hellenistic art

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Pride of Hellenistic Art

The Hellenistic period has no exact dates to limit its boundaries; rather it has a few hundred years where we can approximate its existence. The dates that are most closely associated with this period are approximately 00-100 BC. The end of the classical era leads to the new innovations and the use of new preferences that are now known in Hellenistic art. Examining some of the great works of Hellenistic sculptures, we will see some of the changes from classical era to that of Hellenistic.

In order to understand the shift from the classical era to the Hellenistic there are a few factors that must be known. This is a time where the political structure in Greece had shifted. It is now under a Divine Monarch as before it was a Democracy. This has all come about with the death of Alexander the Great. This new Monarch had come into effect at a time where there was great flourishing in the states of Greece. The military had much success in raiding neighboring cities. This aided in the acquirement of wealth. Greeks were always a people who were intense with there culture and love of art, so it could only be expected that this new age would lead to beautification of there cities, palaces, temples and homes with wonderful art.

The earliest piece we will be discussing is the, “Sarcophagus of the Mourning Women.” This piece cannot be dated solidly, but it is believed to have been created in the latter part of the fourth century BC. It stands about 70 inches high and 104 inches long. The details of this Sarcophagus that interest us are the women who are carved in the frieze. Around the whole exterior there are 18 women but we will concentrate on . The Sarcophagus belonged to a king whose name is unknown. The women who are sculpted are meant to represent his grieving wives and concubines of the late king.




One of the main changes from classical art to Hellenic is that from idealistic to realistic. These grieving women are perfect examples. Each woman appears similar in their clothing, hairstyles, proportions and facial features, but each one is still very different. The most noted differences would be their stance and facial expression. They all come across as mournful but each does so in their own way. The first woman has a hand on her breast and the other bent towards herself. Her right knee is buckled. Her head is slightly turned to the left and pointed downward. All of these details are used frequently throughout Hellenistic art. The human body bends and turns and so to make a realistic representation the statue must mimic the poses of the human body. We see the experimentation of the agility of the body more so in the other two statues. The second is leaning on something and her legs are crossed and stretched out towards the right. Her neck and head are twisted to the left. Her left arm embraces her body while the other is erected towards her face. The third one stands with her whole body twisted tot he right and her right hand holding her vale to her eyes as if an attempt to dry her tears. Her left hand is across her abdomen. All of these poses are creative but realistically showing the emotions that would be set forth in a time of grievance.

Faces prior to this period can be categorized as expressionless, which these women are definitely not. The facial expression on each speaks to us. We know by the detail in the first women’s forehead that sees in feeling pain. The second has a gaze stare into nothing. The third is meant to be crying, so we cannot even see her eyes. The mouths are emotionless.

As we begun to express the attention brought to realism in are we can go further into this idea by mention the piece, “The Old Drunken Women.” This piece not only is a prime example of realism in Hellenistic art, but also in the living of everyday life. Myron did this piece. What the title indicates is exactly what is offered by the sculpture. It uses the theme of “everyday life” which had become a favorite of the Hellenistic artists. The piece especially captures the vulgarity of an elderly woman who has had too much to drink. The new notion is that the youthful faces of idealized classic art have been replaced by those which are not meant to be attractive just realistic so if you were to see the subject in person. This sculpture probable resembles the women unlike the idealized sculptures such of those of Alexander the Great.

Her head is raised up and eyes widened. She clasps her jug of wine with a death grip. It appears that this wine is her dearest possession since her knees are spread almost appearing to be gripping the jug as well. The angle in which her head placed gives the implication that she is already in a drunken state. Her head is slung back as if her neck is incapable of holding it up. The detailed wrinkles of her face are unattractive yet it is hard not to stare at them. The jug that she has is detailed as well with flowers of some sort engraved. Her skin also is impressive. The artist did well by exposing the bones and letting her skin hang off of them. Her attire is well designed as well as the positioning of it. The way in which the linen is falling off of her shoulder goes further to prove that she is in a drunken state.

“Crouching Aphrodite,” was sculpted originally by a sculpture called Doidalas who was from Bythinia. It originally dates to about 50-40 BC. The original was probably done in bronze and had Eros holding a mirror up to her. We have the Roman copies to admire, which there are many around. The one that we will use can be found in museo Nazionale delle Terme in Rome. If we were unaware that this was a Roman copy we could figure it out when noticing the support piece located under the left thigh. This sculptor is also known as the Venus Od Vienna. Aphrodite was often depicted nude or partially clothed. She is usually associated with bathing probably since the myth of her birth has her being born from the ocean. This piece has been critiqued as Aphrodite getting ready to bathe as well. It has many Roman copies that included the one we are examining. In context to the Hellenistic world, this Aphrodite helps in promoting the Greeks concerns with sexuality. The Hellenistic world opens doors to the new and popular interest in sexuality. It had been acceptable for men to be depicted nude for centuries, but there is a new appreciation for the woman’s body in art. It is common to have nude, partial nude and bodies that have cloths that cling to the body rather than covering it. Aphrodite, being the goddess of love, both sexual and spiritual, is the perfect model for such a range.

We see Aphrodite crouched and twisted in such a particular way. Her body today would be described as plump although at the time in Greece it could only be assumed that it was the object of beauty for so many bodies in art were voluptuous and meaty so to say. Aphrodite also being the goddess of love could not bear a figure that was unattractive as well. Her lower back and buttocks seems out of proportion. They are rather large when compared to the head and limbs. Her breasts are full and prominent giving her youthfulness. My favorite aspect of this sculpture would have to be her stomach. She is not fat, but her stomach has wrinkles. The way in which her torso turns realistically depicts the actual way that her stomach would look. It is hard not to appreciate the artists tedious work when admiring the way her head is turn in the opposite direction of her torso.

Movement is also one of the greatest advances in Hellenistic art. We see movement in this era through many scenes of violence. These scenes are a great example of the movement that has metamorphoses in art, but the Greeks have also managed to utilize movement to show images of grace. In no way has it been better portrayed then in sculpture of “Victory of Samothrace”. It is almost unfair to try to describe its beauty on paper.

This sculpture is of the goddess Nike, whose name means victory. This particular statue of her was made approximately 180-160 BC. The battle in which it stood victoriously for is unknown as well as the artist who created it. We know that this does stand for a navel victory since it was made sit at the Prow of a ship. It is widely believed that an artist from Rhodes created her. This idea comes from the fact that the marble used to make her came from the island of Rhodes. She can be found at the Louvre in Paris. She is known to be, the most copied Greek statue and the most recognized.

Her body is extremely sexual. As was mentioned before it was common to draw sex appear by the way a femme wore her cloths. It appears as if a gust of wind is attacking her head on. The draperies smooth out to reveal the curves of her breast. It is hard to believe that she is not clothed in linen the way in which the marble crinkles. She originally is holding a wreath in one of her hands.

Weather it be a piece that mimics its model, creates seemingly impossible movements, captures the beauty of a nude body or be a product of everyday life, the growth in the world of art cannot be ignored. Hellenistic art was truly a genius age where sculptures and other forms of art would captivate the admirers.



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