Greek art- archaic to Hellenistic period- art history - Essay Example

Under the Kore category, viewers will see first the “New York Kouros,” an example of Archaic style, which depicts Egyptian influence through its use of the Egyptian canon of human proportions like symmetrical patterning with the shoulders, hips, and knees on parallel lines. Influence also extends to the upright stature and frontal stance but the Archaic style was unclothed with a washboard stomach, clenched fists and the left leg striding forward. Careful attention was given to the texture of his hair with its seashell-like curls which almost look like wig.

Next will be the Severe style, specifically the marble statue of a crouching Herakles as an archer which is a sculpture from the east pediment of the late archaic Temple of Aphaia in Aegina. It is far different from the Archaic style since Severe style do without the rigid upright poses of the previous style and lean towards a more relaxed asymmetrical stance with natural poses as depicted with Herakles crouching in a naturalistic manner of an archer ready for combat. The musculature is definitely rounder and the figure is now clothed and shows geometrical forms as shown in the linearity of the folds and patterns on his armor suit.

The "Hermes bearing the infant Dionysus" by Praxiteles is last on the Kouros line and is an example of the Hellenistic style. It shows a distinct physical expression since his eyes looks past the child his holding as if in a dream-like state. It is similar with the “New York Kouros” with its nude, standing position and frontality but like the Herakles sculpture it has a natural musculature but much more refined but still depicts a perfect god-like body. Another similarity with the Herakles sculpture is that it is made of marble and depicts an asymmetrical balance achieved through Hermes’ posture with his left arm bearing the infant Dionysus