AHIS 1 Lecture Notes - Archaic Smile, Braid, Kouros
AHIS Exam #2 Comparisons:
Comparison #1 Anavysos Kouros vs Sarcophagus of the Spouses
Similarities:
- Both are grave markers
- Both sculptures have archaic smile – half smile which speaks of a figure that transcends this
world, that has a sense of aristocratic nobility.
- Both are not of a specific individual, rather an idealized figure
Sarcophagus of the Spouses:
- Displays the importance of the woman in Etruscan culture by displaying the woman with
her husband
o In Greece, the banquets were reserved for just men
Anavysos Kouros:
- idealized representation of the young male figure
- Extremely idealized male figure
- very muscular and lean
- Egyptian style stance
- Tense and flexing his muscles
- Completely naked
- shows off the realistic and proportional anatomy
- Neatly Braided hair
- This Kouros was set up by aristocratic family as a grave marker for their son
- The focus on Realism indicates a society that revered the human form, and desired to
understand the natural environment as a series of cause and effect arguments.
Document Summary
Comparison #1 anavysos kouros vs sarcophagus of the spouses. Both sculptures have archaic smile half smile which speaks of a figure that transcends this world, that has a sense of aristocratic nobility. Both are not of a specific individual, rather an idealized figure. Displays the importance of the woman in etruscan culture by displaying the woman with her husband. In greece, the banquets were reserved for just men. Anavysos kouros: idealized representation of the young male figure. Extremely idealized male figure very muscular and lean. Completely naked shows off the realistic and proportional anatomy. This kouros was set up by aristocratic family as a grave marker for their son. The focus on realism indicates a society that revered the human form, and desired to understand the natural environment as a series of cause and effect arguments. Represents the cultural shift of the hellenistic period. The sculpure shows both body and visage to convey personality and emotion.
