Laoco�n And His Sons : Athenodoros, Polydorus, And Ford

Greek culture is the source from which many of the characteristic elements of Western culture derive. Their explorations and innovations in art have both fascinated and inspired other civilizations for centuries. For this assignment I chose two Greek sculptures viewed at the Getty Museum. The first is Kouros circa 530 B.C. made of Dolomitic marble from Thasos and is approximately 200 cm (80 in) in height. The second is Cult Statue of a Goddess, (most likely Aphrodite) South Italy, 425 - 400 B.C. made of Limestone and marble. It stands at a height of 220 cm (86 5/8 in). There is some dispute to the authenticity of the Getty Kouros

The Hellenistic period of Greek art spans from the time of Alexander the Great’s death in 323 to 30 B.C.E. (“Hellenistic Period” 1). However there have been controversies of precisely how long the Hellenistic period lasted. Some argue that from C. 400; to the first century can be classified as “Pre-Hellenistic” (Janson 138-139). “Hellenistic, is a term meant to convey the

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In this essay I will be describing my formal analysis of the artwork, the subject matter behind it, the artist and the historical content of the statue of Dionysos.

The Hellenistic period occurred from 323-31 BC and brought forth a new idea of passion in art. This historical time period succeeded the Classical Era of Ancient Greece, where sculptures were made for an idealistic perfection. However, during the Hellenistic art period, sculptures endured a stylistic change. Artists no longer felt required to portray people as ideals of beauty or physical perfection.

The study of Greek sculpture is a complex relationship of Roman sculpture. And a large number of Roman sculpture, especially in the stone, survives more or less intact, it is often damaged or piecemeal; life-size bronze statues are much more rare, because as most have been recycled for their metal. The

Hellenistic art, let alone architecture, was a period of dramatic transformations that deterred greatly from the Greek Classical period. While the Classical Greek concepts were not entirely abandoned, the Hellenistic period expanded the formal horizons with dramatic posing, sweeping lines, and high contrast of light, shadow and emotion, something greatly different from the Classical artists ideas. The conventions and rules of the Classical period gave way to experimentation and a sense of freedom that allowed the artists of the Hellenistic period to explore their subjects from unique points of view that they had not previously done. The Altar to Zeus in Pergamon is the perfect representation of the Hellenistic period. Pergamon contained

Hellenistic art was engaged more on perfection of the human frame, accuracy and detail. Models from Greek times looked more God-like than human. Hellenic art depended on the new thought of authenticity. Hellenic figures were molded into sensible, blamed human structures. Art in the Hellenic world art epitomized richness, cheerful nature, and coarse with. Marble statues and reliefs described human greatness and sensuality. Art in Hellenistic world emphasize extraordinary naturalism and unashamed luxury. Art in Hellenistic and Hellenic showed feelings and other components filled with different

Amid the Hellenistic period from the passing of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C. until the foundation of the Roman Empire in 31 B.C., the medium of bronze drove imaginative advancement. Sculptors moved past Classical norms, supplementing accustomed subjects and romanticized frames with reasonable renderings of physical and passionate states. To achieve this, using the discovery of bronze for art, they start to create pieces of art composed bronze and other alloys. Bronze—surpassing marble with its rigidity, intelligent impacts, and capacity to hold fine detail—was utilized for element organizations, stunning showcases of the naked body, and realistic articulations of age and character. Cast from combinations of copper, tin, lead, and different components, bronze statues were delivered by presenting honorific representations of rulers and natives populated city squares, and pictures of divine beings, legends, and mortals swarmed havens. The Seated Boxer and the Statue of an Athlete are two sculptures that encompass the complete aspects of the figures through representation and materiality.

There have been countless duels between two opposing sides in the history Roman artistry. This sculpture relief signifies the classic battle of good versus evil. Time and time again, benevolent heroes find themselves in a struggle to combat worthy yet malicious adversaries. The Roman sarcophagus, a two by five feet marble coffin, is certainly no exception. It represents another division to this timeless good-evil epic, its visual characteristics, emphasis on contrasts, and its extensive array of details give it an identity that is uniquely its own. It portrays a sense of legendary fantasy to the viewer, one pertaining to hostility, violence, and pure anger. The sculpture seems overly shallow due to

Due to Alexander’s great conquests into Egypt and Asia, money was plentiful for the Greeks and new cities had to be built and beautified. This is where we first see new cities being laid out on grids which were introduced by Hippodumus of Miletus in fifth century B.C. However this is just one accomplishment in architecture during the Hellenistic Age. One place we see a change from Classical Greece to Hellenistic is how architects began to move away from the balanced tension and idealism that we saw in the fifth century B.C. With this, they moved toward the sentimental, emotional and realistic mode of the fourth century B.C. One place where we see this is in the marble statue called the Laocoon (see pg. 89) which was carved in Rhodes in the second century B.C. and then later taken to

When examining the statue, there is an old woman bent and weary. Her posture helps clue us in, with her age and the state of her health. The figure is dressed in cloth that drapes off her body as she carries a basket that is filled with what we may think are offerings. On her head, there are vines that create a band around the top of her head used to signify the festival that was going on during that time. The specific detail that is seen on this statue persuades us to want to know the story of this woman. Doing so, the process involves lots of research about the time and art. During the hellenistic period, artists begin to introduce more inner beauty than physical beauty. There is an opportunity to learn more about the structure itself, then settle for what is given and seen.

The sculpture of Laocoon and His Sons is a beautiful and remarkable sculpture. By looking at the sculpture one can feel pain and agony in their expression. It implies movement because one could see the struggle they are going through to free themselves from the serpents.

On the images of the sculptures of a “Warrior” and “Alexander the Great” implies the progress of the Greeks to represent their power through sculptural portraits. However, the sculptures of a “Warrior” and the head of “Alexander the Great” present some difference based on the representation of power and the composition of these works of art.

From an historical perspective, this piece is an excellent example of early classical Rome. You can sense the respect and admiration that the average Roman citizen had for Augustus, in the fine details of the sculpture.

Ever since the creation of the Greek myths, various works of art have been created to represent many of the stories that these myths created. One such example is, Perseus with the Head of Medusa created by Benvenuto Cellini in 1554. This statue, as the title suggest, depicts the hero Perseus holding the recently decapitated head of Medusa. However, this statue does not just serve as a reminder of the story of Perseus, but also a political statement. To explore this history of this statue, and the myth that inspired it, we must examine the myth, the sculptor, and the reason for the statues creation.