Doryphoros Essay - 793 Words

Doryphoros by Polykleitos was originally a Greek bronze made around 450-40B.C. The only way we can see it today is through the Roman marble copies (which is common of many Greek statues.) Some supports had to be added for the change in material, resulting in the addition of the form resembling a tree trunk, the support on the left foot, and the small bar bridging the gap between his right wrist and hip. Doryphoros was originally holding a spear in his left hand; appropriate, given that his name means, literally, â€Å"spear-bearer.† The sculpture is a well-known and early example of classical Greek contrapposto (the shifting of weight onto one leg and off-axis shoulders and arms.) One leg nearly appears to be lifting off the ground, giving the†¦show more content†¦Plato felt that artists knew nothing worth mentioning because all they do is imitate, and so their work was worthless. Additionally, Plato believed that we, as humans not of the metaphysical realm, can not know what true beauty is because we have not experienced the true, beautiful form of anything. Plato would say that Doryphoros was worthless for those very reasons. It is an imitation of a perfect form, and therefore cannot be beautiful. Although Doryphoros is anatomically and proportionally realistic, Plato would not be appreciative of it as art and would not see it as an object of beauty. He would likely scorn Polykleitos for even bothering to sculpt it in the first place. To examine the thoughts of another Greek philosopher, Aristotle would have a much different perspective on Doryphoros. Aristotle felt that imitation was natural for us as humans. He felt that we could learn from imagery that is realistic because it may influence us to examine it more closely. He felt that the creative individual could express the universal, fundamental qualities of human nature, and did not see their work as worthless as Plato did. Polykleitos sculpted athletic nudes such as Doryphoros in ordina nce to his mathematical canon, aShow MoreRelatedMen Sculptures From Ancient Art867 Words   |  4 Pagesfound in the 1790 in Tivoli, Italy near the Roman emperor’s villa. The statue underwent restoration by Varlo Albacini, a renowned restorer. The next sculpture is the Doryphoros. It dates back to the 440 B.C also known as the high classical period. The artist behind the art is Polykleitos.   It is recorded that he made the Doryphoros as an example of perfect proportion. I think this sculpture is most similar to the Lansdowne Herakles. The sculpture sits on right side of the leg, making the similarRead MoreFinal Business Plan1230 Words   |  5 Pages | False | 13. | Cyclopean | | are huge boulders that were used in the construction of fortified walls and masonry. | 14. | Cyclopean masonry was used on the Citadel in Tiryns. | | True | 15. | Doryphoros | | s the perfect example of the canon of proportions. | 16. | Egyptian art will have a profound influence on Greek art. | | True | 17. | Egyptians were not concerned with the afterlife. | | False Read MorePortrait of Augustus as General1323 Words   |  6 PagesRoman religion. Looking in details, his standing pose and the entire composition are similar to another portrait, â€Å"Polykleitos Doryphoros†, which came from Greek art; He stands in a contrapposto pose with all of his weight on his right leg and with his right arm rose demonstrate that the emperor is addressing his troops. His idealized hair is also similar to Doryphoros’, and they were both portrayed as youthful and flawless individuals with the perfect body because the artist wanted to depict AugustusRead MoreUsing Art For A Message2077 Words   |  9 Pagesancient Greece is also known for the ideal human body, the most notorious work reflecting this idea is Doryphoros. Though the Greeks were not the first to sculpt their ideal body, they were the first to base their canon on proportions. Like the Parthenon, Doryphoros also follows the teachings of Pythagoras, and was therefore calculated to be perfectly proportional by the sculptor, Polykleitos. Doryphoros also exemplifies cont rapposto, counterbalance, which, â€Å"impose[d] order on human movement†¦ to ‘perfect’Read MoreAn Analysis of the Play Medea by Euripides1410 Words   |  6 Pagescom/2010/02/04/man-knowledge-the-greek-philosophers/ Unknown. (2009). Medea- An Abandonment of Gender Roles. Retrieved from Big Wonk: http://www.bigwonk.com/show.php?eid=1683 Unknown. (2009, February 9). The Doryphoros. Retrieved from Arts Connected: http://www.artsconnected.org/resource/5851/the-doryphoros Whitley, T. (2011, September 8). The Ideal Greek Man. Retrieved from Thomas Whitley: http://thomaswhitley.com/2011/09/08/the-ideal-greek-man/Read More Art and History Displayed at the Pompeii Exhibition at LACMA819 Words   |  4 Pagesgreeting to the exhibitors. She stood in the middle welcoming us with a soft and warm smile. Through this sculpture we view how the Pompeii artist was following the Greek perception of the human body such as what we see in Polykleitos’ sculpture, Doryphoros; Aphrodite stands with the weight shifted on to her left foot portraying the cross balance of the human body. Once we appreciate the first art room we are then presented with various pieces of the gardens that were found around the Bay of NaplesRead MorePrehistoric Art Study Guide883 Words   |  4 PagesPediment sculpture from Temple of Zeus, Olympia (Lapiths and Centaurs; Chariot Race) †¢ Acropolis at Athens: architecture and sculpture (including the layout of the complex and arch itectural styles used); special focus on the Parthenon †¢ Polykleitos, Doryphoros (Spear-bearor) †¢ Lysippos, The Scraper †¢ Praxiteles, Hermes and Infant Dionysos †¢ Apollonius (?), Old Boxer †¢ Altar of Zeus, Pergamon (including sources, subjects of the sculptures and their Hellenistic stylistic features) †¢ Dying Gaul (from monumentRead MoreHellenistic Times And Classical Times844 Words   |  4 Pagesexplain the differences between the two and showcase the contributions that both eras gave to the world at the time they were made. One example of a piece of art that displays the differences between Classical Times and Hellenistic Times would be the Doryphoros (Spear-Bearer) (c. 450-440 BCE), a sculpture made by Polykleitos. Polykleitos made this art piece during the Classical Times and based it on two core principles of the Canon, composition and commensurability, both residing in mathematical proportionsRead More Comparing Roman and Greek Art Essay example1185 Words   |  5 Pagesaccomplishment in itself showed strong advancements in intellectual thought, and inspired future generations to further explore aesthetic and order. Artist such as Polyclitius later envisioned human perfection as a series of mathematical proportions. The Doryphoros, a sculpture done by Polycleatus himself, serves as an excellent example of how art reflects philosophical thought. This sculpture was constructed using a strict mathematical formula that was believed to represent the perfect male body. (CunninghamRead MoreThe Sublime And The Beautiful1457 Words   |  6 Pagessublime moves us more profoundly than the beautiful. Beautiful objects tend to be smooth, small and delicate, while sublime ones are vast, gloomy, dark and threatening. Put in perspective, beautiful objects can be dolls, porcelain sets or Polykleitos’ Doryphoros, which produce immediate pleasure. Sublime scenes relate to thunderstorms and mountaintops, which overwhelm us, paradoxically however, peaking over a mountaintop one can find delight in terror, and the sheer power is exhilarating. The sublime is