The fifth century in the history of Greek sculpture of the classical period can be called "a step forward". The development of sculpture in Ancient Greece in this period is associated with the names of such famous masters as Myron, Polyclein and Phidias. In their creations, the images become more realistic, if one can say, even "living", the schematism that was characteristic of them decreases. But the main "heroes" are the gods and "ideal" people.

Myron, who lived in the middle of the 5th century. BC e, known to us from drawings and Roman copies. This ingenious master perfectly mastered plasticity and anatomy, clearly conveyed freedom of movement in his works ("Discobolus"). His work "Athena and Marsyas" is also known, which was created on the basis of the myth about these two characters. According to legend, Athena invented the flute, but while playing, she noticed how ugly her expression changed, in anger she throws the instrument and curses everyone who plays it. The forest deity Marsyas watched her all the time, who was afraid of the curse. The sculptor tried to show the struggle of two opposites: calmness in the person of Athena and savagery in the person of Marsyas. Modern art connoisseurs still admire his work, his animal sculptures. For example, about 20 epigrams have been preserved for a bronze statue from Athens.

Polycletus, who worked in Argos, in the second half of the 5th century. BC e, is a prominent representative of the Peloponnesian school. The sculpture of the classical period is rich in his masterpieces. He was a master of bronze sculpture and an excellent art theorist. Polycletus preferred to portray athletes, in whom ordinary people always saw the ideal. Among his works are the statues "Dorifor" and "Diadumenos". The first job is a strong warrior with a spear, the embodiment of calm dignity. The second is a slender young man with a competition winner's band on his head.

Phidias is another prominent representative of the creator of the sculpture. His name sounded brightly during the heyday of Greek classical art. His most famous sculptures were the colossal statues of Athena Parthenos and Zeus in the Olympic temple in wood, gold and ivory, and Athena Promachos, made of bronze and located in the Athenian Acropolis square. These masterpieces of art have been irretrievably lost. Only descriptions and reduced Roman copies give us a faint idea of \u200b\u200bthe magnificence of these monumental sculptures.

The Athena Parthenos is a striking sculpture of the classical period that was built in the Parthenon temple. It was a 12-meter wooden base, the body of the goddess was covered with ivory plates, and the clothes and weapons were made of gold. The approximate weight of the sculpture is two thousand kilograms. Surprisingly, the gold pieces were removed and weighed again every four years, since they were the gold fund of the state. Phidias decorated the shield and the pedestal with reliefs on which he and Pericles were depicted in battle with the Amazons. For this he was accused of sacrilege and sent to prison, where he died.

The statue of Zeus is another masterpiece of sculpture from the classical period. Its height is fourteen meters. The statue depicts the supreme Greek deity seated with the goddess Nika in her hand. The statue of Zeus, according to many art historians, is the greatest creation of Phidias. It was built using the same technique used to create the statue of Athena Parthenos. The figure was made of wood, depicted naked to the waist and covered with ivory plates, and the clothes were covered with gold sheets. Zeus was seated on the throne and in his right hand held the figure of the goddess of victory Nike, and in his left there was a rod, which was a symbol of power. The ancient Greeks perceived the statue of Zeus as another wonder of the world.

Athena Promachos (circa 460 BC), a 9-meter bronze sculpture of ancient Greece was erected right among the ruins after the Persians destroyed the Acropolis. Phidias "gives birth" to a completely different Athena - in the form of a warrior, an important and strict defender of her city. She has a powerful spear in her right hand, a shield in her left, and a helmet on her head. Athena in this image represented the military power of Athens. This sculpture of ancient Greece seemed to reign over the city, and everyone who traveled along the sea along the coast could contemplate the top of the spear and the crest of the helmet, sparkling in the sun, covered with gold. In addition to the sculptures of Zeus and Athena, Phidias creates images from bronze of other gods in the chryso-elephantine technique, and takes part in sculptor competitions. He was also the head of large construction works, for example, the construction of the Acropolis.

The sculpture of ancient Greece reflected the physical and inner beauty and harmony of a person. Already in the 4th century, after Alexander the Great's conquest of Greece, new names of talented sculptors such as Scopas, Praxitel, Lysippus, Timothy, Leohar and others became known. The creators of this era begin to pay more attention to the inner state of a person, his psychological state and emotions. Increasingly, sculptors receive individual orders from wealthy citizens, in which they ask to portray famous personalities.

The famous sculptor of the classical period was Skopas, who lived in the middle of the 4th century BC. He introduces an innovation by revealing the inner world of a person, tries to depict emotions of joy, fear, happiness in sculptures. This talented man worked in many Greek cities. His sculptures of the classical period are rich in images of gods and various heroes, compositions and reliefs on mythological themes. He was not afraid to experiment and portrayed people in various complex poses, looking for new artistic opportunities to depict new feelings on the human face (passion, anger, rage, fear, sadness). The statue of the Maenada is a wonderful creation of round plastic; its Roman copy is now preserved. A new and multifaceted relief work can be called the Amazonomachy, which adorns the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus in Asia Minor.

Praxiteles was a prominent classical period sculptor who lived in Athens around 350 BC. Unfortunately, only the statue of Hermes from Olympia has come down to us, and we know about the rest of the works only from Roman copies. Praxitel, like Scopas, tried to convey the feelings of people, but he preferred to express lighter emotions that were pleasant to a person. He transferred lyrical emotions, dreaminess to sculptures, sang the beauty of the human body. The sculptor does not shape figures in motion. Among his works should be noted "The Resting Satyr", "Aphrodite of Cnidus", "Hermes with the baby Dionysus", "Apollo killing a lizard".

The most famous work is the statue of Aphrodite of Cnidus. It was made to order for the inhabitants of the island of Kos in two copies. The first one is in clothes, and the second one is naked. The inhabitants of Kos preferred Aphrodite in clothes, and the Cnidians purchased a second copy. The statue of Aphrodite in the cnidus sanctuary has long been a place of pilgrimage. Scopas and Praxiteles were the first to dare to portray Aphrodite in the nude. The goddess Aphrodite in her image is very human, she is prepared for bathing. She is an excellent representative of the sculpture of ancient Greece. The statue of the goddess has been a model for many sculptors for more than half a century.

The sculpture "Hermes with the Child Dionysus" (where he entertains the child with a vine) is the only original statue. The hair had acquired a reddish-brown hue, the robe of bright blue, like Aphrodite's, set off the whiteness of the marble body. Like the works of Phidias, the works of Praxiteles were housed in temples and open sanctuaries and were cult. But the works of Praxiteles were not personified with the former strength and power of the city and the valor of its inhabitants. Scopas and Praxitel greatly influenced their contemporaries. Their realistic style has been used by many craftsmen and schools over the centuries.

Lysippos (second half of the 4th century BC) was one of the greatest sculptors of the classical period. He preferred to work with bronze. Only Roman copies give us the opportunity to get acquainted with his work. Among the famous works are "Hercules with a Deer", "Apoxyomenus", "Resting Hermes" and "The Fighter". Lysippos changes the proportions, he depicts a smaller head, a drier body and longer legs. All his works are individual, and the portrait of Alexander the Great is also humanized.

