Art Ancient Greece became the support and foundation on which the whole European civilization. The sculpture of Ancient Greece is a special topic. Without ancient sculpture there would be no brilliant masterpieces of the Renaissance, and further development this art is difficult to imagine. In the history of the development of Greek ancient sculpture, three large stages can be distinguished: archaic, classical and Hellenistic. Each one has something important and special. Let's look at each of them.

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

The Archaic period covers three centuries - from the 8th to the 6th centuries BC. e. This is the period of formation of the foundations of ancient sculpture, the establishment of canons and traditions. The period very conventionally denotes the framework of early ancient art. In fact, the beginnings of the archaic can be seen already in 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 variety of materials for their work. Sculptures made of wood, limestone, terracotta, basalt, marble and bronze have been preserved. Archaic sculpture can be divided into two fundamental components: kora (female figures) and kouros (male figures). An archaic smile is a special type of smile used by Greek archaic sculptors, especially in the second quarter of the 6th century. BC e. , perhaps to demonstrate that the subject of the image is alive. This smile is flat and looks quite unnatural, although it is a sign of evolution sculptural art to realism and its search.

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

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

Classic art. Features: 1) The search for a way to depict a moving human figure, harmonious in its proportions, has been completed; the position of “contraposto” was developed - the balance of movements of body parts at rest (a figure standing freely with support on one leg); 2) The sculptor Polykleitos develops the theory of contrapposto, illustrating his work with sculptures standing in this position; 3) In the 5th century. BC e. the person is depicted as harmonious, idealized, as a rule, young or middle-aged, the facial expression is calm, without facial wrinkles and folds, movements are restrained, harmonious; 4) In the 4th century. BC e. greater dynamism, even sharpness, appears in the plasticity of the figures; sculptural images begin to reflect 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, Polykleitos and Phidias. In their creations, the images become more realistic, if one can say, even “alive,” and the schematism that was characteristic of archaic sculpture decreases. But the main “heroes” remain the gods and “ideal” people. Most people associate sculptures of this particular era with ancient plastic art. Masterpieces classical Greece They are distinguished by harmony, ideal proportions (which indicates excellent knowledge of human anatomy), as well as internal content and dynamics.

Polykleitos, 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. Polykleitos preferred to depict athletes, in which simple people always saw the ideal. Among his works are the famous statues of "Doryphoros" and "Diadumen". The first job is that of a strong warrior with a spear, the embodiment of calm dignity. The second is a slender young man with a competition winner's bandage on his head.

Myron, who lived in the mid-5th century. BC e, known to us from drawings and Roman copies. This brilliant master had an excellent command of plasticity and anatomy, and clearly conveyed freedom of movement in his works (“Discobolus”).

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

Phidias is another prominent representative of the creator of sculpture of the classical period. His name resounded 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 on the square of the Acropolis of Athens. These masterpieces of art are irretrievably lost. Only descriptions and small Roman copies give us a faint idea of ​​the magnificence of these monumental sculptures.

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

Famous sculptor of the classical period was Scopas, who lived in the mid-4th century BC. He innovates by revealing inner world person, tries to depict in sculptures the emotions of joy, fear, happiness. He was not afraid to experiment and depicted people in various complex poses, looking for new artistic possibilities for depicting new feelings on the human face (passion, anger, rage, fear, sadness). A wonderful creation of round sculpture is the statue of the Maenad; a Roman copy of it has now been preserved. A new and multifaceted relief work can be called the Amazonomachy, which adorns the Halicarnassus mausoleum in Asia Minor.

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

Among his works, it should be noted “The Resting Satyr”, “Aphrodite of Cnidus”, “Hermes with the Child Dionysus”, “Apollo Killing the 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 famous works"Hercules with a Hind", "Apoxyomenes", "Resting Hermes" and "Wrestler". Lysippos makes changes in 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 became widespread in the Hellenistic period and consisted of figures of people made of baked clay (terracotta). They were called Tanagra terracottas after their place of production, the city of Tanagra in Boeotia.

Hellenistic art. Features: 1) Loss of harmony and movements of the classical period; 2) The movements of the figures acquire pronounced dynamism; 3) Depictions of humans in sculpture tend to convey individual traits, a desire for naturalism, a departure from the harmonization of nature; 4) The sculptural decoration of the temples remains the same “heroic”; 5) Perfection in conveying shapes, volumes, folds, and “vitality” of nature.

In those days, sculpture decorated private houses, public buildings, squares, and acropolises. Hellenistic sculpture is characterized by the reflection and revelation of the spirit of anxiety and tension, the desire for pomp and theatricality, and sometimes rough naturalism. The Pergamum school developed artistic principles Skopas with his interest in violent manifestations of feelings and the transmission of rapid movements. One of the outstanding buildings of Hellenism was the monumental frieze of the Pergamon Altar, built by Eumenes 2 in honor of the victory over the Gauls in 180 BC. e. Its base was covered with a frieze 120 m long, made using the high relief technique and depicting the battle of the Olympian gods and the rebel giants with snakes instead of legs.

