The marble Kritios Boy or Kritian Boy belongs to the Early Classical period of ancient Greek sculpture. It is the first statue from classical antiquity known to use contrapposto;[1]Kenneth Clark called it "the first beautiful nude in art"[2] The Kritios Boy is thus named because it is attributed, on slender evidence,[2] to Kritios, who worked together with Nesiotes (sculptors of Harmodius and Aristogeiton) or their school, from around 480 BC. As currently mounted, the statue is considerably smaller than life-size at 117 cm (3 ft 10 ins),[1][3] including the supports that replace the missing feet.
Kritios Boy. Marble, c. 480 BC. Acropolis Museum, Athens.
The statue was excavated on the Acropolis of Athens, among the "Perserschutt", the ceremonial dump in which the Athenians buried the debris of sacred artefacts destroyed by the marauding Persian army in 480 BC. It is on display in the Acropolis Museum, Athens,[4] near the site where it was excavated. The torso was found in 1865 while excavating the foundation of the old museum at the Athenian Acropolis. The head of this statue was found twenty-three years later between the museum and the Acropolis south wall, in the latest stage of the rubble of destruction undergone in the Persian Wars. This fact, in conjunction with the analysis of its style, is essential to the dating of the statue.[5]
Significanceedit
Whether or not Kritios was the innovator,[6] with the Kritios Boy (ephebos) the Greek artist has mastered a complete understanding of how the different parts of the body act as a system. The statue moves away from the rigid and stiff pose of the Archaic style. Kritios Boy presents a more relaxed and naturalistic pose known as contrapposto. This stance forces a chain of anatomical events: as the pelvis is pushed diagonally upwards on the left side, the right buttock relaxes, the spine acquires an "S" curve, and the shoulder line dips on the left to counteract the action of the pelvis.[7]
Among classic Greek sculptures, the Kritios Boy expresses a set of proportions known as the "Canon of Polyclitus" [8][9] It set the rule for later sculptors like Praxiteles and Lysippos, whose contrapposto, or ponderation, is more emphasised than the "subtle equilibrium of outline and axis which is to be the basis of classical art"[2] exhibited by the Kritios Boy's "delicate balance of movement"[2] It is possible that earlier bronze statues had used contraposty, but have not survived.[2] Susan Woodford has speculated that the statue is a copy of a bronze original.[10]
The Kritios Boy exhibits a number of other critical innovations that distinguish it from the Archaic Kouroi from the seventh and sixth century BC that paved its way. The Archaic style relied more on geometrical shapes to define the contours of the human body. The muscular and skeletal structure of Kritios Boy are depicted with unforced lifelike accuracy of flesh and bone, with the rib cage naturally expanded as if in the act of breathing, with a relaxed attitude and hips which are distinctly narrower. Sculptors had begun to break away from the rules of the Archaic style and follow representation that was closer to nature.[7][11] As a final forebear of the classical period, the archaic smile has been completely replaced by the accurate rendering of the lips and the austere expression that characterized the transitional Severe style. It was created in same era as the Blond Kouros's Head of the Acropolis and the group of the "Tyrannicides" Harmodius and Aristogeiton. A good example for comparison is the marble statue of an ephebos in the museum in Agrigento.
^Jeffrey M. Hurwitt, "The Kritios Boy: Discovery, Reconstruction, and Date", in: American Journal of Archaeology93 (1989), pp. 41-80. For the destruction of the Athenian Acropolis generally: Martin Steskal, "Der Zerstörungsbefund 480/79 der Athener Akropolis" Eine Fallstudie zum etablierten Chronologygerüst, Hamburg 2004.
^Literary sources credit Pythagoras of Rhegium as the sculptor who "first gave rhythm and proportion to his statues," as Kenneth Clark noted.
^ abLaurie., Adams (2011). Art across time (4th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. pp. 144–145. ISBN9780073379234. OCLC 437054149.
^Richter, Gisela M.A. (1966) Handbuch der griechischen Kunst. Berlin: Köln-Berlin, p. 95.