Theme: Outstanding sculptors of Ancient Greece.

Goal:Study of the main stages in the development of ancient Greek sculpture.

New words:

"MIMESIS"- similarity.

Kalokagatia (Greek. kalos - beautiful + agathoskind).

Kuros and barks -created in the era of the archaic men. and women. figures (up to 3 m.) Mimesis -similarity. Caryatid - (Greek karyatis) is a sculptural image of a standing female figure, which serves as a support for a beam in a building (or figuratively expresses this function).

Germs - stone pylons with "hands", placed at the front entrance to the house.

Questions.

Sculptural canons of Polycletus and Myron.

Sculptural creations of Scopas and Praxiteles.

Lysippos and Leochares.

Sculpture of Hellenism.

During the classes.

1. Actualization of students' knowledge about the architecture of Ancient Greece.

2. Communication of the topic, the purpose of the lesson.

The Greeks always believed that only in a beautiful body can a beautiful soul live. Therefore, the harmony of the body, external perfection - an indispensable condition and basis for an ideal person. The Greek ideal is defined by the term kalokagatiya (Greek. kalos - beautiful + agathoskind). Since kalokagatya includes perfection of both bodily constitution and a spiritually moral make-up, simultaneously with beauty and strength, the ideal carries within itself justice, chastity, courage and rationality. This is what makes the Greek gods, carved by ancient sculptors, uniquely beautiful.

With all the similarity of the sculptures of the 6th and 5th centuries. BC, they also have characteristic differences:

There is no longer the numbness, schematism of archaic sculptures;

The statues become more realistic.

Sculptural canons of Polycletus and Myron .

1. Hymn to the greatness and and spiritual power of Man;

2. Favorite image - a slender young man of athletic build;

3. Spiritual and physical appearance are harmonious, there is nothing superfluous, "nothing beyond measure."

The most famous sculptors of the High Classics are Polycletus and Myron.

Polyclet - an ancient Greek sculptor and art theorist who worked in Argos in the 2nd half of the 5th century BC.

Polycletus loved to portray athletes at rest, specialized in portraying athletes, Olympic winners. "Dorifor" ("Spearman") Polycletus was the first to think of giving the figures such a setting so that they rest on the lower part of only one leg. (An early example of a classic counterpost is Dorifor.) Polyclet knew how to show the human body in a state of equilibrium - his human figure at rest or at a slow pace seems mobile and lively due to the fact that the horizontal axes are not parallel. Polycletus' statues are full of busy life. Polycletus loved to portray athletes at rest. Take the same "Spearman". This powerful man is full of dignity. He stands motionless in front of the viewer. But this is not the static rest of the ancient Egyptian statues. As a person who skillfully and easily controls his body, the spearman slightly bent one leg and shifted the weight of the 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, restrained - the embodiment of Greek ideals. Works: 2. "Diadumen" ("A young man tying a bandage"). "Wounded Amazon" Colossal statue of Hera in Argos. It was performed in the chryso-elephantine technique and was perceived as a pandanus to Zeus the Olympic Phidias. The sculptures were lost and are known from the surviving ancient Roman copies.

1.By order of the priests of the Temple of Artemis of Ephesus approx. 440 BC Polycletus created a statue of a wounded Amazon, taking first place in the competition, where, in addition to him, Phidias and Kresilaus participated. An idea of \u200b\u200bit is given by copies - a relief discovered in Ephesus, as well as statues in Berlin, Copenhagen and the Metropolitan Museum in New York. The Amazon's legs are set in the same way as Dorifor's, but the free hand does not hang along the body, but is thrown over the head; the other hand supports the body by resting on the column. The pose is harmonious and balanced, but Polycletus did not take into account the fact that if a wound gapes under a person's right chest, his right hand cannot be raised high up. Apparently, the beautiful, harmonious form interested him more than the plot or the transfer of feelings. The same concern is imbued with the careful development of the folds of the short chiton of the Amazon.

2.Then Polycletus worked in Athens, where c. 420 BC he created Diadumen, a youth with a band around his head. In this work, which was called a gentle youth, in contrast to the courageous Dorifor, the influence of the Attic school is felt. Here again the motive of the step is used, despite the fact that both hands are raised and holding the bandage - a movement that would be more suited to a calm and stable position of the legs. The opposition of the right and left sides is not so pronounced. Facial features and lush locks of hair are much softer than in previous works. The best repetitions of Diadumenos are a copy found on Delos and now in Athens, a statue from Vezon in France that is kept in the British Museum, and copies in Madrid and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Several terracotta and bronze figurines have also survived. The best copies of the Diadumen's head are found in Dresden and Kassel.

3.Around 420 BC Polycletus created for the temple in Argos a colossal chryso-elephantine (made of gold and ivory) statue of Hera, seated on a throne. Argos coins may give some idea of \u200b\u200bwhat this ancient statue looked like. Next to the Hero was Hebe, sculpted by Navkid, a student of Polycletus. In the plastic design of the temple, one can feel the influence of the masters of the Attic school and Polycletus; perhaps this is the work of his students. Polycletus' creations lacked the majesty of the statues of Phidias, but many critics consider them superior to Phidias in their academic excellence and perfect poise. Polykleitos had numerous students and followers until the era of Lysippos (end of the 4th century BC), who said that Dorephorus was his teacher in art, although he later departed from the canon of Polykleitus and replaced it with his own.

Myron created statues of winning athletes, correctly and naturally conveyed the human figure, revealed the secret of the plastic concept of movement. But (!!!) his works have only one viewpoint. His most famous works include sculptural composition

"Athena and Marsyas" and "Discobolus".

Myron was an older contemporary of Phidias and Polycletus and was considered one of the greatest sculptors of his time. He worked in bronze, but none of his works have survived; they are known mainly from copies. The most famous work of Miron is Discobolus (Discus Thrower). The discus thrower is depicted in a difficult pose at the moment of the highest tension before the throw. The sculptor was interested in the shape and proportion of the figures in motion. Myron was a master of conveying movement at a climax, a transitional moment. In a laudatory epigram dedicated to his bronze statue of the athlete Ladas, it is emphasized that the panting runner is conveyed unusually vividly. The sculptural group of Myron Athena and Marsyas, standing on the Acropolis of Athens, is noted for the same skill in conveying movement.

2. Sculptural creations of Scopas and Praxiteles.

IV century BC.

1. Sought to transfer energetic actions;

2. They conveyed the feelings and experiences of a person:

Passion

Dreaminess

Love

Fury

Despair

Suffering

SCOPAS (flourishing activity 375-335 BC), Greek sculptor and architect, was born on the island of Paros approx. 420 BC, possibly. The first work of Scopas known to us is the temple of Athena Alea in Tegea, in the Peloponnese, which had to be rebuilt, since the former burned down in 395 BC. Skopas was part of a group of four sculptors (and possibly the eldest among them), whom the widow of Mavsol Artemisia entrusted with the creation of the sculptural part of the Mausoleum (one of the seven wonders of the world) in Halicarnassus, the tomb of her husband. The passion inherent in the works of Scopas is achieved primarily with the help new treatment of the eyes: they are deep-set and surrounded by heavy folds of the eyelids.Liveliness of movement and bold body positions express intense energy and demonstrate the ingenuity of the master.