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

There are many historical facts, related to Greek Statues (which we will not delve into in this collection). However, you don't need to have a degree in history to admire the incredible craftsmanship of these magnificent sculptures. Truly timeless works of art, these 25 most legendary Greek statues are masterpieces of varying proportions.

Athlete from Fano

Known by the Italian name The Athlete of Fano, Victorious Youth is a Greek bronze sculpture that was found in the Fano Sea on the Adriatic coast of Italy. The Fano Athlete was built between 300 and 100 BC and is currently among the collections of the J. Paul Getty Museum in California. Historians believe that the statue was once part of a group of sculptures of victorious athletes at Olympia and Delphi. Italy still wants the sculpture back and disputes its removal from Italy.


Poseidon from Cape Artemision
An ancient Greek sculpture that was found and restored near the sea of ​​Cape Artemision. The bronze Artemision is believed to represent either Zeus or Poseidon. There is still debate about this sculpture because its missing lightning strikes rule out the possibility that it is Zeus, while its missing trident also rules out the possibility that it is Poseidon. Sculpture has always been associated with the ancient sculptors Myron and Onatas.


Zeus statue in Olympia
The statue of Zeus at Olympia is a 13-meter statue, with a giant figure sitting on a throne. This sculpture was created by a Greek sculptor named Phidias and is currently located in the Temple of Zeus in Olympia, Greece. The statue is made of ivory and wood and depicts the Greek god Zeus seated on a cedar throne decorated with gold, ebony and other precious stones.

Athena Parthenon
Athena of the Parthenon - giant statue made from gold and ivory of the Greek goddess Athena, discovered in the Parthenon in Athens. Made from silver, ivory and gold, it was created by the famous ancient Greek sculptor Phidias and is considered today as the most famous cult symbol of Athens. The sculpture was destroyed by a fire that took place in 165 BC, but was restored and placed in the Parthenon in the 5th century.


Lady from Auxerre
The 75 cm Lady of Auxerre is a Cretan sculpture currently housed in the Louvre in Paris. She depicts the archaic Greek goddess during the 6th century, Persephone. A curator from the Louvre named Maxime Collignon found the mini-statue in the vault of the Auxerre Museum in 1907. Historians believe that the sculpture was created during the 7th century during the Greek transition period.

Antinous Mondragon
The 0.95 meter tall marble statue depicts the god Antinous among a massive group of cult statues built to worship Antinous as a Greek god. When the sculpture was found in Frascati during the 17th century, it was identified because of its striped eyebrows, serious expression, and downward gaze. This creation was purchased in 1807 for Napoleon and is currently on display in the Louvre.

Apollo of Strangford
An ancient Greek sculpture made of marble, the Strangford Apollo was built between 500 and 490 BC and was created in honor of the Greek god Apollo. It was discovered on the island of Anafi and named after the diplomat Percy Smith, 6th Viscount Strangford and the real owner of the statue. Apollo is currently housed in Room 15 of the British Museum.

Kroisos from Anavysos
Discovered in Attica, Kroisos of Anavysos is a marble kouros that once served as a funerary statue for Kroisos, a young and noble Greek warrior. The statue is famous for its archaic smile. 1.95 meters tall, Kroisos is a free-standing sculpture that was built between 540 and 515 BC and is currently on display at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens. The inscription under the statue reads: “Stop and mourn at the tomb of Kroisos, who was killed by the furious Ares when he was in the front ranks.”

Biton and Kleobis
Created by the Greek sculptor Polymidis, Biton and Kleobis are a pair of archaic Greek statues created by the Argives in 580 BC to worship two brothers related by Solon in a legend called the Histories. The statue is now in the Archaeological Museum of Delphi, Greece. Originally built in Argos, Peloponnese, a pair of statues were found at Delphi with inscriptions on the base identifying them as Kleobis and Biton.

Hermes with baby Dionysus
Created in honor of the Greek god Hermes, Praxiteles' Hermes features Hermes carrying another popular character in Greek mythology, baby Dionysus. The statue was made from Parian marble. According to historians, it was built by the ancient Greeks during 330 BC. It is known today as one of the most original masterpieces of the great Greek sculptor Praxiteles and is currently housed in the Archaeological Museum of Olympia, Greece.

Alexander the Great
A statue of Alexander the Great was discovered in the Palace of Pella in Greece. Coated and made of marble, the statue was built in 280 BC to honor Alexander the Great, the popular Greek hero, who became famous in several parts of the world and fought battles against the Persian armies, especially in Granisus, Issuya and Gagamela. The statue of Alexander the Great is now on display among the Greek art collections of the Archaeological Museum of Pella in Greece.

