Preview
Class Name and Date
Art 230: Ancient Art. Fall 2015
Format Type
Sculpture
Time Period
Classical Period
Theme
Gods and Goddesses in Early Classical Greece
Media
Bronze
Dimensions
15cm (5 15/16in) H
Description
ca. 460 B.C.
Athena was the Greek goddess of wisdom and strategy. This statuette of Athena raises an arm to fly her owl. The owl is Athena’s sacred animal; Athena could be the reason why owls are associated with knowledge. She wears a helmet on her head that rests towards the back of her head so that her face is clearly visible. The owl and helmet are symbols that are often seen with Athena; they underscore her patronage of wisdom and strategy. The symbols and icons seen with the gods represent what they are the god of and often identify them.
The beginnings of contrapposto occurred during the Early Classical period helping place this piece in that time.[1] Contrapposto is the pose when one leg is straight and supports the weight of the body while the other is slightly forward, bent and relaxed. The contrapposto is suggested in the image with her left, bent leg; the forward position is highlighted with the lack of folds of fabric around that leg. [2] Athena typically wears a chiton.[3] A chiton is rectangular piece of cloth that was buttoned along the top edge leaving space for the head and arms and then sleeved and belted.[4]
Lost-wax technique was most likely used for this piece. Lost-wax process is when a wax figure is surrounded in a mold with a hole in the top and bottom. Bronze is poured in the mold and excess bronze empties through the bottom, which creates a hollow sculpture. The further development of this process during the Early Classical period allowed artists to create more complex poses with outstretched limbs.[5] The lost-wax method could’ve made it easier to pose Athena’s left arm that holds the owl.
The Greeks believed in many gods. This statuette would’ve had immense value to them; Athena was one of their main gods. They frequently gave offerings to their deities in thanks for the gifts that the gods were expected to bestow.[6] This small statuette could’ve been a votive offering to the goddess; it would’ve most likely been placed in a temple’s treasury dedicated to Athena. This statuette also could’ve been a personal figurine of the goddess because they valued the characteristics that Athena possessed.
This piece shows the Greek value of balance between idealism and realism, and the vision they had about their gods’ appearances. They often tried to depict the ideal human form; their gods looked like the perfect human.[7] This piece shows Athena with a slender body and arms; the slight curves of her arms suggest muscle and strength. However, her arms are unrealistically long with the tips of her fingers falling around her knees. A reason for the long arms is because of the importance of the ideal; her arms appear graceful, and strong. Her facial features are mostly symmetrical. However, her right eye is slightly higher than her left. That is probably accidental, due to the small size of the piece, because the Greek value for perfection in regards to their gods’ appearance. Her chiton shows realistic weight with the bunching of the fabric as it gathers around her waist and then falls to her ankles. By looking at the attention and care given to this portrayal of Athena, one can see the value the Greeks placed on their divinity.
Works Cited
- Bronze statuette of Athena flying her owl. ca. 460 B.C.. Bronze, 15 cm. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. From: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, http://www.metmuseum.org (accessed October 6. 2015).
- Hemingway, Colette and Sean Hemingway. “Greek Gods and Religious Practices.” Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/grlg/hd_grlg.htm (accessed October 29, 2015).
- Pedley, John Griffiths. Greek Art and Archaeology. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education Inc., 2012.
- Stokstad, Marilyn and Michael W. Cothren. Volume I Art History. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education Inc., 2014.
- Walters, H.B.. “Athena Hygieia.” The Journal of Hellenic Studies 19 (1899): 165-168.
[1] Marilyn Stokstad and Michael W. Cothren, Volume I Art History, (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc., 2014), 120.
[2] Bronze statuette of Athena flying her owl. ca. 460 B.C.. Bronze, 15 cm. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. From: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, http://www.metmuseum.org (accessed October 6. 2015).
[3] H.B. Walters, “Athena Hygieia.” The Journal of Hellenic Studies 19 (1899): 165-168.
[4] John Griffiths Pedley, Greek Art and Archaeology, (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc., 2012), 177.
[5] Marilyn Stokstad and Michael W. Cothren, Volume I Art History, (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc., 2014), 120.
[6] Colette Hemingway and Sean Hemingway, “Greek Gods and Religious Practices”, Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History, http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/grlg/hd_grlg.htm (accessed October 29, 2015).
[7] Marilyn Stokstad and Michael W. Cothren, Volume I Art History, (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc., 2014), 120.
Image from the Metropolitan Museum of Art
http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/the-collection-online/search/254648?rpp=30&pg=13&rndkey=20151006&ft=*&when=1000+B.C.-A.D.+1&where=Greece&what=Sculpture&pos=390