How ancient Greek sculptors changed the art of marble and bronze

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-10 02:10

Ancient writers call Scopas, Praxiteles and Lysippos the three greatest sculptors of the second half of the 4th century BC. This triad of contemporaries completely changed the character of Greek sculpture. The schools they founded, the developments they made in art, greatly influenced the history of sculpture and then the Italian Renaissance and, through it, modern art.

Scopas

Skopas is one of the three great Greek sculptors and architects of the 4th century BC. He became widely known primarily for his work on the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus. He had an important influence on the high classical style and the development of European art.

A cosmopolitan artist who traveled and worked in Asia, Scopas was one of the first exponents of Greek sculpture to present deeply emotional expressions on the faces of his marble figures. According to ancient writings, Skopas worked on three main monuments of the 4th century: the Temple of Athena Alea at Tegea, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus and the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus - one of the most beautiful temples in the Peloponnese, which he decorated and built in collaboration with other artists. He also created a statue of Dionysus for the city of Knidos, created a statue of Nike (Victory), which is made of Parisian marble and is now in the Louvre. Scopas's talents include the most beautiful complex of Nereid statues (Poseidon, Thetis and Nereids carrying the dead body of Achilles Many art historians believe that Scopas was technically close to Praxiteles, but if the latter preferred bold expressiveness and energy, Skopas portrayed feelings during the moments of rest of his heroes. The Temple of Athena Alea in Tegea is the only surviving original of Scopas. The style and proportions of the temple show strong Athenian influence. Other works known from Roman copies include the statue of Meleager (Fogg Museum, Cambridge, Massachusetts), Apollo Kitaroedus (Villa Borghese, Rome) and the famous Ludovisi Ares (Palazzo Altemps, Rome).

Praxitel

Praxiteles, born in 395 BC, was the son or close relative of the famous artist Kefisodotus, with whom he studied the art of sculpture. Praxiteles' career, one of the most famous and greatest sculptors of ancient Greece, bridged the late classical period and the Hellenistic period of Greek art.

One of his main tasks as a sculptor was to bring as much realism as possible to his work, which subsequently influenced the realistic direction of Greek sculpture. He constantly tried new ways of working in order to be as natural as possible, thereby pushing the boundaries of his creativity. To achieve this naturalism, he worked stone and bronze to create curves, light and shadow. He developed a special technique for polishing marble sculptures, which gave his work vitality. This defined his delicate and sensual style. Transforming the individual and majestic style of his immediate predecessors into a style of delicate grace and sensual charm, he significantly influenced the subsequent development of Greek sculpture. The only known surviving work by Praxiteles' hand, the marble statue of Hermes carrying the Child Dionysus, is characterized by subtle modeling of forms and exquisite finishes. Cnidus was considered by the Roman writer Pliny not only the most beautiful statue of Praxiteles, but also the best in the world. Praxitel was one of the first sculptors to seriously work with the female form. His Aphrodite nude is a bold innovation of the time; his immediate predecessors created pieces that were distinct and majestic in style, while Praxiteles brought a more humanistic, delicate grace to Greek sculpture. No other sculptor has come so close to this.

Lysippus

Lysippos was one of the greatest sculptors of the late classical period of Greek sculpture. As the official sculptor of Alexander the Great, his work was characterized by natural naturalism and delicate proportions. He is also distinguished by a special fertility: Lysippos created more than 1,500 works, some of which were colossal. Known for his marble and bronze sculptures of athletes, heroes and gods.

Lysippos was an innovator in the designation of scales in male figures. His work is characterized by thinner proportions of the body - he reduced the size of the head and extended the limbs, which made his figures taller and more stately. Lysippos continued to expand the boundaries of his marble sculpture. In his work, a new sense of movement appears: head, limbs, torso - all faces in different directions, which indicates a sudden change in action. He also meticulously worked with the hair, eyelids, nails and other details of his characters. Roman writers of the time, including Pliny, refer to Lysippos and his sculpting style, noting the grace and elegance, as well as the symmetry and balance of his figures. Lysippos was able to create new and startling versions of the Gods, including Zeus and the Sun God. Together with Scopas and Praxiteles, Lysippos helped bring about the transition into the Hellenistic period of art. He remains a key figure in the history of sculpture since classical antiquity.