Kora in Peplos
Restored from the Acropolis of Athens, the Kore at Peplos is a stylized image of the Greek goddess Athena. Historians believe that the statue was created to serve as a votive offering during ancient times. Made during the Archaic period Greek history arts, Cora is characterized by the rigid and formal pose of Athena, her majestic curls and archaic smile. The statue originally appeared in a variety of colors, but only traces of its original colors can be observed today.

Ephebe from Antikythera
Made from fine bronze, Ephebe from Antikythera - statue young man, a god or hero holding a spherical object in his right hand. A work of Peloponnesian bronze sculpture, this statue was recovered from a shipwreck near the island of Antikythera. It is believed to be one of the works of the famous sculptor Efranor. The ephebe is currently on display at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens.

Delphic Charioteer
Better known as Heniokos, the Charioteer of Delphi is one of the most popular statues that survived ancient Greece. This life-size bronze statue depicts a chariot driver that was restored in 1896 at the Sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi. Here it was originally erected during the 4th century to commemorate the victory of a chariot team in ancient sports. Originally part of a massive group of sculptures, the Delphic Charioteer is now displayed in the Archaeological Museum of Delphi.

Harmodius and Aristogeiton
Harmodius and Aristogeiton were created after the establishment of democracy in Greece. Created by the Greek sculptor Antenor, the statues were made of bronze. These were the first statues in Greece to be paid for with public funds. The purpose of the creation was to honor both men, whom the ancient Athenians accepted as outstanding characters democracy. The original installation site was Kerameikos in 509 AD, along with other heroes of Greece.

Aphrodite of Knidos
Known as one of the most popular statues created by the ancient Greek sculptor Praxiteles, Aphrodite of Knidos was the first life-size representation of a naked Aphrodite. Praxiteles built the statue after he was commissioned by Cos to create a statue depicting the beautiful goddess Aphrodite. In addition to its status as a cult image, the masterpiece has become a landmark in Greece. Its original copy did not survive the massive fire that once took place in Ancient Greece, but its replica is currently on display in the British Museum.

Winged Victory of Samothrace
Created in 200 BC. The Winged Victory of Samothrace, depicting the Greek goddess Nike, is considered today as the greatest masterpiece of Hellenistic sculpture. It is currently displayed in the Louvre among the most famous original statues in the world. It was created between 200 and 190 BC, not to honor the Greek goddess Nike, but in honor of a naval battle. Winged Victory was established by the Macedonian general Demetrius, after his naval victory in Cyprus.

Statue of Leonidas I at Thermopylae
The statue of Spartan King Leonidas I at Thermopylae was erected in 1955, in memory of the heroic King Leonidas, who distinguished himself during the Battle of the Persians in 480 BC. A sign was placed under the statue that reads: “Come and Take It.” This is what Leonidas said when King Xerxes and his army asked them to lay down their weapons.

Wounded Achilles
The wounded Achilles is a depiction of the hero of the Iliad named Achilles. This ancient Greek masterpiece conveys his agony before death, being wounded by a fatal arrow. Made from alabaster stone, the original statue is currently housed in the Achilleion residence of Queen Elizabeth of Austria in Kofu, Greece.

Dying Gaul
Also known as the Death of Galatian, or the Dying Gladiator, the Dying Gaul is an ancient Hellenistic sculpture that was created between 230 BC. and 220 BC for Attalus I of Pergamon to celebrate his group's victory over the Gauls in Anatolia. It is believed that the statue was created by Epigonus, a sculptor of the Attalid dynasty. The statue depicts a dying Celtic warrior lying on his fallen shield next to his sword.

Laocoon and his sons
The statue currently located in the Vatican Museum in Rome, Laocoon and his Sons, is also known as the Laocoon Group and was originally created by three great Greek sculptors from the island of Rhodes, Agesender, Polydorus and Atenodoros. This life-size statue is made of marble and depicts a Trojan priest named Laocoon, along with his sons Timbraeus and Antiphantes, strangled by sea serpents.

The Colossus of Rhodes
A statue depicting the Greek Titan named Helios, the Colossus of Rhodes was first erected in the city of Rhodes between 292 and 280 BC. Recognized today as one of the Seven Wonders Ancient World, the statue was built to celebrate the victory of Rhodes over the ruler of Cyprus during the 2nd century. Known as one of the tallest statues of Ancient Greece, the original statue was destroyed by an earthquake that struck Rhodes in 226 BC.

Discus thrower
Built by one of the best sculptors of Ancient Greece during the 5th century - Myron, the Discobolus was a statue originally placed at the entrance to the Panathinaikon Stadium in Athens, Greece, where the first event of the Olympic Games was held. The original statue, made of alabaster stone, did not survive the destruction of Greece and was never restored.

