Contrapposto (Italian pronunciation: [kontrapˈposto]) is an Italian term that means "counterpoise". It is used in the visual arts to describe a human figure standing with most of its weight on one foot, so that its shoulders and arms twist off-axis from the hips and legs in the axial plane.
A marble copy of Polykleitos' Doryphoros, an early example of classical contrapposto.
First appearing in Ancient Greece in the early 5th century BCE, contrapposto is considered a crucial development in the history of Ancient Greek art (and, by extension, Western art), as it marks the first time in Western art that the human body is used to express a psychological disposition. The style was further developed and popularized by sculptors in the Hellenistic and Imperial Roman periods, fell out of use in the Middle Ages, and was later revived during the Renaissance. Michelangelo's statue of David, one of the most iconic sculptures in the world, is a famous example of contrapposto.
Contrapposto was historically an important sculptural development, for its appearance marks the first time in Western art that the human body is used to express a more relaxed psychological disposition. This gives the figure a more dynamic, or alternatively relaxed appearance. In the frontal plane this also results in opposite levels of shoulders and hips, for example: if the right hip is higher than the left; correspondingly the right shoulder will be lower than the left, and vice versa. It can further encompass the tension as a figure changes from resting on a given leg to walking or running upon it (so-called ponderation). The leg that carries the weight of the body is known as the engaged leg, the relaxed leg is known as the free leg.[1] Usually, the engaged leg is straight, or very slightly bent, and the free leg is slightly bent.[2] Contrapposto is less emphasized than the more sinuous S-curve, and creates the illusion of past and future movement.[3] A 2019 eye tracking study by showing that contrapposto acts as supernormal stimuli and increases perceived attractiveness has provided evidence and insight as to why, in artistic presentation, goddesses of beauty and love are often depicted in contrapposto pose.[4] This later is supported in a neuroimaging study.[5] The term contrapposto can also be used to refer to multiple figures which are in counter-pose (or opposite pose) to one another.
History
Kritios Boy. c. 480 BC, was the first known Greek statue to use contrapposto.
Classical
The first known statue to use contrapposto is Kritios Boy, c. 480 BC,[6] so called because it was once attributed to the sculptor Kritios. It is possible, even likely, that earlier bronze statues had used the technique, but if they did, they have not survived and Kenneth Clark called the statue "the first beautiful nude in art".[7] The statue is a Greek marble original and not a Roman copy.
Prior to the introduction of contrapposto, the statues that dominated ancient Greece were the archaickouros (male) and the kore (female). Contrapposto has been used since the dawn of classical western sculpture. According to the canon of the Classical Greek sculptor Polykleitos in the 4th century BC, it is one of the most important characteristics of his figurative works and those of his successors, Lysippos, Skopas, etc. The Polykletian statues (Discophoros ("discus-bearer") and Doryphoros ("spear-bearer"), for example) are idealized athletic young men with the divine sense, and captured in contrapposto. In these works, the pelvis is no longer axial with the vertical statue as in the archaic style of earlier Greek sculpture before Kritios Boy.
Greek art emphasized humanism along with the human mind and the human body's beauty.[8] Greek youths trained and competed in athletic contests in the nude. A great contribution to the contrapposto pose was the concept of a canon of proportions, in which mathematical properties are used to create proportions.[9]
^Jane Bassett, Peggy Fogelman (1997). "Contrapposto". Looking at European Sculpture: A Guide to Technical Terms. J. Paul Getty Museum. pp. 23–24. ISBN0-892-36-291-X.
^"Contrapposto". Grove Encyclopedia Of Materials & Techniques In Art: 142–143. October 2008. ISBN9780195313918.
^ abPazhoohi, F.; Macedo, M. F.; Doyle, J. F.; Arantes, J. (2019). "Waist-to-Hip Ratio as Supernormal Stimuli: Effect of Contrapposto Pose and Viewing Angle". Archives of Sexual Behavior. 49 (3): 837–847. doi:10.1007/s10508-019-01486-z. PMID 31214904. S2CID 254261050.
^Stanley, Max (2010). "The 'Golden Canon' of book-page construction: proving the proportions geometrically". Journal of Mathematics & The Arts. 4 no. 3: 137–141.
^Daley, Jason (28 October 2019). "Why Viewers Are Drawn to Renaissance Artists' Go-To Pose". Smithsonian. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
Sources
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Contrapposto.
