Human Form: Paleolithic Art Through Ancient Greece

¶ … human form: Paleolithic art through ancient Greece

Over the course of human history, the artistic representation of the human form gradually became both more 'realistic' and 'idealistic.' Although this may sound like a contradictory statement, when viewing the shift from the highly stylized, anonymous figures in Paleolithic art to the anatomically correct, near-perfect representations of the human form in Classical Athens, a gazer can see a clear change in the intentions of the artists. Instead of attempting to render the human form in spare and symbolic terms, artists instead grew intent upon celebrating the unique nature of the human spirit and anatomy.

Art of the Paleolithic era "concerned itself with either food (hunting scenes, animal carvings) or fertility (Venus figurines). Its predominant theme was animals" (Esaak 2010). The meaning of Paleolithic art was purposeful, to either gain food through creating a symbolic representation of an animal, or to gain control over nature's bounty. Paleolithic Stone Age Venus 'fertility' figures were almost indistinguishable from one another, except in size. The rotund Venuses looked consistently the same, as did the stylized representations of hunters on caves. Strikingly, in many early cave paintings, representations of humans were almost wholly absent, because of the all-encompassing focus upon the animals.

Egyptian art and architecture manifests a notable advance from the art of the past in terms of its sophistication of construction. Yet, much like earlier art, figures were highly representational, often one-dimensional in style. They represented 'types' rather than actual persons with distinct qualities. And the most elaborate art of ancient Egypt focused on creating architectural structures to ensure a safe passage from the world of the living to the dead, rather than existed for the pleasure of the living. Gods and goddesses often had half-human, half-animal shapes in Egyptian art. The journey depicted of the dead individual's soul was relatively uniform on the walls of tombs: a "Ba bird offers praises to the mummified form of the god Osiris. It was hoped that if the dead were identified with Osiris he would provide them with protection in the afterlife" ("Gods and goddesses in coffin art," Still more art, 2011).

Ancient Greek art, such as early Minoan figures, was also relatively stylized. Kouros and Kore statues detailed young men and women who were almost indistinguishable from one another. "Kouros, as was the case with the Kore statues, were almost always approximately life-size (some much larger), and with few exceptions were made of marble. They are depicted standing in a frontal pose with their left leg moved forward, their arms close to their bodies touching the side of their thighs, and they exhibit an almost strict symmetry as the different parts of the anatomy are depicted as simple geometric forms. In this respect, the Kouros statues have a great deal in common with Egyptian monumental sculpture that undoubtedly influenced their development" ("Kouros," Ancient Greece, 2011).

However, notable differences from Egyptian art began to become evident with the greater freedom the Kouros began to exhibit in their demeanor. Gradually, Kouros depictions became more accurate, softer, and they exhibited more and more personalized gestures and activities, including going on horseback The Kouros always depicted human beings, rather than gods or animal-like spirits as before, and even when gods and goddesses were shown in ancient Greek art, they resembled real people, unlike the half-animal creations of ancient Egypt. "Greek Kouros were freestanding and always nude, a feature that helped detach the Kouros from a specific historical setting. It is this nudity that allowed the individuals depicted in the sculpture to be seen in a context that transcends time and elevates each figure to a universal symbol for humanity" ("Kouros," Ancient Greece, 2011).

The notable shift in tone from archaic to classical Greek art is embodied in the victorious Charioteer of Delphi. The Charioteer of Delphi is one of the most important sculptures of ancient Greece because it vividly represents the passage from the archaic artistic conventions to the Classical ideals. Unlike the Kouros statues, the feet of the charioteer are highly extremely detailed, and his facial structure and musculature are nearly lifelike, showing the rapid advances in anatomical understanding and construction of statutes during the era ("Charioteer of Delphi," Ancient Greece, 2011). The athlete is dressed in the garment typically worn of competitors in chariot competition, and his musculature is perfectly symmetrical. "The geometric folds of the chiton overlie an obvious and well proportioned muscular body, thus achieving a rare harmony between idealism and realism" ("Charioteer of Delphi," Ancient Greece, 2011). But while realistic in terms of how the statues strive to imitate life, the expression of the Delphic charioteer is not triumphant, as might be expected, but gentle and modest in victory, as he faces the crowd. Representations of the human figure were idealized in the classical era -- not as gods, but as the perfect embodiment of what a human being should look like and how he should act.

One notable absence in the Classical era of Greek art is the lack of grotesque or imperfect human beings. Although 'realistic' in style, artists sought to create an idealistic conception of the human form, and attempted to elevate the human in their work, rather than to show its various idiosyncrasies. Not until the later, Hellenistic era did more emotional and varied works of sculpture become manifest. Even when gods and goddesses were shown, Hellenistic artists were fascinated by the contrast between the beautiful and the terrible, the grotesque and the ideal. "The human condition and state of mind became a popular subject and inconsequential moments of life were transcended into universal signs and immortalized in stone. The sleepy satyr, the old woman, the swing of Aphrodite's sandal, a twist of the torso, a humorous grin or a surprised expression gave life to cold marble and bronze" ("Hellenistic art," Greek Landscapes. 2011). In one statue of the Hellenistic period, Aphrodite is depicted as being seduced by the ugly satyr Pan, rather than a god equally as lovely as she: the contrast between the beautiful goddess and the ugly Pan; her smooth form and his ugly, twisted gnarls of horn and hair give added emotional depth to the composition, which was often lacking in Classical sculpture, despite its beauty.