Diadumen
Found off the island of Tilos, Diadumen is an ancient Greek sculpture that was created during the 5th century. The original statue, which was restored in Tilos, is currently part of the collections of the National Archaeological Museum in Athens.

Trojan horse
Made of marble and coated with a special bronze plating, the Trojan Horse is an Ancient Greek sculpture that was built between 470 BC and 460 BC to represent the Trojan Horse in Homer's Iliad. The original masterpiece survived the devastation of Ancient Greece and is currently housed in the Archaeological Museum of Olympia, Greece.

Architecture and sculpture of Ancient Greece

Cities of the ancient world usually appeared near a high rock, and a citadel was built on it, so that there would be a place to hide if the enemy penetrated the city. Such a citadel was called an acropolis. In the same way, on a rock that towered almost 150 meters above Athens and had long served as a natural defensive structure, an upper city gradually formed in the form of a fortress (acropolis) with various defensive, public and religious structures.
The Athenian Acropolis began to be built up in the 2nd millennium BC. During the Greco-Persian Wars (480-479 BC) it was completely destroyed; later, under the leadership of the sculptor and architect Phidias, its restoration and reconstruction began.
The Acropolis is one of those places “about which everyone insists that they are magnificent and unique. But don't ask why. No one can answer you...” It can be measured, even all its stones can be counted. It's not that big of a deal to get through it from end to end - it only takes a few minutes. The walls of the Acropolis are steep and precipitous. Four great creations still stand on this rocky hill. Wide zigzag the road goes from the bottom of the hill to the only entrance. This is the Propylaea - a monumental gate with Doric style columns and a wide staircase. They were built by the architect Mnesicles in 437-432 BC. But before entering these majestic marble gates, everyone involuntarily turned to the right. There, on the high pedestal of the bastion that once guarded the entrance to the acropolis, stands the temple of the goddess of victory Nike Apteros, decorated with Ionic columns. This is the work of the architect Callicrates (second half of the 5th century BC). The temple - light, airy, unusually beautiful - stood out with its whiteness against the blue background of the sky. This fragile building, looking like an elegant marble toy, seems to smile itself and makes passers-by smile affectionately.
The restless, ardent and active gods of Greece resembled the Greeks themselves. True, they were taller, could fly through the air, take on any form, and turn into animals and plants. But in everything else they behaved like ordinary people: got married, deceived each other, quarreled, made peace, punished children...

Temple of Demeter, builders unknown, 6th century. BC. Olympia

Temple of Nike Apteros, architect Kallikrates, 449-421 BC. Athens

Propylaea, architect Mnesical, 437-432 BC. Athens

The goddess of victory Nike was depicted as a beautiful woman with large wings: victory is fickle and flies from one opponent to another. The Athenians depicted her as wingless so that she would not leave the city that she had so recently conquered. great victory over the Persians. Deprived of wings, the goddess could no longer fly and had to remain in Athens forever.
The Nika Temple stands on a rock ledge. It is slightly turned towards the Propylaea and plays the role of a beacon for processions going around the rock.
Immediately beyond the Propylaea, Athena the Warrior stood proudly, whose spear greeted the traveler from afar and served as a beacon for sailors. The inscription on the stone pedestal read: “The Athenians dedicated from the victory over the Persians.” This meant that the statue was cast from bronze weapons taken from the Persians as a result of their victories.
The Erechtheion temple ensemble was also located on the Acropolis, which (according to its creators) was supposed to link together several sanctuaries located on different levels, - the rock here is very uneven. The northern portico of the Erechtheion led to the sanctuary of Athena, where a wooden statue of the goddess was kept, supposedly falling from the sky. The door from the sanctuary opened into a small courtyard where the only sacred olive tree on the entire Acropolis grew, which rose when Athena touched the rock with her sword in this place. Through the eastern portico one could get into the sanctuary of Poseidon, where he, having struck the rock with his trident, left three furrows with gurgling water. Here was also the sanctuary of Erechtheus, revered on a par with Poseidon.
The central part of the temple is a rectangular room (24.1x13.1 meters). The temple also contained the tomb and sanctuary of the first legendary king of Attica, Cecrops. On south side The Erechtheion is the famous portico of the caryatids: at the edge of the wall, six girls carved from marble support the ceiling. Some scholars suggest that the portico served as a tribune for respectable citizens or that priests gathered here for religious ceremonies. But the exact purpose of the portico is still unclear, because “portico” means vestibule, and in this case the portico did not have doors and from here it is impossible to get inside the temple. The figures of the portico of the caryatids are essentially supports that replace a pillar or column; they also perfectly convey the lightness and flexibility of the girlish figures. The Turks, who at one time captured Athens and, due to their Muslim beliefs, did not allow images of humans, did not, however, destroy these statues. They limited themselves to only cutting off the girls' faces.