The most famous works of Scopas were:

- Scopas ... "Amazonomachy".

- Battle of the Greeks with the Amazons... Fragment of the frieze of the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus. Marble. Around 350 BC e. London. British museum.

The relief is magnificent, which depicts a warrior leaning back sharply, trying to resist the onslaught of the Amazon, who grabbed his shield with one hand, and with the other inflicted a fatal blow. To the left of this group is an Amazon galloping on a hot horse. She sits with her back and, apparently, throws a dart at the enemy pursuing her. The horse almost runs into the warrior leaning back. The sharp collision of oppositely directed movements of the rider and the warrior and the unusual landing of the Amazon with their contrasts enhance the overall drama of the composition.

Scopas. The head of a wounded soldier from the western pediment of the temple of Athena Alea in Tegea. Marble. First half of the 4th century BC e. Athens. National Museum.

Scopas. Maenad. Mid 4th century BC e. Reduced marble Roman copy from the lost original. Dresden. Albertinum.

The marble "Menada", which has come down to us in a small damaged antique copy, embodies the image of a man possessed by a violent outburst of passion. It is not the embodiment of the image of a hero who is able to confidently rule over his passions, but the disclosure of an extraordinary ecstatic passion that embraces a person is characteristic of the Maenad. It is interesting that the Menada Scopas, in contrast to the sculptures of the 5th century, is designed to be viewed from all sides.

PRXITER (4th century BC),

Praxiteles is an ancient Greek sculptor, one of the greatest Attic sculptors of the 4th century BC. e. The author of the famous compositions "Hermes with the baby Dionysus", "Apollo killing a lizard". Most of Praxiteles' works are known from Roman copies or from descriptions by ancient authors. The sculptures of Praxiteles were painted by the Athenian artist Nikias. Praxitel - the first sculptor to depict a naked woman as realistically as possible: the sculpture Aphrodite of Cniduswhere a naked goddess holds a fallen robe with her hand. Praxitel. Head of Aphrodite of Cnidus (Aphrodite Kaufman). Until 360 BC e. Roman marble copy after a lost original. Berlin. Coll. Kaufman.

The statue of Aphrodite of Cnidus was considered in ancient times not only the best creation of Praxiteles, but in general the best statue of all time. As Pliny the Elder writes, many came to Cnidus just to see her. This was the first monumental depiction of a completely naked female figure in Greek art, and therefore it was rejected by the inhabitants of Kos, for whom it was intended, after which it was bought by the townspeople of neighboring Cnidus. In Roman times, the image of this statue of Aphrodite was minted on Cnidus coins, numerous copies were made from it (the best of them is now in the Vatican, and the best copy of the head of Aphrodite is in the Kaufman collection in Berlin). In ancient times, it was argued that Praxiteles' model was his beloved, heterosexual Phryne.

The best understanding of Praxiteles' style gives the statue of Hermes with the baby Dionysus (Museum at Olympia),which was found during excavations at the Temple of Hera at Olympia. Despite the expressed doubts, this is almost certainly the original, created by approx. 340 BC The lithe figure of Hermes leaned gracefully against the trunk of a tree. The master managed to improve the interpretation of the motive of a man with a child in his arms: the movements of both hands of Hermes are compositionally connected with the baby. Probably, in his right, not preserved hand was a bunch of grapes, with which he teased Dionysus, why the baby was reaching out to her. The figure of Hermes is proportionally folded and perfectly worked out, the smiling face is full of liveliness, the profile is graceful, and the smooth surface of the skin contrasts sharply with the schematically outlined hair and the woolly surface of the cloak thrown over the trunk. The hair, drapery, eyes and lips, and the straps of the sandals were painted.

The other statues of Aphrodite attributed to Praxiteles are poorer. No copy of the statue chosen by the inhabitants of Kos has survived. Aphrodite of Arles, named after the place of discovery and stored in the Louvre, may not represent Aphrodite, but Phryne. The legs of the statue are hidden by draperies, and the torso is completely naked; judging by her posture, there was a mirror in her left hand. Several exquisite figurines of a woman putting on a necklace have also survived, but again both Aphrodite and a mortal woman can be seen in them.

Praxitel. Artemis of Gabia. Around 340-330 BC e. Roman marble copy after a lost original. Paris. Louvre.

In the statue of Artemis, we see examples of solving the motif of a draped human figure. Artemis is depicted here as the patroness of women: she throws on her right shoulder the veil brought by a woman as a gift for successfully resolving a burden.

Praxitel was an unsurpassed master in conveying the grace of the body and the subtle harmony of the spirit. Most often, he portrayed the gods, and even satyrs, young; in his work to replace the majesty and sublimity of the images of the 5th century. BC. grace and dreamy tenderness come.

3. Leochares and Lysippos. The most consistently the art of the pseudo-classical direction was revealed in creativity Leohara, Leochares, an Athenian by birth, became the court painter of Alexander the Great. It was he who created a number of chryso-elephantine statues of the kings of the Macedonian dynasty for Philippeyon. Cold and lush, classicizing, that is, outwardly imitating classical forms, the style of Leohar's works satisfied the needs of the emerging monarchy of Alexander. An idea of \u200b\u200bthe style of Leohar's works, dedicated to the praise of the Macedonian monarchy, gives us a Roman copy of his heroized portrait of Alexander the Great. The nude figure of Alexander had an abstract and ideal character.

Leochare. Apollo Belvedere ... Around 340 BC e. A marble Roman copy of a lost bronze original. Rome. Vatican.

The most significant among the works of Leochares was the statue of Apollo - the famous "Apollo Belvedere" ( "Apollo Belvedere" - the name of a Roman marble copy that has come down to us from a bronze original by Leochares, which was placed at one time in the Vatican Belvedere (open loggia)).

However, the image of Apollo is rather outwardly effective than internally significant. The splendor of the hair, the haughty turn of the head, the well-known theatricality of the gesture are deeply alien to the true traditions of the classics.

The famous statue of "Artemis of Versailles", full of cold, somewhat haughty grandeur, is also close to the circle of Leochares.

Leochare. Artemis of Versailles. Third quarter 4th c. BC e. Roman marble copy after a lost original. Paris. Louvre.

Lysippos.... In the art of Lysippus the task of revealing the inner world of human experiences and the well-known individualization of the image of a person... At the same time, Lysippos introduced new nuances in the solution of these artistic problems, and most importantly, he stopped considering the creation of the image of a perfect beautiful person as the main task of art. Lysippos as an artist felt that the new conditions of social life deprived this ideal of any serious life basis.

At first, Lysippus finds the basis for the image of the typical in the image of a person not in those features that characterize a person as a member of the collective of free citizens of the polis, as a harmoniously developed personality, but in the peculiarities of his age, occupation, belonging to one or another psychological make-up of character... An especially important new feature in Lysippos' work is the interest in revealing the characteristically expressive, rather than ideally perfect, person in the image.

