Sculptures that speak.

From studying art history, I am learning more and more about the development of styles and influences on art. One of my favorite eras so far is the Greek times.

Greek sculpture is famous for its breakthroughs in developing realistic figural sculptures. In the beginning, figures were depicted in unnaturally frontal, and formal stances, such as this:

One foot is placed slightly in front of the other, yet the hips are still aligned. Proportions of the head are ever-so-slightly off. The shoulders are unnaturally broad compared to the slim hips.

But these sculptural characteristics soon began to change. What you see in the following picture is a change in stance, which shows incredible change in the realistic aspect of the sculpture.

What you see here, is a shift in weight to one leg, which is a much more realistic stance for human figures. In turn, the hips are at an angle, and one shoulder is slightly lowered. Sculptures started to make this more dramatic turn to realism in Greek art.

As the era progressed, Greek gods and goddesses were depicted in more dramatic positions. No longer restricted to the frontality, the gods were put in different positions, sometimes doing an activity. Nike, the goddess of victory, is shown here. Her wings are thrown back, and she poses on a sort of pedestal, proclaiming victory amongst battle.

Personally, this sculpture makes me feel epic. I look at this picture, and I feel like I could climb Mount Everest.

In late Greek times, there came about what is referred to the Hellenistic era. In this era, the subjects of sculpture began to show intense emotion, pain, and anguish. They were detailed, exaggerated, and sometimes frightening to look at.

This sculpture is of an elderly lady in a market. Details of the sculpture suggest that she is living in poverty. The emotion is anger, but you can't tell what is making her mad.

This sculpture shows a scene, rather than just a single figure. It depicts a father and his sons being attacked by serpents. The sculptor is skilled in showing details in the body, realism in the face, and the expression of anguish and pain.

The sculptures of Greece are truly remarkable, with how they progress. The gradual move to realism is wowing. The later sculptures begin to express emotion, which is truly a huge step in the history of art.