Erechtheion, builders unknown, 421-407 BC. Athens

Parthenon, architects Ictinus, Callicrates, 447-432 BC. Athens

In 1803, Lord Elgin, the English ambassador to Constantinople and a collector, using the permission of the Turkish Sultan, broke out one of the caryatids in the temple and took it to England, where he offered it to the British Museum. Interpreting the firman of the Turkish Sultan too broadly, he also took with him many of the sculptures of Phidias and sold them for 35,000 pounds sterling. Firman stated that “no one should prevent him from taking away a few stones with inscriptions or figures from the Acropolis.” Elgin filled 201 boxes with such “stones”. As he himself stated, he took only those sculptures that had already fallen or were in danger of falling, ostensibly in order to save them from final destruction. But Byron also called him a thief. Later (during the restoration of the portico of the caryatids in 1845-1847), the British Museum sent to Athens a plaster cast of the statue taken away by Lord Elgin. The cast was subsequently replaced by a more durable copy made of artificial stone, made in England.
At the end of the last century, the Greek government demanded that England return its treasures, but received the answer that the London climate was more favorable for them.
At the beginning of our millennium, when Greece was transferred to Byzantium during the division of the Roman Empire, the Erechtheion was turned into a Christian temple. Later, the crusaders, who captured Athens, made the temple a ducal palace, and during the Turkish conquest of Athens in 1458, a harem of the commandant of the fortress was installed in the Erechtheion. During the liberation war of 1821-1827, the Greeks and Turks took turns besieging the Acropolis, bombarding its structures, including the Erechtheion.
In 1830 (after the proclamation of Greek independence), only foundations could be found at the site of the Erechtheion, as well as architectural decorations lying on the ground. Funds for the restoration of this temple ensemble (as well as for the restoration of many other structures of the Acropolis) were given by Heinrich Schliemann. His closest associate V. Derpfeld carefully measured and compared the ancient fragments; by the end of the 70s of the last century he was already planning to restore the Erechtheion. But this reconstruction was subjected to severe criticism, and the temple was dismantled. The building was rebuilt under the leadership of the famous Greek scientist P. Kavadias in 1906 and finally restored in 1922.

"Venus de Milo" Agessander(?), 120 BC. Louvre, Paris

"Laocoon" Agessander, Polydorus, Athenodorus, c.40 BC. Greece, Olympia

"Hercules of Farnese" ca. 200 BC e., Nat. museum, Naples

"Wounded Amazon" Polykleitos, 440 BC. National museum rome

The Parthenon - the temple of the goddess Athena - is the largest structure on the Acropolis and the most beautiful creation of Greek architecture. It stands not in the center of the square, but somewhat to the side, so that you can immediately take in the front and side facades and understand the beauty of the temple as a whole. The ancient Greeks believed that the temple with the main cult statue in the center represented the house of the deity. The Parthenon is the temple of Athena the Virgin (Parthenos), and therefore in its center there was a chrysoelephantine (made of ivory and gold plates on a wooden base) statue of the goddess.
The Parthenon was erected in 447-432 BC. architects Ictinus and Callicrates from Pentelic marble. It was located on a four-level terrace, the size of its base was 69.5 x 30.9 meters. The Parthenon is surrounded on four sides by slender colonnades; gaps of blue sky are visible between their white marble trunks. Entirely permeated with light, it seems airy and light. There are no bright designs on the white columns, as is found in Egyptian temples. Only longitudinal grooves (flutes) cover them from top to bottom, making the temple seem taller and even slimmer. The columns owe their slenderness and lightness to the fact that they taper slightly towards the top. In the middle part of the trunk, not at all noticeable to the eye, they thicken and this makes them seem elastic, more able to withstand the weight of stone blocks. Iktin and Callicrates, having thought through every smallest detail, created a building that amazes with its amazing proportionality, extreme simplicity and purity of all lines. Placed on the upper platform of the Acropolis, at an altitude of about 150 meters above sea level, the Parthenon was visible not only from anywhere in the city, but also from numerous ships sailing to Athens. The temple was a Doric perimeter surrounded by a colonnade of 46 columns.

