Contrapposto: Ancient Greek Sculpture

The sculpture produced in ancient Greece is naturalistic compared to artworks and sculptures from previous times and cultures. The form of body is not stylized, nor does the bends in its arms and legs have sharp edges, the body is actually smooth and natural looking. The figure also has normal sized eyes and not enlarged eyes and male breast. The figure is in contrapposto pose like many of the other figures from this ancient Greek period. Although many of the figures in this time that was in contrapposto pose, the figures either had one hand up and the other one down, or both hands down, this figure has both hands lifted in a graceful falling like manner. This figure is unclothed like many artworks from the ancient Greek period that is …show more content…
Comparing the upper half from the lower half of the body, the upper half looks graceful, whereas the lower half looks stern and in place. Typically when the human body is in contrapposto pose, the lower half uses a lot of strength to hold the body up or it would fall. You can even see the amount of strength this sculpture is using from the definition in the muscles in its waist, legs, and the pressure on its upper right foot. Even when you look at the backside of the sculpture you see that the definition in the muscle continues in the lower back, the butt, back of the thighs, and the calves. When you look at the upper half of the body you see muscles, because the sculpture obviously is a toned man, but other than that his upper body sees very graceful. The arms seem to be drifting down as if the sculpture were dancing or something, and his face seems very peaceful. Even though the sculptures nose and part of its lips is broken off, its face seems as if it were in a relaxed position. This sculpture also has nicely carved realistic looking hair like many of the sculptures from the ancient Greek period, the sculpture is even wearing a headband like a few of the sculptures from …show more content…
I believe that this sculpture is from this time, because the Warrior of Riace is from the Early Classical Period, and that sculpture along with other sculptures from the Early Classical Period were free standing, and needed no support, unlike the unnamed sculpture that is being discussed. As time moved on, the sculptors were using heavier materials that could not be held upright, so they were having to balance the figures on some sort of object. The sculpture Man Scraping Himself is one of the main reasons I believe why the unnamed sculpture is from the Late Classical Period. Man Scraping Himself has some of the same characteristics as the unnamed sculpture, both of the sculptures are in contrapposto pose, with the same leg stance. Both of the figures seem to using the same amount of muscles in their lower half as in proportion to the amount of muscle they are using in their upper half. Not much muscle look like it us being used in either of the figures upper half, but in comparison to their lower half, you can see the tenseness in the knees and the feet. Also the unnamed figure looks as if it is made from the same materials as Man Scraping Himself. Both of the figures seem to have the same emphases and details on the body as other figures from the Late Classical