Secondly, Lysippos to some extent emphasizes in his works the moment of personal perception, seeks to convey his emotional attitude to the depicted event. According to Pliny's testimony, Lysippos said that if the ancients portrayed people as they really were, then he, Lysippos, was as they seem. Lysippos. Apoxyomenus. Head (see ill. 215).

Especially vividly Lysippos' understanding of the human image was embodied in his famous bronze in antiquity statue "Apoxyomenus". Lysippos portrayed a young man who scrapes off the sand of the arena from himself, adhering to his body during a sports competition. In this statue, the artist is very: expressively conveyed the state of fatigue that gripped the young man after the stress of the struggle he experienced.

In Apoxyomenus, Lysippos wants to show not inner peace and stable balance, but a complex and contradictory change in mood shades.

Lysippos. Resting Hermes ... Third quarter 4th c. BC e. Bronze Roman copy of a lost original. Naples. National Museum.

Hermes sat down on the edge of a cliff for a moment. The artist conveyed here peace, slight fatigue, and at the same time Hermes' readiness to continue his swiftly fast flight.

The same series also included a group depicting the struggle of Hercules with the Nemean lion, which has also come down to us in a Roman copy kept in the Hermitage.

Lysippos. Hercules with a lion ... Second half of the 4th century BC e. Reduced marble copy of the Roman period after a lost bronze original. Leningrad. Hermitage Museum.

The work of Lysippos was especially important for the further evolution of the Greek portrait.

Head of Alexander the Great from the island of Kos. Marble. The most vividly the originality and strength of the portrait skill of Lysippos was embodied in his portraits of Alexander the Great.

A strong-willed, energetic turn of the head, sharply thrown back strands of hair create a general feeling of a pathetic impulse. On the other hand, the mournful folds on the forehead, the suffering gaze, the curved mouth give the image of Alexander the features of tragic confusion. In this portrait, for the first time in the history of art, the tension of passions and their inner struggle are expressed with such force.

4. Sculpture of Hellenism.

1. Excitement and tension of persons;

2. A whirlwind of feelings and experiences in images;

3. Dreaminess of images;

4. Harmonious perfection and solemnity

Hellenistic art is full of contrasts - gigantic and miniature, ceremonial and everyday, allegorical and natural. Main trend - a departure from the generalized human typeto understanding a person as a concrete, individual being, and hence the increasing attention to his psychology, l interest in eventfulness, and a new vigilance to national, age, social and other signs of personality.

All of the above does not mean in any way that the era of Hellenism did not leave great sculptors and their monuments of art. Moreover, she created works that, in our view, synthesize the highest achievements of ancient plastic art, are its unattainable samples -

Aphrodite of Melosskaya,

Nika of Samothrace , altar of Zeus in Pergamum. These illustrious sculptures were created during the Hellenistic era. Their authors, about whom nothing or almost nothing is known, worked in line with the classical tradition, developing it truly creatively.

Among the sculptors of this era, the names of the following can be noted: Apollonius, Tavrisk ("Farnese bull"), Atenodor, Polydor, Agesander ("Aphrodite of Melos", "Laocoon").

Morals and forms of life, as well as forms of religion began to mix in the era of Hellenism, but friendship did not reign and peace did not come, strife and wars did not stop.

5.Conclusion. One thing united all periods of the development of Greek society and art: this a special fondness for plastic arts, for spatial arts.

We examined the creations of the greatest sculptors of Ancient Greece throughout the entire period of antiquity. We saw the whole process of the formation, flourishing and decline of sculpture styles - the whole transition from strict, static and idealized forms of the archaic through the balanced harmony of classical sculpture to the dramatic psychologism of Hellenistic statues. The creations of the sculptors of Ancient Greece were rightfully considered a model, ideal, canon for many centuries, and now it does not cease to be recognized as a masterpiece of world classics. Nothing like this has been achieved either before or since. All modern sculpture can be considered to one degree or another a continuation of the traditions of Ancient Greece. The sculpture of Ancient Greece in its development has gone through a difficult path, paving the way for the development of plastics of subsequent eras in various countries.

It is known that most of the ancient masters of plastic art did not sculpt in stone, they were cast in bronze. In the centuries that followed the era of Greek civilization, the preservation of bronze masterpieces was preferred to melting them into domes or coins, and later into cannons. At a later time, the traditions laid down by ancient Greek sculptures were enriched with new developments and achievements, while the antique canons served as the necessary basis, the basis for the development of plastic art in all subsequent eras.

6. Home. assignment: chapter 8, articles 84-91., assignment article 91.

LIST OF SOURCES USED

1. Ancient culture. Reference dictionary / under total. ed. V.N. Yarkho - M., 2002

2. Bystrova A. N. "The world of culture, foundations of cultural studies"
Polikarpov V.S. Lectures on cultural studies - M .: "Gardarika", "Expert Bureau", 1997

3. Wipper B.R. Art of Ancient Greece. - M., 1972

4. P. P. Gnedich World History of Art - M., 2000

5. Gribunina N.G. History of world art culture, in 4 parts. Parts 1, 2. - Tver, 1993

6. Dmitrieva, Akimova. Antique art. Essays. - M., 1988

We have already talked about the SOURCES. The planned dotted line was cut off for objective reasons, but I still want to continue. Let me remind you that we stopped in deep history - in the art of Ancient Greece. What do we remember from the school curriculum? As a rule, three names are firmly in our memory - Miron, Phidias, Polycletus. Then we remember that there was also Lysippos, Skopas, Praxiteles and Leochares ... So let's see what is what. So, the time of action is 4-5 centuries BC, the place of action is Ancient Greece.

PIFAGOR REGIAN
Pythagoras of Regia (5th century BC) is an ancient Greek ancient Greek sculptor of the early classical period, whose works are known only from the references of ancient authors. Several Roman copies of his works have survived, including my beloved "The Boy Taking Out a Thorn". This work gave rise to the so-called landscape gardening sculpture.

Pythagoras Regian Boy taking out a splinter around the middle of the 5th century BC br. copy of Capitoline museum

MIRON
Miron (Μύρων) - sculptor of the middle of the 5th century. BC e. The sculptor of the era immediately preceding the highest flowering of Greek art (late 6th - early 5th century). The ancients characterize him as the greatest realist and connoisseur of anatomy, who, however, did not know how to give life and expression to faces. He portrayed gods, heroes and animals, and with special love he reproduced difficult, transient poses. His most famous work "Discobolus", an athlete intending to start a disc, is a statue that has survived in several copies, the best of which is made of marble and is located in the Massimi Palace in Rome.

Discus thrower.
PHIDIUS.
One of the founders of the classical style is the ancient Greek sculptor Phidias, who decorated the temple of Zeus in Olympia and the temple of Athena (Parthenon) in the Athenian Acropolis with his sculptures. Fragments of the sculptural frieze of the Parthenon are now in the British Museum (London).