^Boardman, John (2016). Greek art (Fifth edition, revised and expanded ed.). London. p. 140. ISBN9780500204337. OCLC 957252376.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
External linksedit
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kritios, marble, kritian, belongs, early, classical, period, ancient, greek, sculpture, first, statue, from, classical, antiquity, known, contrapposto, kenneth, clark, called, first, beautiful, nude, thus, named, because, attributed, slender, evidence, kritios. The marble Kritios Boy or Kritian Boy belongs to the Early Classical period of ancient Greek sculpture It is the first statue from classical antiquity known to use contrapposto 1 Kenneth Clark called it the first beautiful nude in art 2 The Kritios Boy is thus named because it is attributed on slender evidence 2 to Kritios who worked together with Nesiotes sculptors of Harmodius and Aristogeiton or their school from around 480 BC As currently mounted the statue is considerably smaller than life size at 117 cm 3 ft 10 ins 1 3 including the supports that replace the missing feet Kritios Boy Marble c 480 BC Acropolis Museum Athens Contents 1 Discovery 2 Significance 3 Notes and references 4 External linksDiscovery editThe statue was excavated on the Acropolis of Athens among the Perserschutt the ceremonial dump in which the Athenians buried the debris of sacred artefacts destroyed by the marauding Persian army in 480 BC It is on display in the Acropolis Museum Athens 4 near the site where it was excavated The torso was found in 1865 while excavating the foundation of the old museum at the Athenian Acropolis The head of this statue was found twenty three years later between the museum and the Acropolis south wall in the latest stage of the rubble of destruction undergone in the Persian Wars This fact in conjunction with the analysis of its style is essential to the dating of the statue 5 Significance editWhether or not Kritios was the innovator 6 with the Kritios Boy ephebos the Greek artist has mastered a complete understanding of how the different parts of the body act as a system The statue moves away from the rigid and stiff pose of the Archaic style Kritios Boy presents a more relaxed and naturalistic pose known as contrapposto This stance forces a chain of anatomical events as the pelvis is pushed diagonally upwards on the left side the right buttock relaxes the spine acquires an S curve and the shoulder line dips on the left to counteract the action of the pelvis 7 Among classic Greek sculptures the Kritios Boy expresses a set of proportions known as the Canon of Polyclitus 8 9 It set the rule for later sculptors like Praxiteles and Lysippos whose contrapposto or ponderation is more emphasised than the subtle equilibrium of outline and axis which is to be the basis of classical art 2 exhibited by the Kritios Boy s delicate balance of movement 2 It is possible that earlier bronze statues had used contraposty but have not survived 2 Susan Woodford has speculated that the statue is a copy of a bronze original 10 The Kritios Boy exhibits a number of other critical innovations that distinguish it from the Archaic Kouroi from the seventh and sixth century BC that paved its way The Archaic style relied more on geometrical shapes to define the contours of the human body The muscular and skeletal structure of Kritios Boy are depicted with unforced lifelike accuracy of flesh and bone with the rib cage naturally expanded as if in the act of breathing with a relaxed attitude and hips which are distinctly narrower Sculptors had begun to break away from the rules of the Archaic style and follow representation that was closer to nature 7 11 As a final forebear of the classical period the archaic smile has been completely replaced by the accurate rendering of the lips and the austere expression that characterized the transitional Severe style It was created in same era as the Blond Kouros s Head of the Acropolis and the group of the Tyrannicides Harmodius and Aristogeiton A good example for comparison is the marble statue of an ephebos in the museum in Agrigento Notes and references edit a b Janson H W 1995 History of Art 5th edn Revised and expanded by Anthony F Janson London Thames amp Hudson p 139 ISBN 0500237018 a b c d e Clark Kenneth 2010 The Nude A study in ideal form New edition London The Folio Society pp 24 25 Honour H and J Fleming 2009 A World History of Art 7th edn London Laurence King Publishing p 122 ISBN 9781856695848 Inv no 698 Jeffrey M Hurwitt The Kritios Boy Discovery Reconstruction and Date in American Journal of Archaeology 93 1989 pp 41 80 For the destruction of the Athenian Acropolis generally Martin Steskal Der Zerstorungsbefund 480 79 der Athener Akropolis Eine Fallstudie zum etablierten Chronologygerust Hamburg 2004 Literary sources credit Pythagoras of Rhegium as the sculptor who first gave rhythm and proportion to his statues as Kenneth Clark noted a b Laurie Adams 2011 Art across time 4th ed New York McGraw Hill pp 144 145 ISBN 9780073379234 OCLC 437054149 Richter Gisela M A 1966 Handbuch der griechischen Kunst Berlin Koln Berlin p 95 Boardman John Ed 1993 The Oxford History of Classical Art Oxford Oxford University Press pp 87 89 Woodford Susan 1982 The Art of Greece and Rome Cambridge Cambridge University Press pp 13 14 ISBN 0521298733 Boardman John 2016 Greek art Fifth edition revised and expanded ed London p 140 ISBN 9780500204337 OCLC 957252376 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kritios Boy Der Kritios Knabe front view Side view Virtuelles Antiken Museum Image Ancient Greece Tufts Browser based interactive low res 3D scan of upper torso Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kritios Boy amp oldid 1208519578, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
