinity through the expressive posture and form of Hercules once you look past those gleaming bronze pectorals, and into the intricate details of the piece.

Then there is a sculpture called ‘Kouros/statue of Standing Youth’ which represents the meant back in the day and age. The sculpture is a very young, athletic, toned man. This man has the body every man wants. This sculpture is desirable to every women. This man represents power, and desire. Unlike the sculpture of the woman this man has a face and a very powerful looking

History In the early 1800’s, the primary mode of education for the lower class were charity schools (Tyack & Cuban, 1995). These schools were created by Protestant organizations and focused on serving as many needy children as possible (Tyack & Cuban, 1995). With limited budgets to operate on, extracurricular activities were not offered (Gorn, 2004). By 1850, many states paid for public schools through taxes and budgets increased compared to their charity school counterparts (Zirin, 2008). At this time, the popularity of sporting events was growing (Tyack & Cuban, 1995). The game of baseball, a variation of the English game rounders, was becoming the most popular sport in America

The Statue of Asklepios is a classic Greek sculpture that portrays a person of the most perfect and athletic form. The piece is of a man standing beautifully while draped in a toga. The toga is draped over his left shoulder and cuts across to the right side of his body near his lower abdomen and then continues to cover his legs until his ankle. The toga also is draped over the pieces entire back. The piece is missing his head, his left arm and both his right foot and almost its entire right arm. The piece has a smooth, but not glossy, exterior in all of the areas except for the parts that have been broken off. Asklepios is portrayed as an incredible fit and beautiful being. The abdomen is extremely muscular and shows off the miraculous fitness of the model. The toga has many wrinkles, creating a lot of shadow and darks and lights. It also is wrapped in a way that is both loose and tight in different areas of the sculpture. It is tied right next to the left pectoral and the left armpit. This piece emphasizes the muscular body of this man while at the same time portraying him standing in such a nonchalant way through the curvature and relaxed look of the figure. And unlike the Torso of a God, this piece clearly shows movement through the shape of the body and the folds of the toga because

Standing in front of this sculpture, the viewer can feel the wind whipping around them and the sea spraying you in the face. The energy and motion add to the dramatic effect that immediately draws the viewer in. This dramatic effect is created by the lines of the figure. Nike’s elongated wings catch your eye and create a lengthy transverse line which adds to the drama. The drapery that clothes the figure has the same

The Discobolus, or “discus thrower” is one of the most iconic artworks of classical antiquity. Originally sculpted in bronze by an Athenian man called Myron (born in the fortress-city of Eleutherae in the 5th century BC), the statue’s many replications by the Romans illustrate its significance in helping spawn an enduring image and standard for physical idealism stretching beyond the culture that it originated from. The evolution of such ideal standards for the human body’s aesthetic are similarly conveyed in an equally significant achievement in classical sculpture, Michelangelo's David. Both of these pieces capture their respective audiences’ ideas of exceptional beauty and shed light on their attitudes toward the appropriateness, and

In Ancient Greece, the culture and values have been developed over time through tales and artwork. A considerable amount of such works have been marble sculptures of various people and gods. Many of the most famous and valuable sculptures depict a common attribute in ancient poetry, youth or the importance of the body. A vast majority of characters in ancient stories have been that of a youthful and intensely patriotic hero. Strength in youth and form are quite common in the characteristics of these ancient heroes. People in the ancient world have been represented through the power and youth within their story and appearance and reflected upon in the sculptures of this time.

According to the "Idealism in Greek Art" written by Percy Gardner, he mentions that with the growth of naturalism in Greek sculpture, they have a of idealism of Greek. However whereas naturalism grows steadily and has no sets-back, Greek idealism have more influence on social and political conditions. (Gardner 420) The society of ancient Greek was based on a devotion to the highest standards of brilliance. They are very enthusiasm to be perfect and they expressed the perfection of human being into three aspects which are the body, mind and spirit. The ancients Greeks went to the gym