Fragments of the frieze and pediment of the Parthenon. British Museum, London.

The main sculptural works of Phidias (Athena and Zeus) have long been lost, the temples have been destroyed and plundered.


Parthenon.

There are many attempts to reconstruct the temples of Athena and Zeus. You can read about it here:
Information about Phidias himself and his legacy is relatively scarce. Among the statues that exist today, there is not a single one that would undoubtedly belong to Phidias. All knowledge about his work is based on the descriptions of ancient authors, on the study of later copies, as well as surviving works that are attributed to Phidias with more or less reliability.

More about Phidias http://biography-peoples.ru/index.php/f/item/750-fidij
http://art.1september.ru/article.php?ID\u003d200901207
http://www.liveinternet.ru/users/3155073/post207627184/

Well, about the rest of the representatives of Ancient Greek culture.

POLYCLET
Greek sculptor of the second half of the 5th century BC e. Creator of many statues, including winners of sports games, for the cult-sports centers of Argos, Olympia, Thebes and Megalopolya. The author of the canon for depicting the human body in sculpture, known as the "canon of Polycletus", according to which the head is 1/8 of the body length, the face and palms are 1/10, and the foot is 1/6. The canon was observed in Greek sculpture to the end, the so-called. the classical era, that is, until the end of the 4th century. BC BC, when Lysippos laid down new principles. His most famous work is Dorifor (The Spearman). This is from the encyclopedia.

Polyclet. Dorifor. Pushkin Museum. Plaster Copy.

PRXITER

APHRODITE OF KNIDA (Roman copy from the original 4th century BC) Rome, National Museums (head, arms, legs, drapery restored)
One of the most celebrated works in ancient sculpture is Aphrodite of Cnidus, the first ancient Greek sculpture (2 m high) depicting a naked woman before bathing.

Aphrodite of Cnidus, (Aphrodite Braschi) Roman copy, 1st cent. BC. Glyptotek, Munich

Aphrodite of Cnidus. Medium-grained marble. Torso - Roman copy of the 2nd century. n. egyptian copy of the Pushkin Museum
According to Pliny, the inhabitants of the island of Kos ordered the statue of Aphrodite for the local sanctuary. Praxitel performed two options: a naked goddess and a clothed goddess. For both statues Praxiteles charged the same payment. The customers did not risk it and chose the traditional version, with a draped figure. Its copies and descriptions have not survived, and it has sunk into oblivion. And the inhabitants of the city of Cnidus, who remained in the studio of the sculptor Aphrodite of Cnidus, were bought by the inhabitants of the city of Cnidus, which favored the development of the city: pilgrims began to flock to Cnidus, attracted by the famous sculpture. Aphrodite stood in an open-air temple, visible from all sides.
Aphrodite of Cnidus enjoyed such fame and was copied so often that an anecdote was even told about her, which formed the basis of the epigram: "Seeing Cypride on Cnidus, Cyprias bashfully said:" Woe to me, where did Praxiteles see me naked? "
Praxitel created the goddess of love and beauty as the personification of earthly femininity, inspired by the image of his beloved, the beautiful Phryne. Indeed, the face of Aphrodite, although created according to the canon, with the dreamy gaze of languid shaded eyes, carries a tinge of personality that indicates a specific original. Having created an almost portrait image, Praxitel looked into the future.
A romantic legend about the relationship between Praxiteles and Phryne has survived. They say that Phryne asked Praxitel to give her his best work as a sign of love. He agreed, but refused to say which of the statues he considered the best. Then Phryne ordered the servant to inform Praxiteles about the fire in the workshop. The frightened master exclaimed: "If the flame destroyed both Eros and Satyr, then everything is lost!" So Phryne found out what kind of work she could ask Praxiteles.

Praxiteles (presumably). Hermes with the child Dionysus IV c. BC. Museum in Olympia
The sculpture "Hermes with the Child Dionysus" is characteristic of the late classical period. She personifies not physical strength, as was customary before, but beauty and harmony, restrained and lyrical human communication. The depiction of feelings, the inner life of characters is a new phenomenon in ancient art, not characteristic of high classics. The masculinity of Hermes is emphasized by the infant appearance of Dionysus. The curved lines of the figure of Hermes are graceful. His strong and developed body is devoid of the athleticism inherent in the work of Polycleitus. The facial expression, although devoid of individual features, is soft and thoughtful. The hair was dyed and tied with a silver headband.
Praxiteles achieved a feeling of warmth of the body by subtle modeling of the surface of marble and with great skill conveyed in the stone the fabric of Hermes' cloak and the clothes of Dionysus.

SCOPAS

Museum in Olympia, Scopas Menada Reduction Roman copy of the original 1st third of the 4th century
Skopas is an ancient Greek sculptor and architect of the 4th century. BC e., a representative of the late classics. Born on the island of Paros, he worked in Teges (now Piali), Halicarnassus (now Bodrum) and other cities in Greece and Asia Minor. As an architect, he took part in the construction of the temple of Athena Alei in Tegea (350-340 BC) and the mausoleum in Halicarnassus (mid-4th century BC). Among the authentic works of S. that have come down to us, the most important is the frieze of the mausoleum in Halicarnassus depicting the Amazonomachy (mid-4th century BC; together with Briaxis, Leocharomi Timothy; fragments - in the British Museum, London; see illustration). Numerous works of S. are known from Roman copies (Potos, Young Hercules, Meleager, Menada, see ill.). Having abandoned the art of the 5th century. harmonious calmness of the image, S. turned to the transmission of strong emotional experiences, the struggle of passions. To embody them, S. used a dynamic composition and new methods of interpreting details, especially facial features: deep-set eyes, folds on the forehead, and an open mouth. The work of S., saturated with dramatic pathos, had a great influence on the sculptors of Hellenistic culture (see Hellenistic culture), in particular, on the works of masters of the third and second centuries who worked in the city of Pergamum.

LISIPP
Lysippos was born around 390 in Sicyon on the Peloponne and his work already represents the later, Hellenic part of the art of Ancient Greece.

Lysippos. Hercules with a lion. Second half of the 4th century BC e. Roman marble copy after a bronze original. St. Petersburg, Hermitage.

LEOCHAR
Leohar is an ancient Greek sculptor of the 4th century. BC BC, who in the 350s worked with Scopas on the sculptural decoration of the Mausoleum in Halicarnassus.

Leochares Artemis of Versailles (mr. Copy of the 1-2 century from the original about 330 century BC) Paris, Louvre

Leochare. Apollo Belvedere This is me with him in the Vatican. Pardon the liberty, but it's easier not to download a plaster copy this way.

And then there was Hellenism. We know him well from Venus (in the "Greek" Aphrodite) of Milos and Nike of Samothrace, which are kept in the Louvre.

Venus de Milo. Around 120 BC Louvre.

Nika of Samothrace. OK. 190 BC e. Louvre

The art of Ancient Greece became the pillar and foundation on which the entire European civilization grew. The sculpture of Ancient Greece is a special topic. Without antique sculpture, there would be no brilliant masterpieces of the Renaissance, and the further development of this art is difficult to imagine. Three major stages can be distinguished in the history of the development of Greek antique sculpture: archaic, classical and Hellenistic. Each has something important and special. Let's consider each of them.