"Aphrodite and Pan" 100 BC, Delphi, Greece

"Diana the Huntress" Leochard, c.340 BC, Louvre, Paris, France

"Resting Hermes" Lysippos, IV century. BC BC, National Museum, Naples

"Hercules Fighting the Lion" Lysippos, c. 330 BC Hermitage, St. Petersburg

"Atlas Farnese" c.200 BC, Nat. museum, Naples

The most famous masters participated in the sculptural design of the Parthenon. Artistic director The construction and decoration of the Parthenon was by Phidias, one of the greatest sculptors of all times. He is responsible for the overall composition and development of the entire sculptural decoration, part of which he performed himself. The organizational side of the construction was handled by Pericles, the largest statesman of Athens.
The entire sculptural design of the Parthenon was intended to glorify the goddess Athena and her city - Athens. The theme of the eastern pediment is the birth of Zeus's beloved daughter. On the western pediment the master depicted a scene of a dispute between Athena and Poseidon for dominance over Attica. According to the myth, Athena won the dispute and gave the inhabitants of this country an olive tree.
The gods of Greece gathered on the pediments of the Parthenon: the thunderer Zeus, the mighty ruler of the seas Poseidon, the wise warrior Athena, the winged Nike. The sculptural decoration of the Parthenon was completed by a frieze, which depicted a solemn procession during the festival of the Great Panathenaia. This frieze is considered one of the pinnacles of classical art. Despite all its compositional unity, it amazed with its diversity. Of the more than 500 figures of young men, elders, girls, on foot and on horseback, not one repeated the other; the movements of people and animals were conveyed with amazing dynamism.
The figures of the sculptural Greek relief are not flat, they have the volume and shape of the human body. They differ from statues only in that they are not processed on all sides, but seem to merge with the background formed by the flat surface of the stone. Light colors enlivened the Parthenon marble. The red background emphasized the whiteness of the figures, the narrow vertical projections that separated one slab of the frieze from the other stood out clearly in blue, and the gilding shone brightly. Behind the columns, on a marble ribbon encircling all four facades of the building, a festive procession was depicted. There are almost no gods here, and people, forever imprinted in stone, moved along the two long sides of the building and united on the eastern facade, where a solemn ceremony took place to present the priest with a robe woven by Athenian girls for the goddess. Each figure is characterized by its unique beauty, and all together they accurately reflect the true life and customs of the ancient city.

Indeed, once every five years, on one of the hot days of mid-summer, a nationwide celebration took place in Athens in honor of the birth of the goddess Athena. It was called the Great Panathenaia. Not only citizens of the Athenian state, but also many guests took part in it. The celebration consisted of a solemn procession (pump), the bringing of a hecatomb (100 head of cattle) and a common meal, sports, equestrian and musical competitions. The winner received a special, so-called Panathenaic amphora filled with oil, and a wreath made from the leaves of the sacred olive tree growing on the Acropolis.

The most solemn moment of the holiday was the national procession to the Acropolis. Riders on horses were moving, statesmen, warriors in armor and young athletes were walking. Priests and nobles walked in long white robes, heralds loudly praised the goddess, musicians filled the still cool morning air with joyful sounds. Along the zigzag Panathenaic road, trampled by thousands of people, sacrificial animals climbed the high hill of the Acropolis. The boys and girls carried with them a model of the sacred Panathenaic ship with a peplos (veil) attached to its mast. A light breeze fluttered the bright fabric of the yellow-violet robe, which was carried as a gift to the goddess Athena by the noble girls of the city. For a whole year they wove and embroidered it. Other girls raised sacred vessels for sacrifices high above their heads. Gradually the procession approached the Parthenon. The entrance to the temple was made not from the Propylaea, but from the other, as if so that everyone would first walk around, examine and appreciate the beauty of all parts of the beautiful building. Unlike Christian churches, ancient Greek ones were not intended for worship inside them; the people remained outside the temple during religious activities. In the depths of the temple, surrounded on three sides by two-tiered colonnades, the famous statue of the Virgin Athena, created by the famous Phidias, stood proudly. Her clothes, helmet and shield were made of pure sparkling gold, and her face and hands shone with the whiteness of ivory.

Many book volumes have been written about the Parthenon, among them there are monographs about each of its sculptures and about each step of gradual decline from the time when, after the decree of Theodosius I, it became a Christian temple. In the 15th century, the Turks turned it into a mosque, and in the 17th century, into a gunpowder warehouse. It was turned into final ruins by the Turkish-Venetian war of 1687, when an artillery shell hit it and in one moment did what all-consuming time could not do in 2000 years.

Planning trip to Greece, many people are interested not only comfortable hotels, but also the fascinating history of this ancient country, an integral part of which is art objects.

A large number of treatises by famous art historians are devoted specifically to ancient Greek sculpture, as the fundamental branch of world culture. Unfortunately, many monuments of that time did not survive in their original form, and are known from later copies. By studying them, you can trace the history of the development of Greek visual arts from the Homeric period to the Hellenistic era, and highlight the most striking and famous creations of each period.

Aphrodite de Milo

The world famous Aphrodite from the island of Milos dates back to the Hellenistic period of Greek art. At this time, through the efforts of Alexander the Great, the culture of Hellas began to spread far beyond the Balkan Peninsula, which was noticeably reflected in the fine arts - sculptures, paintings and frescoes became more realistic, the faces of the gods on them have human features - relaxed poses, an abstract look, a soft smile .

