Greek Statues and Ancient Greek Sculpture

Ancient Greek sculpture represents one of the most influential artistic movements in the history of art. The statues created by the ancient Greeks in the Classical and Hellinistic ages provided the foundation not only for Roman sculpture, but also for western sculpture as we know it today.

Of course Greek sculpture is not necessarily a movement, but rather an art form that developed over 1000 years.

Archaic period (8th to early 5th century BC)

The first period of Greek sculpture was heavily influenced by the works of the ancient Egyptians. There was an emphasis on creating perfection in human form. However, most of the statues created during this time period appear very rigid and unnatural. They reflected a body being assembled in pieces much in the way a mannequin might be created today. Referred to as kouros and kore, these statues typically stood very erect with their feet together and a blank stare on their face. Despite the shortcomings, the Greeks were the first to create free-standing statues during this period.

Classical period (5th to 4th century BC)



The Classical Period began after the defeat of the Persian invasion at the battle of Marathon in 490. A renewed sense of optimism led the artists to strive for an improved sense of reality in their sculpture.

The most significant advancement of this period came in the formof the contrapposto stance. This is when one leg is extended and the imaginary shift in weight is modeled into the statue to convey a sense of gravity and enhance the realism of the piece.

Discobolos (The Discus Thrower) by Myron in the Museo Nazionale Romano, Rome is one of the most famous classic Greek statues from this period. Myron's athlete engaged in the discus throw boasts vigorous and convincing movement in a perfect made form. His flexing muscles and concentrated expression create the impression of a tightly stretched bow a moment before the string is released.
While the original was cast in bronze, Statue.com is proud to offer a cast version in beautiful Italian bonded Carrara marble. Virtually identical in appearance to the original, each detail is finished with care by the artisan of Italy's Santini workshop. You can get more information on this statue in our Classical Statue gallery.

Hellenistic period (late 4th - 1st century BC)

This period starts near the end of the 4th century and lasts until the Roman invasion in the 1st century. It was during this time that the Greek Statues and Sculpture spread throughout the world as the Greek empire continued to expand. During this period, an even greater emphasis was placed on generating dynamic movement and extreme poses in the art.

The Nike of Samothrace Statue reigns as the masterpiece of the Hellenistic period due to its dynamic movement. You can sense the wind blowing the folds of the clothing and the feathers of the wings being pushed back by the gust.

Statue.com is proud to offer an extensive line of Greek statues, sculpture, and fountains in our online store including replicas of this Nike Statue in our Classical Sculptures Gallery. Please click on the logo below to enter our store.