Thursday, October 14, 2010

Riace bronzes, classic Greek sculpture, displayed in the Reggio Calabria Museum of Italy

Most Greek sculpture is known through later Roman copies in marble.
The Riace bronzes are original, says Wikipedia.

The statues' eyes are inlaid with bone and glass, while the teeth are in silver and lips and nipples are in copper. Formerly they held spears and shields. Additionally, Riace Warrior B once wore a helmet pushed up atop his head, and it is thought that Riace Warrior A perhaps wore a wreath over his.[3] The Bronzi, outstanding examples of ancient Greek sculpture, belong to a transitional period from archaic Greek sculpture to the early Classic style, disguising their idealized geometry and impossible anatomy (Spivey 2005) under a distracting and alluring "realistic" surface.

These bronzes are from the early Classical Period, made about 445 BCE. They are a fine example of contrapposto - the weight is on the back legs and is much more realistic than Archaic stances. The musculature is clear yet not incised and looks soft enough to be visible yet realistic. The turned head not only represents movement but also adds life to the sculptures. The asymmetrical layout of the arms and legs serves to add to the realism.

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