Aphrodite statue, or as the Romans called it, Venus, is made of snow-white marble. Its height is slightly larger than human height, and is 2.03 meters. The statue was discovered by chance by an ordinary French sailor, who in 1820, together with a local peasant, dug up Aphrodite near the remains of an ancient amphitheater on the island of Milos. During its transportation and customs disputes, the statue lost its arms and pedestal, but a record of the author of the masterpiece indicated on it was preserved: Agesander, the son of Menidas, a resident of Antioch.

Today, after careful restoration, Aphrodite is exhibited in the Louvre in Paris, attracting millions of tourists every year with its natural beauty.

Nike of Samothrace

The creation of the statue of the goddess of victory Nike dates back to the 2nd century BC. Research has shown that Nika was installed above the sea coast on a steep cliff - her marble clothes flutter as if from the wind, and the tilt of the body represents constant forward movement. The thinnest folds of clothing cover the strong body of the goddess, and powerful wings are spread in joy and triumph of victory.

The head and arms of the statue were not preserved, although individual fragments were discovered during excavations in 1950. In particular, Karl Lehmann and a group of archaeologists found the right hand of the goddess. The Nike of Samothrace is now one of the outstanding exhibits of the Louvre. Her hand was never added to the general exhibition; only the right wing, which is made of plaster, was restored.

Laocoon and his sons

A sculptural composition depicting the mortal struggle of Laocoon, the priest of the god Apollo and his sons, with two snakes sent by Apollo in revenge for the fact that Laocoon did not listen to his will and tried to prevent the Trojan horse from entering the city.

The statue was made of bronze, but its original has not survived to this day. In the 15th century, a marble copy of the sculpture was found on the territory of Nero’s “golden house” and, by order of Pope Julius II, it was installed in a separate niche of the Vatican Belvedere. In 1798, the statue of Laocoon was transported to Paris, but after the fall of Napoleon's rule, the British returned it to its original place, where it is kept to this day.

The composition, depicting Laocoon's desperate dying struggle with divine punishment, inspired many sculptors of the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance, and gave rise to a fashion for depicting the complex, whirlwind movements of the human body in fine art.

Zeus from Cape Artemision

The statue, found by divers near Cape Artemision, is made of bronze, and is one of the few pieces of art of this type that has survived to this day in its original form. Researchers disagree about whether the sculpture belongs specifically to Zeus, believing that it can also depict the god of the seas, Poseidon.

The statue is 2.09 m high and depicts the supreme Greek god, who raised his right hand to throw lightning in righteous anger. The lightning itself has not survived, but from numerous smaller figures it can be judged that it had the appearance of a flat, highly elongated bronze disk.

From almost two thousand years of being under water, the statue was almost undamaged. Only the eyes, which were presumably made of ivory and encrusted with precious stones, were missing. You can see this work of art at the National Archaeological Museum, which is located in Athens.

Statue of Diadumen

A marble copy of a bronze statue of a young man who crowns himself with a diadem - a symbol of sports victory, probably adorned the site of the competition in Olympia or Delphi. The diadem at that time was a red woolen bandage, which, along with laurel wreaths, was awarded to the winners of the Olympic Games. The author of the work, Polykleitos, performed it in his favorite style - the young man is in slight movement, his face displays complete calm and concentration. The athlete behaves like a deserved winner - he does not show fatigue, although his body requires rest after the fight. In the sculpture, the author managed to very naturally convey not only small elements, but also general position body, correctly distributing the mass of the figure. Full proportionality of the body is the pinnacle of development of this period - classicism of the 5th century.

Although the bronze original has not survived to this day, copies of it can be seen in many museums around the world - the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, the Louvre, the Metropolitan, and the British Museum.

Aphrodite Braschi

The marble statue of Aphrodite depicts the goddess of love baring herself before taking her legendary, often mythical bath that restores her virginity. Aphrodite holds in her left hand the removed clothes, which gently fall onto a jug standing nearby. From an engineering point of view, this solution made the fragile statue more stable and gave the sculptor the opportunity to give it a more relaxed pose. The uniqueness of Aphrodite Brasca is that this is the first known statue of the goddess, the author of which decided to depict her naked, which at one time was considered unheard of audacity.

There are legends according to which the sculptor Praxiteles created Aphrodite in the image of his beloved, the hetaera Phryne. When her former admirer, the orator Euthyas, found out about this, he raised a scandal, as a result of which Praxiteles was accused of unforgivable blasphemy. At the trial, the defense lawyer, seeing that his arguments did not satisfy the impression on the judge, tore off Phryne’s clothes to show those present that such a perfect body of the model simply could not conceal dark soul. The judges, being adherents of the concept of kalokagathia, were forced to completely acquit the defendants.

The original statue was taken to Constantinople, where it died in a fire. Many copies of Aphrodite have survived to this day, but they all have their own differences, as they were reconstructed from verbal and written descriptions and images on coins.

