Kouros
They first appear in the Archaic period in Greece and are prominent in Attica and Boeotia, with a less frequent presence in many other Ancient Greek territories such as Sicily.
[6] The word is also attested in Linear B, a syllabary system of writing used to record the Mycenaean Greek dialect of the Hellenic languages.
[12] A direct influence between Egyptian sculptures (in particular the figure of Horus) and the kouros type has long been conjectured, not least because of trade and cultural relations that are known to have existed since the mid-seventh century BCE.
There are fundamentally two schools of thought on how those Daedalic forms, some of which we know of only from the literature (kolossos, bretas, andrias and xoanon), became the free-standing sculpture in around the 6th century; namely, that it was a response to the internal development of Greek types and religious needs[14] or a product of foreign influence.
[17] The work of Guralnick along with the previous studies by Erik Iversen and Kim Levin[19] have added considerably to the argument for an imitation by Greek sculptors of Egyptian sculpture.
It was Guralnick, however, who developed this discovery by comparing other kouroi by means of cluster and Z-score profile analysis to the Egyptian Canon II and a control group composed of statistically average Mediterranean men.
As a result, she has identified two strains within methods of proportioning in sixth century kouroi, where the majority follow the general line of evolution from the foreign model towards an idealized human norm.
Ptoion, kouroi have been found dedicated at the sanctuaries of Hera at Samos, and of Athena and Poseidon at Sounion,[24] so the contention that they depict Apollo is at the very least problematic.
However, the majority are from Apollonian sites and dedicated to that god, which has led Ridgway (1993) to suggest that the early, belted form of the kouros-type statue was introduced in the late seventh century as a replacement for the colossal representation of Apollo.
[16]: 74 Over time, the votive and funerary functions of the sculpture became divorced whilst its attributes were shed and its form became more generic until, in the late sixth century, it could serve a number of uses depending on context and location.
[26] The earliest extant examples may be the two life-sized marble figures from the Ionic sanctuary on the island of Delos[27][10]: 27 dating from the second or third quarter of the seventh century.
The canonical form of the kouros persists until the beginning of the classical period, by which time artists had achieved a high degree of anatomical verisimilitude, if not naturalism,[28] as can be observed on such transitional works as the Kritios Boy, c. 480 BC.
The conception of form in this period is abstract and geometrical, emphasis is on architectural shape and the interrelation of parts which favoured expressive pattern over realism.
Figures display the four faces of the block from which they are carved, their form is cubic with details incised, and their anatomy is only partially understood.
C. 590–570 BCE: this period witnesses a lull in Attica with perhaps only two identifiable works from the beginning of the era until the second quarter of century,[37] this might be due to the Solonic reforms and their restriction on the extravagance of private funerals.
The slight protrusions of flanks are sometimes prolonged into a girdle-like ridge, the sculptor occasionally marks the anterior spine of the crest.
C. 575–550 BCE: named after an Attic kouros found at Volomandra[44] and a Corinthian specimen from Tenea (Munich 168) this period marks the flowering of the Middle Archaic, and these kouroi are contemporary with such works as the Berlin Standing Kore, the Moschophoros and the Bluebeard Pediment.
There is a tension observable in this group between the solid, architectonic quality of early styles and the expressive possibilities of a vigorous, fluid naturalism .
The absolute chronology of this period is provided by the dedication of Rhombos on the Moschophoros, which may belong to the same time as a decree referring to the Panathenaia of 566.
[10]: 77 Additionally the terracotta kneeling boy[45] found in a well in the Agora and dated by its black-figure pottery sherd stratum to circa 550 shares the flat almond eyes, absence of the trapezium and pointed arch of the lower thorax that characterizes the late Tenea-Volomandra, furnishing us with a tentative lower boundary for the style.
The anterior part of the helix, which is directed backwards (crus helicis), is often prominent, and joined with the upper end of tragus.
However Richter argues there may be some relationship to other contemporary Greek art works, namely: the figures on Late Corinthian pottery c. 550 BCE.
exhibit the same degree of naturalism,[10]: 93 and the archaic column sculptures from the Temple of Artemis Ephesos, thought to have been supplied by Croesus of Lydia, share some anatomical features.
C. 520–485 BCE: the last stage in the development of the kouros type is the period in which the Greek sculptor attained a full knowledge of human anatomy and used it to create a harmonious, proportionate whole.
The lower boundary of abdomen assumes shape of semicircle, and the upper edge of torso with two concave curves becomes regular in form.
[10]: 129–130 Architecturally earlier than the Hekatompedon of Athens the Delphi temple has a probable date of c. 520 BCE, thus the kouroi of its pediment which betray the swelling trapezium and semicircular lower boundary of the abdomen can be associated with later examples of the group.
Yet these same youths have a grooved, narrow lower boundary to the thorax and their flanks are level, suggesting that they are early specimens of the style.
Richter (1960)[10] names this group after the kouros Ptoon 20,[58] which is likely a Boeotian work dedicated by Pythias of Akraiphia and Aischrion to Apollo of the silver bow.
[e] This along with the torso form Eutresis (Thebes 7) indicate a vigorous Boeotian school of sculpture which may have existed to serve the Ptoan sanctuary.
[10]: 127 Important late kouroi from Athens include the Aristodikos kouros (Ptoon 20 group[60]) an akropolis statuette[61] and the bronze Apollo from Piraeus.