Andrew Stewart, One Hundred Greek Sculptors: Their Careers and Extant Works Polykleitos of Argos, 16.72
contrapposto, italian, pronunciation, kontrapˈposto, italian, term, that, means, counterpoise, used, visual, arts, describe, human, figure, standing, with, most, weight, foot, that, shoulders, arms, twist, axis, from, hips, legs, axial, plane, marble, copy, po. Contrapposto Italian pronunciation kontrapˈposto is an Italian term that means counterpoise It is used in the visual arts to describe a human figure standing with most of its weight on one foot so that its shoulders and arms twist off axis from the hips and legs in the axial plane A marble copy of Polykleitos Doryphoros an early example of classical contrapposto First appearing in Ancient Greece in the early 5th century BCE contrapposto is considered a crucial development in the history of Ancient Greek art and by extension Western art as it marks the first time in Western art that the human body is used to express a psychological disposition The style was further developed and popularized by sculptors in the Hellenistic and Imperial Roman periods fell out of use in the Middle Ages and was later revived during the Renaissance Michelangelo s statue of David one of the most iconic sculptures in the world is a famous example of contrapposto Contents 1 Definition 2 History 2 1 Classical 2 2 Renaissance 2 3 Modern times 3 Examples 4 See also 5 References and sourcesDefinition EditContrapposto was historically an important sculptural development for its appearance marks the first time in Western art that the human body is used to express a more relaxed psychological disposition This gives the figure a more dynamic or alternatively relaxed appearance In the frontal plane this also results in opposite levels of shoulders and hips for example if the right hip is higher than the left correspondingly the right shoulder will be lower than the left and vice versa It can further encompass the tension as a figure changes from resting on a given leg to walking or running upon it so called ponderation The leg that carries the weight of the body is known as the engaged leg the relaxed leg is known as the free leg 1 Usually the engaged leg is straight or very slightly bent and the free leg is slightly bent 2 Contrapposto is less emphasized than the more sinuous S curve and creates the illusion of past and future movement 3 A 2019 eye tracking study by showing that contrapposto acts as supernormal stimuli and increases perceived attractiveness has provided evidence and insight as to why in artistic presentation goddesses of beauty and love are often depicted in contrapposto pose 4 This later is supported in a neuroimaging study 5 The term contrapposto can also be used to refer to multiple figures which are in counter pose or opposite pose to one another History Edit Kritios Boy c 480 BC was the first known Greek statue to use contrapposto Classical Edit The first known statue to use contrapposto is Kritios Boy c 480 BC 6 so called because it was once attributed to the sculptor Kritios It is possible even likely that earlier bronze statues had used the technique but if they did they have not survived and Kenneth Clark called the statue the first beautiful nude in art 7 The statue is a Greek marble original and not a Roman copy Prior to the introduction of contrapposto the statues that dominated ancient Greece were the archaic kouros male and the kore female Contrapposto has been used since the dawn of classical western sculpture According to the canon of the Classical Greek sculptor Polykleitos in the 4th century BC it is one of the most important characteristics of his figurative works and those of his successors Lysippos Skopas etc The Polykletian statues Discophoros discus bearer and Doryphoros spear bearer for example are idealized athletic young men with the divine sense and captured in contrapposto In these works the pelvis is no longer axial with the vertical statue as in the archaic style of earlier Greek sculpture before Kritios Boy Contrapposto can be clearly seen in the Roman copies of the statues of Hermes and Heracles A famous example is the marble statue of Hermes and the Infant Dionysus in Olympia by Praxiteles It can also be seen in the Roman copies of Polyclitus s Amazon Greek art emphasized humanism along with the human mind and the human body s beauty 8 Greek youths trained and competed in athletic contests in the nude A great contribution to the contrapposto pose was the concept of a canon of proportions in which mathematical properties are used to create proportions 9 Renaissance Edit Classical contrapposto was revived in Renaissance art by the Italian artists Donatello and Leonardo da Vinci followed by Michelangelo Raphael and other artists of the High Renaissance One of the achievements of the Italian Renaissance was the re discovery of contrapposto Modern times Edit The technique continues to be widely employed in sculpture Modern psychological research confirms the attractiveness of the pose 10 4 5 Examples EditExamples of contrapposto Etruscan statuette from Italy 3rd to 1st century BC bronze The Venus de Milo depicts an S Curve body shape Greek c 130 100 BC David by Michelangelo 1501 04 The shoulders of the figure are seen to angle in one direction the pelvis in another Leda and the Swan copy by Cesare da Sesto after a lost original by Leonardo da Vinci 1515 20 Oil on canvas Wilton House England See also EditGreek statue Tribhanga an Indian stanceReferences and sources EditReferences Janson H W 1995 History of Art 5th edn Revised and expanded by Anthony F Janson London Thames amp Hudson p 139 ISBN 0500237018 Jane Bassett Peggy Fogelman 1997 Contrapposto Looking at European Sculpture A Guide to Technical Terms J Paul Getty Museum pp 23 24 ISBN 0 892 36 291 X Contrapposto Grove Encyclopedia Of Materials amp Techniques In Art 142 143 October 2008 ISBN 9780195313918 a b Pazhoohi F Macedo M F Doyle J F Arantes J 2019 Waist to Hip Ratio as Supernormal Stimuli Effect of Contrapposto Pose and Viewing Angle Archives of Sexual Behavior 49 3 837 847 doi 10 1007 s10508 019 01486 z PMID 31214904 S2CID 254261050 a b Pazhoohi F Arantes J Kingstone A Pinal D 2020 Becoming sexy Contrapposto pose increases attractiveness ratings and modulates observers brain activity Biological Psychology 151 107842 doi 10 1016 j biopsycho 2020 107842 PMID 31958547 S2CID 210678442 Honour H and J Fleming 2009 A World History of Art 7th edn London Laurence King Publishing p 122 ISBN 9781856695848 Clark Kenneth 2010 The Nude A study in ideal form New edition London The Folio Society pp 24 25 Greek Humanism www webpages uidaho edu Retrieved 2015 11 19 Stanley Max 2010 The Golden Canon of book page construction proving the proportions geometrically Journal of Mathematics amp The Arts 4 no 3 137 141 Daley Jason 28 October 2019 Why Viewers Are Drawn to Renaissance Artists Go To Pose Smithsonian Retrieved 3 November 2019 Sources Wikimedia Commons has media related to Contrapposto Andrew Stewart One Hundred Greek Sculptors Their Careers and Extant Works Polykleitos of Argos 16 72 Polykleitos The J Paul Getty Museum archived Gardner Percy 1911 Polyclitus Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 22 11th ed pp 22 23 Understanding Contrapposto website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Contrapposto amp oldid 1146462608, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
