* Focus on the New York Kouros (p. 55 in your textbook: Kouros from Attica, possibly Anavysos, figure 2-16)
* AND
* Doryphoros (Spear Bearer) by Polykleitos (pp. 65-66 in your textbook, figure 2-35)
* Watch these two Smarthistory videos. In order to write your essay you must click on each video and watch the entire video!
LINKS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax8vcxRtmHY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAR9RAMg9NY
Over the course of Ancient Greek art, sculptures depicting standing male nude figures changed radically in style. Please compare and contrast the New York Kouros AND Doryphoros (Spear Bearer) by Polykleitos.
* (Although Doryphoros is a Roman marble copy of a Greek bronze, you may talk about Doryphoros as if it were the Greek original. So tell me which period the ORIGINAL would have come from, not the Roman copy. If you have questions, let me know.)
In your essay, answer the following questions:
1. What PERIOD in Greek Art does each of these artworks come from?
2. Which sculpture is OLDER? The New York Kouros or Doryphoros?
3. For the New York Kouros:
* What was the purpose of kouroi figures in Greek culture? [kouroi is the plural of kouros]
* Who were they made for?
* Does this kouros figure represent the likeness of specific person? In other words, does the sculpture look like a particular person from the past? Why or why not?
* Describe the position of the kouros figure and the way the body is depicted.
* What older culture influenced the way the New York Kouros looks?
4. For the Doryphoros:
* Describe the position of the figure and the way the body is depicted.
* What is contrapposto and why is it important?
* Why did Polykleitos (the artist who made Doryphoros) call the sculpture Canon and what did he mean by that?
5. Compare the Kouros to Doryphoros. How is each different?
6. Which sculpture portrays the human body more naturalistically (more like it actually looks in nature)?
7. How do the changes in the way the male nude figure was represented demonstrate the EVOLUTION OF STYLE in Greek artworks?
Essays should address all parts of the question. 200 words minimum, 300-500 words for a thorough answer.