Archaic art. Features: 1) static frontal position of the figures, reminiscent of ancient Egyptian sculpture: hands are lowered, one leg is put forward; 2) The sculpture depicts young men ("kuros") and girls ("barks"), on their faces a calm smile (archaic); 3) Kuroses were depicted naked, barks were always dressed and sculptures were painted; 4) Mastery in the image of strands of hair, in later sculptures - folds of draperies on female figures.

The Archaic period spans three centuries - from the 8th to the 6th century BC. e. This is the period of the formation of the foundations of antique sculpture, the establishment of canons and traditions. The period very conditionally denotes the framework of early antique art. In fact, the beginning of the archaic can be seen already in the sculptures of the 9th century BC, and many signs of the archaic can be seen in the monuments of the 4th century BC. The craftsmen of early antiquity used a wide variety of materials for their work. Sculptures of wood, limestone, terracotta, basalt, marble and bronze have been preserved. Archaic sculpture can be divided into two fundamental components: cortex (female figures) and kuros (male figures). An archaic smile is a special type of smile used by sculptors of the Greek archaic, especially in the second quarter of the 6th century. BC e. perhaps to demonstrate that the subject is alive. This smile is flat and looks rather unnatural, although at the same time it is a sign of the evolution of sculptural art towards realism and its quest.

Kore Common to almost all female statues is the perspective. Most often, the bark appears frontally erect, the arms are often lowered along the body, less often crossed on the chest or holding sacred attributes (spear, shield, sword, rod, fruit, etc.). An archaic smile is visible on the face. The proportions of the body are sufficiently conveyed, despite the general sketchiness and generalization of the images. All sculptures were painted.

Kuros Male sculptures of the period are distinguished by a strict frontal posture, often the left leg is pushed forward. The hands are lowered along the body, the hands are clenched into a fist, less often there are sculptures with arms extended forward, as if stretching out a sacrifice. Another prerequisite for archaic male statues is the exact symmetry of the body. Outwardly, male sculptures have much in common with Egyptian statues, which indicates the strong influence of Egyptian aesthetics and tradition on ancient art. It is known that the earliest kouros were made of wood, but not a single wooden sculpture has survived. Later, the Greeks learned to work with stone, so all the surviving kouros are made of marble.

Classical art. Features: 1) Completed the search for a way to depict a moving human figure, harmonious in its proportions; the position of "counterpost" was developed - the balance of movements of body parts at rest (a figure standing freely with support on one leg); 2) Sculptures Polycletus develops the theory of counterpost, illustrating his work with sculptures standing in this position; 3) In the 5th century. BC e. the person is portrayed as harmonious, idealized, usually young or middle-aged, the facial expression is calm, without facial wrinkles and folds, the movements are restrained, harmonious; 4) In the 4th century. BC e. there is great dynamism, even sharpness in the plasticity of the figures; in sculptural images, they begin to display the individual characteristics of faces and bodies; a sculptural portrait appears.

The 5th century in the history of Greek sculpture of the classical period can be called a "step forward". The development of sculpture in Ancient Greece in this period is associated with the names of such famous masters as Myron, Polycletus and Phidias. In their creations, the images become more realistic, if I can say, even "living", the schematism that was characteristic of archaic sculpture decreases. But the main "heroes" are the gods and "ideal" people. Most of the sculptures of this particular era are associated with antique plastic art. The masterpieces of classical Greece are distinguished by harmony, ideal proportions (which speaks of an excellent knowledge of human anatomy), as well as internal content and dynamics.

Polycletus, who worked in Argos, in the second half of the 5th century. BC e, is a prominent representative of the Peloponnesian school. The sculpture of the classical period is rich in his masterpieces. He was a master of bronze sculpture and an excellent art theorist. Polycletus preferred to portray athletes, in whom ordinary people always saw the ideal. Among his works are the statues of "Dorifor" and "Diadumenos". The first job is a strong warrior with a spear, the embodiment of calm dignity. The second is a slender young man with a competition winner's band on his head.

Myron, who lived in the middle of the 5th century. BC e, is known to us from drawings and Roman copies. This ingenious master perfectly mastered plasticity and anatomy, clearly conveyed freedom of movement in his works ("Discobolus").

The sculptor tried to show the struggle of two opposites: calmness in the person of Athena and savagery in the person of Marsyas.

Phidias is another prominent representative of the sculpture creator of the classical period. His name sounded brightly during the heyday of Greek classical art. His most famous sculptures were the colossal statues of Athena Parthenos and Zeus in the Olympic Temple, Athena Promachos located in the Acropolis of Athens. These masterpieces of art have been irretrievably lost. Only descriptions and reduced Roman copies give us a faint idea of \u200b\u200bthe magnificence of these monumental sculptures.

The sculpture of ancient Greece reflected the physical and inner beauty and harmony of a person. Already in the 4th century, after Alexander the Great's conquest of Greece, new names of talented sculptors became known. The creators of this era are beginning to pay more attention to the inner state of a person, his psychological state and emotions.

The famous sculptor of the classical period was Skopas, who lived in the middle of the 4th century BC. He introduces an innovation by revealing the inner world of a person, tries to depict emotions of joy, fear, happiness in sculptures. He was not afraid to experiment and depicted people in various complex poses, looking for new artistic opportunities to depict new feelings on the human face (passion, anger, rage, fear, sadness). The statue of the Maenada is a wonderful creation of round plastic; its Roman copy is now preserved. A new and multifaceted relief work can be called the Amazonomachy, which adorns the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus in Asia Minor.

Praxiteles was a prominent classical period sculptor who lived in Athens around 350 BC. Unfortunately, only the statue of Hermes from Olympia has come down to us, and we know about the rest of the works only from Roman copies. Praxitel, like Scopas, tried to convey the feelings of people, but he preferred to express lighter emotions that were pleasant to a person. He transferred lyrical emotions, dreaminess to sculptures, sang the beauty of the human body. The sculptor does not shape figures in motion.

Among his works should be noted "The Resting Satyr", "Aphrodite of Cnidus", "Hermes with the baby Dionysus", "Apollo killing a lizard".

Lysippos (second half of the 4th century BC) was one of the greatest sculptors of the classical period. He preferred to work with bronze. Only Roman copies give us the opportunity to get acquainted with his work.

Among the famous works are "Hercules with a Deer", "Apoxyomenus", "Resting Hermes" and "The Fighter". Lysippos changes the proportions, he depicts a smaller head, a drier body and longer legs. All his works are individual, and the portrait of Alexander the Great is also humanized.

Small sculpture in the Hellenistic period became widespread and consisted of figurines of people made of baked clay (terracotta). They were called Tanagra terracotta for their place of production in the city of Tanagra in Boeotia.

