ARTW 101 – Society and Visual Art
University of Redlands

Compare and Contrast Two Works Of Art

Greek culture is the source from which many of the characteristic elements of Western culture derive. Their explorations and innovations in art have both fascinated and inspired other civilizations for centuries. For this assignment I chose two Greek sculptures viewed at the Getty Museum. The first is Kouros circa 530 B.C. made of Dolomitic marble from Thasos and is approximately 200 cm (80 in) in height. The second is Cult Statue of a Goddess, (most likely Aphrodite) South Italy, 425 - 400 B.C. made of Limestone and marble. It stands at a height of 220 cm (86 5/8 in). There is some dispute to the authenticity of the Getty Kouros …show more content…

This emphasizes the sculpture's feeling of freedom and dramatic expression. Through the use of these compositional elements, contrapposto of the body and the dramatic flow of clothing, the sculptor conveys some of the Classical Greek opposing concepts which include rest and motion, strength and beauty, weight and support.

Kouros is made of marble and has a consistent aged texture over its entirety. With respect to the materials used, much more thought went into the creation of Aphrodite. It is made from a combination of materials. The clothed part of the figure was carved from limestone, which still bears traces of red, blue, and pink paint. The parts of the body showing exposed flesh (head, arms, and feet) were carved out of marble. The combined limestone and marble technique is unusual on mainland Greece; the technique is found more commonly in sculpture produced in the Greek colonies in South Italy and Sicily, where art scholars think this sculpture was carved. Use of the two different materials give the sculpture an extra level of depth and realistic texture, furthering its contrast and expression. Both works make their attempts at rendering a realistic representation, but Aphrodite shows just how much farther the Classical artisans' understanding of realism had improved.

Many parts of the statue, such as the hair, the cloak that