Greek - Renaissance Art

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer looks at Greek art through the work of sculptor Lysippos and compares it to the Renaissance art of Michelangelo. The writer discusses that the figure of Apoxyomenos clearly served as inspiration for future human sculptures. In comparison, the writer points out that Michelangelo went many steps further to create figures like David which express truly realistic human appearances and emotions. The writer comments that Lysippos clearly revolutionized Greek art by giving to his works a true third dimension. In contrast to Lysippos' Apoxyomenos, Michelangelo's David, perhaps the most astonishing piece of free-standing sculpture ever produced in Western art, truly represents the human form in all its beauty and proportion.

From the Paper:

"One was the new canon of proportions which replaced the Polykletian canon and reflects a change in taste noticeable in all other Greek artforms. For this new canon, Lysippos created a slender, supple and tall figure, realized as if moving in true space in three dimensions. Thus, this figure moves in a kind of freeform arena through the space around it and was designed to be viewed from a number of angles.
Also, the arms of this figure curve forward, an indication that the sculptor was attempting to show the athlete reaching and twisting in actual space. The rather small size of the head is thrown into a stronger perspective by the large hand interposed between it and the viewer."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Carpenter, Rhys. Greek Sculpture. New York: Art books, Inc., 1968.
• "Lysippos: Apoxyomenos." Internet. 1998. Accessed March 28, 2006. http://www.sikyon.com/sicyon/Lysippos/lysip_egpg1.html.
• Murray, Linda. The High Renaissance. UK: Constable, 1972.
• Richter, Gisela. The Handbook of Greek Art. 8th ed. New York: Scribner's, 1972.

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