The art of Hellenism. Features: 1) Loss of harmony and movement of the classical period; 2) The movements of the figures acquire a pronounced dynamism; 3) Images of a person in sculpture strive to convey individual traits, the desire for naturalism, a departure from the harmonization of nature; 4) The former "heroic" remains in the sculptural decoration of temples; 5) Perfection in the transfer of shapes, volumes, folds, "vitality" of nature.

In those days, the sculpture adorned private houses, public buildings, squares, and acropolis. Hellenistic sculpture is characterized by the reflection and disclosure of the spirit of anxiety and tension, a striving for pomp and theatricality, and sometimes crude naturalism. The Pergamon School developed the artistic principles of Scopas with his interest in violent expressions of feelings, the transmission of rapid movements. One of the outstanding structures of Hellenism was the monumental frieze of the Pergamon Altar, built by Eumenes II in honor of the victory over the Gauls in 180 BC. e. Its base was covered with a 120 m long frieze, executed in the technique of high relief and depicting the battle of the Olympic gods and the rebellious giants with snakes instead of legs.

Courage is embodied in the sculptural groups "Dying Gaul", "Gallus Killing Himself and His Wife". An outstanding sculpture of Hellenism - Aphrodite of Milan by Agesandra - half naked, austere and sublimely calm.

Ancient Greek sculpture occupies a special place among the variety of cultural heritage masterpieces belonging to this country. In it, the beauty of the human body, its ideal, is sung and embodied with the help of pictorial means. However, not only smooth lines and grace are the characteristic features that marked the ancient Greek sculpture. The skill of its creators was so great that they managed to convey even in a cold stone a gamut of emotions, to give a deep, special meaning to the figures, as if breathing life into them. Each ancient Greek sculpture is endowed with a mystery that still attracts people. The creations of the great masters do not leave anyone indifferent.

Like other cultures, it experienced different periods in its development. Each of them was marked by changes in all types of visual arts, including sculpture. Therefore, it is possible to trace the main stages of the formation of this type of art by briefly describing the features of ancient Greek sculpture in different periods of the historical development of this country.

Archaic period

Time from 8th to 6th century BC. Ancient Greek sculpture at this time had a certain primitiveness as a characteristic feature. It was observed because the images embodied in the works did not differ in variety, they were too generalized, called kora, young men - kuros).

Apollo of Shadow

The statue of Apollo of the Shadow is the most famous of all the figures of this era that have come down to our time. In total, several dozen of them are known now. It is made of marble. Apollo is depicted as a young man with lowered hands, fingers clenched into fists. His eyes are wide open, and his face reflects the archaic smile typical of sculptures from this period.

Female figures

The images of women and girls were distinguished by wavy hair, long clothes, but they were attracted most of all by the elegance and smoothness of lines, the embodiment of grace, femininity.

Archaic ancient Greek sculptures were somewhat disproportionate and schematic. Each work, on the other hand, is attractive with restrained emotionality and simplicity. For this era, in the depiction of human figures, as we have already noted, a half-smile is characteristic, which gives them depth and mystery.

The Goddess with the Pomegranate, which is now housed in the Berlin State Museum, is one of the best-preserved archaic sculptures. With the "wrong" proportions and external roughness of the image, the hands, brilliantly executed by the author, attract the attention of the audience. An expressive gesture makes the sculpture especially expressive and dynamic.

"Kuros from Piraeus"

Located in the Athens Museum, "Kouros of Piraeus" is a later, therefore more perfect creation, made by an ancient sculptor. A young powerful warrior appears before us. and a slight tilt of the head speaks of the conversation he is having. Disturbed proportions are not so striking. Archaic ancient Greek sculptures, as we have already mentioned, have generalized facial features. However, in this figure it is not as noticeable as in works belonging to the early archaic period.

Classic period

The classical period is the time from the 5th to the 4th century BC. The works of ancient Greek sculpture at this time underwent some changes, which we will now tell you about. Among the sculptors of this period, one of the most famous figures is Pythagoras of Regia.

Features of sculptures of Pythagoras

His creations are characterized by realism and liveliness, which were innovative at the time. Some works by this author are considered even too bold for this era (for example, a statue of a boy taking out a splinter). Agility of mind and extraordinary talent allowed this sculptor to study the meaning of harmony using mathematical calculation methods. He conducted them on the basis of the philosophical and mathematical school, which he also founded. Pythagoras, using these methods, explored harmony of different nature: musical, architectural structure, human body. There was a Pythagorean school according to the principle of number. It was it that was considered the foundation of the world.

Other sculptors of the classical period

The classical period, in addition to the name of Pythagoras, gave world culture such famous masters as Phidias, Polycletus and Myron. The works of ancient Greek sculpture by these authors are united by the following general principle - the display of the harmony of the ideal body and the beautiful soul contained in it. It is this principle that is the main one that guided various masters of that time when creating their creations. Ancient Greek sculpture is the ideal of harmony and beauty.

Myron

Great influence on the art of Athens in the 5th century BC e. provided by the works of Miron (just remember the famous Discobolus, made of bronze). This master, in contrast to Polycletus, which we will talk about later, loved to depict figures in motion. For example, in the above statue of the Discobolus dating back to the 5th century BC. e., he portrayed a handsome young man at the moment when he swung in order to throw a disc. His body is tense and bent, captured by the movement, like a spring ready to unfold. The trained muscles bulged under the firm skin of the arm that was pulled back. Forming a reliable support, we went deep into the sand. This is the ancient Greek sculpture (Discobolus). The statue was cast in bronze. However, only a marble copy made by the Romans from the original has come down to us. The image below shows a statue of the Minotaur by this sculptor.

Polyclet

The ancient Greek sculpture of Polycletus has the following characteristic feature - the figure of a person standing with his hand raised up on one leg is inherent in balance. An example of her masterful embodiment is the statue of Dorifor the spear-bearer. Polyclet in his works sought to combine ideal physical data with spirituality and beauty. This desire inspired him to publish his treatise entitled "Canon", which, unfortunately, has not survived to our time.

The statues of Polycletus are full of intense life. He loved to portray athletes at rest. For example, "Spearman" is a man of mighty build, who is full of self-esteem. He stands motionless in front of the viewer. However, this peace is not static, inherent in ancient Egyptian statues. As a person easily and skillfully owns his own body, the spearman slightly bent his leg, shifting the weight of the body to the other. It seems that a little time will pass, and he will turn his head and step forward. Before us appears a handsome, strong man, free from fear, restrained, proud - the embodiment of the ideals of the Greeks.

Phidias

Phidias can rightfully be considered a great creator, creator of sculpture, dating back to the 5th century BC. e. It was he who was able to master perfectly the skill of casting from bronze. Phidias cast 13 sculptural figures, which became worthy adornments of the Delphic Temple of Apollo. The statue of Athena the Virgin in the Parthenon, which is 12 meters high, also belongs to the works of this master. It is made of ivory and pure gold. This technique of making statues was called chryso-elephantine.

The sculptures of this master especially reflect the fact that in Greece the gods are the images of an ideal person. Of the works of Phidias, the best preserved is the 160-meter marble strip of the frieze relief, which depicts the procession of the goddess Athena on her way to the Parthenon temple.

