Assignment:
What were the goals and achievements of Classical Greek artists compared to Hellenistic? How might their respective cultural contexts have help to shape the function, style and treatment of subject matter?
To answer these questions, compare an Early, High, or Late Classical Greek sculpture of your choosing (ca. 480-332) to one from the Hellenistic Age (ca. 323-30 BCE). (They don't need to be from the module.) Be sure to address context, style (description and analysis), subject matter and function. What do the differences in these works tell us about the significant differences in their respective cultures? What innovations and artistic achievements do you think they embody? Where do the fall in the long development of western sculpture? Finally, if you could have one of them to take home with you, which one would it be and why?
Suggestions for Greek Classical examples include:
-Spear Bearer by Polykleitos
-Discuss Thrower by Myron
-Kritios Boy
-Riace Bronze Warriors (just one of them is fine)
-Aphrodite of Knidos by Praxiteles (or any by that artist)
-The Scraper by Lysippos
-One of your own choosing, as long as it dates from 480-323 BCE.
Suggestions for Hellenistic examples include:
-Nike of Samothrace
-Gallic Chieftain Killing Himself and his Wife
-Dying Gaul
-Sleeping Satyr
-Old Market Woman
-Laocoön and His Sons by Athanadoros, Hagesandros, and Polydoros of Rhodes
Or any other Hellenistic sculpture from 323-30 BCE.