Marathon youth

The statue of a young man is made of bronze, and supposedly depicts the Greek god Hermes, although no prerequisites or attributes of it are observed in the hands or clothing of the young man. The sculpture was raised from the bottom of the Marathon Bay in 1925, and since then has been added to the exhibition of the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. Due to the fact that the statue was under water for a long time, all its features were very well preserved.

The style in which the sculpture was made reveals the style of the famous sculptor Praxiteles. The young man stands in a relaxed position, his hand rests on the wall against which the figure was installed.

Discus thrower

The statue of the ancient Greek sculptor Myron has not survived in its original form, but is widely known throughout the world thanks to its bronze and marble copies. The sculpture is unique in that it was the first to depict a person in complex, dynamic movement. Such a bold decision by the author served as a striking example for his followers, who, with no less success, created works of art in the style of “Figura serpentinata” - a special technique depicting a person or animal in an often unnatural, tense, but very expressive, from the point of view of the observer, pose.

Delphic Charioteer

The bronze sculpture of a charioteer was discovered during excavations in 1896 at the Sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi, and is a classic example of ancient art. The figure depicts an ancient Greek youth driving a cart during Pythian Games.

The uniqueness of the sculpture lies in the fact that the inlay of the eyes with precious stones has been preserved. The young man's eyelashes and lips are decorated with copper, and the headband is made of silver, and presumably also had inlay.

The time of creation of the sculpture, theoretically, is at the junction of archaic and early classic - its pose is characterized by stiffness and the absence of any hint of movement, but the head and face are made with quite great realism. As in later sculptures.

Athena Parthenos

Majestic goddess Athena statue has not survived to this day, but there are many copies of it, restored in accordance with ancient descriptions. The sculpture was made entirely of ivory and gold, without the use of stone or bronze, and stood in the main temple of Athens - the Parthenon. Distinctive feature goddess - a high helmet decorated with three crests.

The history of the creation of the statue was not without fatal moments: on the shield of the goddess, the sculptor Phidias, in addition to depicting the battle with the Amazons, placed his portrait in the form of a weak old man who lifts a heavy stone with both hands. The public of that time ambiguously assessed Phidias's act, which cost him his life - the sculptor was imprisoned, where he took his own life with poison.

Greek culture became the founder for the development of fine arts throughout the world. Even today, looking at some modern paintings and statues, one can detect the influence of this ancient culture.

Ancient Hellas became the cradle in which the cult was actively nurtured human beauty in its physical, moral and intellectual manifestation. Residents of Greece of that time they not only worshiped many Olympian gods, but also tried to resemble them as much as possible. All this is reflected in bronze and marble statues - they not only convey the image of a person or a deity, but also make them close to each other.

Although many of the statues have not survived to the present day, their exact copies can be seen in many museums around the world.

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Faced with the sculptures of Ancient Greece, 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 a beautiful body can a beautiful soul live. Therefore, harmony of the body, external perfection is an indispensable condition and basis of an ideal person. The Greek ideal is defined by the term kalokagathia (Greek kalos - beautiful + agathos good). 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 what makes the Greek gods, sculpted by ancient sculptors, uniquely beautiful.

The 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 are symmetrical: one half of the body is a mirror image of the other. 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.

Video: Sculptures of Ancient Greece

Number theory and sculpture of Ancient Greece

Neither 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 ones 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 larger part, c is the whole. On this basis, the great Greek sculptor Polykleitos (5th century BC) created a sculpture of a young spear-bearer (5th century BC), which is called “Doriphoros” (“Spear-bearer”) or “Canon” - after the title of the work sculptor, where he, discussing the theory of art, considers the laws of depicting a perfect person.

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Greece on the map, where the sculptures of Ancient Greece were created

Statue of Polykleitos "Spearman"

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 the static peace of 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.

Video: Greek sculptors.

Statue of Myron "Discobolus"

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, great sculptor Myron portrayed 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 deep into the sand.

Sculpture of Phidias "Athena Parthenos"

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” perished 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. Many stories are associated with this sculpture.

Other sculptures of Phidias

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.

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Athens on the map, where the sculptures of Ancient Greece were created

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, he would straighten broad shoulders- He will feel cramped in the vast hall and the ceiling will be low. The head of Zeus was decorated with a wreath of olive branches - a sign of the peacefulness of the formidable god. His face, shoulders, arms, chest were made of ivory, and his cloak was thrown over his 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 the 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 the harmony of a beautiful body and the kind soul contained in it. 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.

Materials of sculpture of Ancient Greece

One thing united all periods of the development of Greek society and art: this, as M. Alpatov writes, was a special passion for plastic arts, for spatial arts. Such a predilection is understandable: huge reserves of variously colored, noble and ideal material - marble - provided 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 human body“, its structure and pliability, its slenderness and flexibility attracted the attention of the Greeks, they willingly depicted the human body both naked and in light transparent clothing.”

Video: Sculptures of Ancient Greece