Statue of athena

The sculpture of this temple was badly damaged. Even in ancient times, perished This figure stood inside the temple. Phidias created it. The ancient Greek sculpture of Athena had the following features: her head with a rounded chin and a smooth low forehead, as well as her arms and neck were made of ivory, and her helmet, shield, clothing and hair were made of sheets of gold.

There are many stories associated with this figure. So famous and great was this masterpiece that immediately Phidias had a lot of envious people who tried in every possible way to annoy the sculptor, for which they looked for reasons to accuse him of anything. This master, for example, was accused of allegedly hiding part of the gold intended for the sculpture of Athena. Phidias, as proof of his innocence, removed all the golden objects from the statue and weighed them. This weight exactly matched the amount of gold provided to him. Then the sculptor was accused of godlessness. Athena's shield was the reason for this. It depicted a battle scene with the Amazons of the Greeks. Phidias among the Greeks portrayed himself, as well as Pericles. The public of Greece, despite all the merits of this master, nevertheless opposed him. The life of this sculptor ended with a cruel execution.

Phidias' achievements were not limited to sculptures made in the Parthenon. So, he created a bronze figure of Athena Promachos, which was erected around 460 BC. e. in the Acropolis.

Statue of Zeus

Phidias became truly famous after this master created a statue of Zeus for the temple located in Olympia. The height of the figure was 13 meters. Unfortunately, many originals have not survived; only their descriptions and copies have survived to this day. This was largely due to the fanatical destruction by Christians. The statue of Zeus did not survive either. It can be described as follows: a 13-meter figure was seated on a golden throne. The head of the god was decorated with a wreath of olive branches, which was a symbol of his peacefulness. The chest, arms, shoulders, face were made of ivory. Zeus's cloak is thrown over his left shoulder. The beard and crown are of glittering gold. Such is this ancient Greek sculpture, briefly described. It seems that God, if he gets up and straightens his shoulders, will not fit in this vast hall - the ceiling will be low for him.

Hellenistic period

The stages of development of ancient Greek sculpture are completed by the Hellenistic. This period is the time in the history of Ancient Greece from the 4th to the 1st century BC. Sculpture at this time was still the main purpose of decoration of various architectural structures. But it also reflected the changes taking place in the government.

In sculpture, which at that time was one of the main forms of art, in addition, many directions and schools arose. They existed in Rhodes, Pergamum, Alexandria. The best works presented by these schools reflect the problems that worried the minds of the people of this era at that time. These images, in contrast to the classical calm purposefulness, carry passionate pathos, emotional tension, dynamics.

The late Greek antiquity is characterized by a strong influence of the East on all art in general. New features of ancient Greek sculpture appear: numerous details, exquisite draperies, complex angles. The temperament and emotionality of the East penetrates into the greatness and tranquility of the classics.

The Aphrodite of Cyrene, located in the Roman Thermal Museum, is full of sensuality, some coquetry.

"Laocoon and his sons"

The most famous sculptural composition from this era is Laocoon and His Sons by Agesander of Rhodes. This masterpiece is now kept in the Vatican Museum. The composition is full of drama, and the plot suggests emotionality. The hero and his sons, desperately resisting the serpents sent by Athena, as if they understand their terrible fate. This sculpture was made with extraordinary precision. The figures are realistic and plastic. The faces of the heroes make a strong impression.

Three great sculptors

In the works of sculptors dating back to the 4th century BC. e., the humanistic ideal is preserved, but the unity of the civilian collective disappears. The ancient Greek sculptures and their authors are losing the sense of the fullness of life and the integrity of the worldview. Great masters who lived in the 4th century BC e., create art that reveals new facets of the spiritual world. These searches were most vividly expressed by three authors - Lysippos, Praxitel and Skopas.

Scopas

Skopas became the most prominent figure among the rest of the sculptors working at the time. Deep doubt, struggle, anxiety, impulse and passion breathe in his art. This native of the island of Paros worked in many cities in the territory of Hellas. The skill of this author was embodied in a statue called "Nika of Samothrace". This name was received in memory of the victory in 306 BC. e. Of the Rhodes fleet. This figure is installed on a pedestal resembling a ship's bow in design.

"Dancing Menada" by Scopas is presented in a dynamic, complex perspective.

Praxitel

They had a different creative principle. This author sang the sensual beauty of the body and the joy of life. Praxiteles enjoyed great fame and was rich. This sculptor is best known for the statue of Aphrodite, made for the island of Cnidus. She was the first in Greek art to depict a naked goddess. The beautiful Phryne, the famous hetaira, Praxiteles' lover, served as a model for the statue of Aphrodite. This girl was accused of blasphemy, and then acquitted by the judges admiring her beauty. Praxiteles is a singer of feminine beauty that the Greeks revered. Unfortunately, Aphrodite of Knidos is known to us only from copies.

Leohar

Leochares is an Athenian master, the greatest of Praxiteles' contemporaries. This sculptor, working in various Hellenic cities, created mythological scenes and images of the gods. He made several portrait statues in the chryso-elephantine technique, depicting members of the king's family. After that he became a court master of Alexander the Great, his son. At this time, Leochares created the statue of Apollo, which was very popular in antiquity. It was preserved in a marble copy made by the Romans and gained world fame under the name of Apollo Belvedere. Leochare demonstrates masterly technique in all his creations.

After the reign of Alexander the Great, the era of Hellenism became a period of rapid flowering of portraiture. Statues of various orators, poets, philosophers, military leaders, statesmen were erected on city squares. The masters wanted to achieve external similarity and at the same time emphasize the features in the appearance that turn a portrait into a typical image.

Other sculptors and their creations

Classical sculptures became examples of various creations of masters who worked in the Hellenistic era. Gigantomania is clearly visible in the works of that time, that is, the desire to embody the desired image in a huge statue. It manifests itself especially often when ancient Greek sculptures of gods are created. The statue of the god Helios is a prime example of this. It was made of gilded bronze and stood at the entrance of the Rhodes harbor. The height of the sculpture is 32 meters. He worked on it for 12 years, tirelessly, Hares, a student of Lysippos. This work of art has taken its rightful place in the list of wonders of the world.

After the capture of Ancient Greece by the Roman conquerors, many statues were taken out of this country. Not only sculptures, but also masterpieces of painting, collections of the imperial libraries and other cultural objects suffered this fate. Many people working in the field of education and science were captured. In the culture of Ancient Rome, thus, intertwined, having a significant impact on its development, various elements of the Greek.

Conclusion

Of course, different periods of development that Ancient Greece went through made adjustments to the process of sculpture formation, but one thing united the masters belonging to different eras - the desire to comprehend spatiality in the art, the love of expression with the help of various plastic techniques of the human body. The ancient Greek sculpture, the photo of which is presented above, unfortunately, has only partially survived to this day. Marble was often used as a material for figures, despite its fragility. This was the only way to convey the beauty and grace of the human body. Bronze, although it was a more reliable and noble material, was used much less often.

Ancient Greek sculpture and painting are original and interesting. Various examples of art give an idea of \u200b\u200bthe spiritual life of this country.