Anavysos Kouros
Title
Anavysos Kouros
Date
ca. 530 BCE, the Archaic Period
Artist or Workshop
Unknown
Materials
Parian Marble, paint
Height of the work
1.94 m tall
Provenience
Greece, Attica, the cemetery of Anavysos
Current Location
National Archaeological Museum, Athens, Greece
Description and Significance
Description:
The Anavysos Kouros is a male nude, human-figure that stands at 1.94 meters (6’4) from head to toe, not including the base. Its height is also roughly seven and a half times the height of the head. The kouros is solid, and standing erect, and has the youthful, perfect figure of an athlete. His long hair is uniformly braided and cascades down his back to his shoulder blades, and is tucked behind his ears. There is evidence of red paint on his hair braids, also on his public hair and eyes. A thin strip of fabric holds back symmetrical swirl-shaped curls that frame his forehead. His brow ridge is sharply defined, and his almond-shaped eyes slightly bulge out of the sockets. The figure has high, prominent cheekbones that rest just below the eyes lateral to the nose. His mouth is small, it is only slightly longer than the width of his nose, and is curled into a soft smile. This smile pulls his cheeks back and creates a facial crease on the sides of his lips. His neck is thick, and extends past the width of his head. His shoulders and chest are broad. His pectoral muscles are lightly defined, along with his abdominal muscles, which are faintly carved into the marble. His waist is small, but his hips and buttocks are rounder and more pronounced. His thick thighs touch each other, and his calves are extremely pronounced. They are almost the same width of his thighs. He is striding forward, with his left foot leading. The kouros’ hands are clenched and rested at his sides, without touching his thighs. There are supports that connect his hands to his thighs, most likely to support the weight of the marble so the arms do not break off. The figure is reddish-tinted, showing evidence of paint.
Significance:
The Anavysos Kouros is one of many kouroi created during the Archaic period in ancient Greece. These figures were depicted as strong male nudes, and used as grave markers, offerings, and occasionally portrayed as the god Apollo. The figure shows the classic “Archaic smile”, a characteristic of kouroi created during this time period. The reason for this is unknown, whether it is because the carving technology did not allow for refined facial expressions, or a stylistic choice. This piece was separated from its base, which was found in a different location. It is generally agreed upon by art historians that the base belongs to this kouros, which served as funerary marker set up by an aristocratic family for their son who had fallen in battle. The inscription reads; “Stay and mourn of the monument of dead Kroisos, who raging Ares slew as he fount in the front ranks.” While this references and honors a specific person, Kroisos, that is not to say that this figure depicted is an image of this deceased soldier. This perfect, youthful, male nude is not necessarily a “portrait” in the true sense of the word. There is evidence of some individualization in the depicted youth, for example, there are traces of red paint on his braids and pubic hair. But the face and body is a more typical presentation of the male nude. This kouros also shows an evolution in the knowledge of the anatomy and physiognomy of the human figure. Compared to the New York Kouros with its rigid lines and humanoid features, the Anavysos Kouros has softer, more rounded features and more realistic muscle depictions. There is also more movement in this picture, the figure is moving forward and the corresponding muscles flex and relax, showing a more naturalistic depiction of human movement.
The Anavysos Kouros is a male nude, human-figure that stands at 1.94 meters (6’4) from head to toe, not including the base. Its height is also roughly seven and a half times the height of the head. The kouros is solid, and standing erect, and has the youthful, perfect figure of an athlete. His long hair is uniformly braided and cascades down his back to his shoulder blades, and is tucked behind his ears. There is evidence of red paint on his hair braids, also on his public hair and eyes. A thin strip of fabric holds back symmetrical swirl-shaped curls that frame his forehead. His brow ridge is sharply defined, and his almond-shaped eyes slightly bulge out of the sockets. The figure has high, prominent cheekbones that rest just below the eyes lateral to the nose. His mouth is small, it is only slightly longer than the width of his nose, and is curled into a soft smile. This smile pulls his cheeks back and creates a facial crease on the sides of his lips. His neck is thick, and extends past the width of his head. His shoulders and chest are broad. His pectoral muscles are lightly defined, along with his abdominal muscles, which are faintly carved into the marble. His waist is small, but his hips and buttocks are rounder and more pronounced. His thick thighs touch each other, and his calves are extremely pronounced. They are almost the same width of his thighs. He is striding forward, with his left foot leading. The kouros’ hands are clenched and rested at his sides, without touching his thighs. There are supports that connect his hands to his thighs, most likely to support the weight of the marble so the arms do not break off. The figure is reddish-tinted, showing evidence of paint.
Significance:
The Anavysos Kouros is one of many kouroi created during the Archaic period in ancient Greece. These figures were depicted as strong male nudes, and used as grave markers, offerings, and occasionally portrayed as the god Apollo. The figure shows the classic “Archaic smile”, a characteristic of kouroi created during this time period. The reason for this is unknown, whether it is because the carving technology did not allow for refined facial expressions, or a stylistic choice. This piece was separated from its base, which was found in a different location. It is generally agreed upon by art historians that the base belongs to this kouros, which served as funerary marker set up by an aristocratic family for their son who had fallen in battle. The inscription reads; “Stay and mourn of the monument of dead Kroisos, who raging Ares slew as he fount in the front ranks.” While this references and honors a specific person, Kroisos, that is not to say that this figure depicted is an image of this deceased soldier. This perfect, youthful, male nude is not necessarily a “portrait” in the true sense of the word. There is evidence of some individualization in the depicted youth, for example, there are traces of red paint on his braids and pubic hair. But the face and body is a more typical presentation of the male nude. This kouros also shows an evolution in the knowledge of the anatomy and physiognomy of the human figure. Compared to the New York Kouros with its rigid lines and humanoid features, the Anavysos Kouros has softer, more rounded features and more realistic muscle depictions. There is also more movement in this picture, the figure is moving forward and the corresponding muscles flex and relax, showing a more naturalistic depiction of human movement.
References
the "Ancient-Greece.org" website: http://ancient-greece.org/images/art/kouros/pages/07kroisos_jpg.htm
the "Khan Academy" website: https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ancient-art-civilizations/greek-art/daedalic-archaic/v/anavysos-kouros
Philadelpheus, Alex. "The Anavysos Kouros." The Annual of the British School at Athens, vol. 36,
1935, pp. 1-4, www.jstor.org/stable/30096873. Accessed 4 Mar. 2017.
the "Khan Academy" website: https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ancient-art-civilizations/greek-art/daedalic-archaic/v/anavysos-kouros
Philadelpheus, Alex. "The Anavysos Kouros." The Annual of the British School at Athens, vol. 36,
1935, pp. 1-4, www.jstor.org/stable/30096873. Accessed 4 Mar. 2017.
Contributor
Nora Cheung
Citation
Unknown, “Anavysos Kouros,” Digital Portrait "Basket" - ARTH488A "Ancient Mediterranean Portraiture", accessed April 25, 2024, http://classicalchopped.artinterp.org/omeka/items/show/15.
Item Relations
This item has no relations.