Classical Sculpture of the Greeks: a Journal Review.

Article Review What is Classical Sculpture by Walter R. Agard Jakob Mattern HUM 2220, prof. Warner Ph. D. Th, 600pm-845pm Word Count 1102 The word true used to describe calls of music, painting, sculpture, architecture, and even fabricate consumer goods. If ever there was a period in art or manufacturing that stands out with even balance, sagacious dignity, and general excellence, it will most belike be described as standardal, which after all, is no easy feat, considering that anything to take hold the classical name is decidedly, in rough way or a nonher, The better of the best. According to Walter R. Agard however, the word has lost several(prenominal) of its gusto. He states that it is so everywhereused that it no longer describes whether or not something is in-fact excellent, moreover rather, if a piece fits into a time frame and location that suggests that it most likely is. Just as all cars produced between 1900 and 1972 in America are not of necessity classics, n ot every piece of art created in the broad chronicle of classicals should be considered a true classic.Rather, Agard places forth his guidelines and examples of what should classify ancient Greek art, sculpture in particular, as the best of its time. The expand of Agards argument embossment upon the structured guidelines he lays out in the beginning of his condition that to be classical, a Greek sculpture must(prenominal) have The initial fantasy of a bouncing human gain. The synthesis of naturalism and clearly de ticketd, comparatively simple design. The amplification of essential planes.Refinement of detail. He also suggests that classical style sculpture in additionk prominence between the years 500 BCE and 420 BCE, thus dismissing some of the earlier nonrepresentational style sculpture, as well as the subsequently more expressionistic and complicated Hellenistic sculpture. He states that spot some posterior sculptures may be more magnificent to behold, they are no t embodying that which makes something a classic, and that they are not fulfilling the personality of the aterials or the monumental mark of sculpture. Marble is not a soft substance, and thus, the shapes created out of its dense composure must follow suit, according to Agard. While the presence of fine expatiate are very necessary, he states that the overall action of the piece must be graceful, direct, noble, and strong the sculpture must follow the ancient Greek adage, Know thy self to be a classic, it must appear and as powerful and eternal as the marble itself.This quality is demonstrate in the many sculptures that he analyzes in his article the weight commission Hermes, the tower-like Apollo, and the tensioned Heracles all display a living strength that compliment the nature of the marble. Agard also places a great deal of importance on the healthy human form, and the presence of subtle naturalism evince through fine details. In every piece delimit classic by Agard, w e learn a beingness that, while possessing a basic and strong geometric base, is also defined by many smaller details that compound simple design with an idealistic human form.The curls in Hermes beard and hair, the subtle veins and ligaments of the Charioteers hands and feet, the calm and confident gaze of Apollo, and the bulging muscular details found on the statues of the bow wielding Heracles and the lightning lobbing Zeus all add a life-like element to the otherwise cold geometric shapes, and help to portray separately character as a healthy and idealistic human being in both mind and body.For his closing statement, Agard mentions an encounter he once had with a tourist who was frustrated with how sure of themselves the classic Greek statues have the appearance _or_ semblance to be. He then refutes that they have the right to do so, simply because of the flush value and dignity confined in their strong and noble bodies, and that it was this sum that make these statues h onest and true classics of the ancient world. As a whole, I do agree with Agard in his viewpoints and conclusions of what a true classic should make up of.Referring once more to automobiles, it is my view that for a car to be classic it must combine simple design with beautiful details while still fulfilling the function for which it was designed with full effect. With respect to Agards definitions, the formula of classic sculpture should not be far from such ideals. I perspective that Agards affinity towards the nobility and strength of the designs was well founded, because although a statue is undoubtedly a work of art, it is also a permanent public speaker of a citys people.These strong and idealistic statues may very well have served as an ego-booster for the ancient Greeks their solid forms and endless wisdom meant to personify the people habitation in the polis itself. If anything however, it was this ego that catapulted these ancient people to such great high gear in term s of sophistication and achievement, so while some later sculptures may have captured more emotion or better expressed the human condition, it was the dignified, strong, and direct sculptures from 500-420 BCE that best embodied the golden age of Greece.There were a few points with which I disagree however. The selection of the Statue of Hermes, firstly. Although it is a good conclave of geometric driven balance and fine detail, I felt that over all it was simply not naturalistic enough to be considered a perfect synthesis of the human form and simple design. It is an impressive statue none-the-less, but it seemed a bit rudimentary compared with the other examples, a bit too 2 dimensional.Another idea with which I dont completely agree is the classification of two dimensional friezes with linear backdrops as the only true classical form of the frieze. Once again, It seemed to me that a frieze with a more shallow appearance did not coincide with some of the other mentioned sculpture s bursting with depth and life. While the drapery of the frieze interpret Heracles and Athena was beyond impressive, the naturalism of the characters themselves did not seem to reach the like heights as some of the other pieces.In any matter however, I believe that Agard compiled an excellent definition of what a classic statue should be defined as, what it should personify, and what its function should be, compared with the common ideal that nearly every statue from ancient Greece should be considered classical. His analysis of each sculpture was extremely thorough, and as a whole, his article gave some insight into what exactly these ancient artisans may have been cerebration of when they shaped these masterpieces. Bibliography Agard, Walter R. What Is Classical Sculpture? The Classic Journal, Vol. 49, No. 8 (May, 1954) pp. 341-349. Print.