Anavysos Kouros
Archaic Greek. c. 530 B.C.E. Attica, Greece.
Marble with remnants of paint
Geometric almost abstract forms predominate, and complex anatomical details, such as the chest muscles and pelvic arch, are
rendered in beautiful analogous patterns. It exemplifies two important aspects of Archaic Greek art—an interest in lifelike vitality
and a concern with design.
Context:
- 6th century B.C.E.
- Archaic period (700-480 BCE)
- First obtained iron Chisels in this period
- Iron, being much denser than anything earlier works were carved with, allowed the Greeks to carve out of harder stones like marble
- Unknown artist
- Found in the cemetery of Anavysos
- Grave marker for Kroisos
- Died in a war, "Slain by the wild Ares"
Content:
- Slightly larger than life size
- roughly 6'4"
- Representation of ideal male youth
- gives the work its name
- "Kouros" literally means youth
Form:
- Extremely idealized male figure
- very muscular and lean
- Egyptian style stance
- Tense and flexing his muscles
- Completely naked
- shows off the realistic and proportional anatomy
- Neatly Braided hair
Function:
- A Kouros was very popular in ancient Athens
- Thousands were made and were used in a couple different ways
- Most commonly used as grave markers (like this particular Kouros)
- offerings to a god
- less common but as a representation of god, usually Apollo
- This Kouros was set up by aristocratic family as a grave marker for their son
- Is not a portrait but simply an idealized figure
- Anavysos Kouros is a transition for this type of work
- sculptures from earlier in the 6th century BCE were more abstract
- The focus on Realism indicates a society that revered the human form, and desired to understand the natural environment as a series of cause and effect arguments.
- Differed from the Egyptian statues in this way
- The only real similarities between the cultures is the body position
Resources:
https://ancient-greece.org/art/kouros.html
