The historical development of Greek sculpture: from immobile to movement

The Greeks of Greece have a dramatic historical tendency in the production of sculptures. These progressive endeavors can be well traced to the three stylistic periods of his artistic development as categorized by art historians. These periods are the Archaic period, the Classical period, and the Hellenistic period. The main material for the production of sculptures was marble due to its abundance in ancient Greece. However, other materials such as ivory, bronze and gold were used sparingly. His statues played an important role in people’s lives. For example, statues were placed at strategic points in the country to commemorate important events and the winners of the Olympic Games. Others were placed on graves to remember the deceased and to decorate public buildings.

Archaic period

The Archaic period is the first period in the history of ancient Greek art that began in 700 BC. C. and ended in 480 a. C. The term “archaic” is a Greek term meaning “early”. It is used to describe the many developments in art that occurred in the early stages of Greek culture. Thus, the sculptural productions of this period indicate the initial skills exhibited by Greek sculptors. This stage of his sculptural production is the immobile stage, where the pieces produced lacked movement or flexibility. His statues were characterized by symmetry and rigidity of forms. Important characteristics of the human figure were emphasized. The sculpted male figures who became known as ‘Kouros’ (youths) were nude or nude because Greek athletes performed nude in public during the Olympics. Their left foot was also placed in a forward position. On the other hand, the sculpted female figures called ‘Kore’ (maiden) were fully clothed. The postures of his statuesque figures included standing, kneeling, and sitting. They produced three-dimensional shapes (circle sculpture) and relief carvings. They sculpted figures primarily of gods and goddesses in the likeness of men, women, and children.

Due to lack of skill development, his sculptural pieces were not rendered realistically. In their quest to spice up their sculptures with smiles, Greek sculptors deliberately curled and drew their lips in an expression that art historians call an “archaic smile.” It was a form of smile artificially expressed on the face of the sculptures as a result of the lack of skill in production.

Classical period

This is the second period in the history of Greek art. It covers between 480 a. C. and 323 a. C. The term “classic” means “high excellence” or “first class”. The works produced in this period are marked by a high degree of creativity and skill. Greek art reached its peak in this period. There was a notable shift from immobile representations to vibrant and moving figures. Sculpture in this period was marked by flexibility and a sincere exploration of the representation of movement. Critical observation and study of human anatomy resulted in the production of sculptural figures in total realism and in their correct proportions. ‘The discus thrower’ (Diskobolos) and ‘The Kritios boy’ produced with marble by the two famous ancient Greek sculptors, Myron and Kritios respectively, are examples. Even today, the detailed and faithful representations of nature in sculpture are studied by elemental sculptors who struggle with the challenge of producing flexible and realistic statues.

Hellenistic period

This is the third and last period in the history of ancient Greek art that began in 323 BC. C. and ended in 27 BC. C. The Hellenistic period also known as “the age of Alexander” is characterized by the high degree of artistic expression with great mastery. The term “Hellenistic” refers to the arts performed under Greek influence in the Mediterranean countries during the reign of Alexander the Great. Within the cultural centers of the Hellenistic world, a number of academies arose that engaged in serious analysis of a wide range of fields, including the arts, literature, and medicine. The cannons were developed to judge the quality of the sculpture. This led to an increased interest in proportion systems in sculpture. The works were characterized by realism, extreme emotions, flamboyant gestures, musculature, and dramatic presentations of forms. Sculptors explored three-dimensional movements. One of the first advances in sculpture in this period was a great interest in portraiture. Individual resemblance was absent in both archaic and classical sculpture, but it was nonetheless dominant in Hellenistic sculpture. Several portraits of Alexander the Great were sculpted by Lysippus, a famous Greek sculptor. Other sculpted portrait heads include that of Delos, a famous merchant in Greece.

An overview of sculptural productions in the three cardinal periods of Greek art history shows a steady improvement in production style and technique, from motionless to movement. It indicates the creative and hard-working spirit of exploration and determination on the part of Greek sculptors to advance their sculpture profession, which is recognized today as such. It is a perfect model for young and future sculptors and experienced sculptors who want to define their own paths in the profession to take lessons from the constant, relentless and never-giving up vision of ancient Greek sculptors.