Question

Kritios Boy, Kuros figure from the Acropolis of Athens

marble
ca. 480 B.C.E.

weight shift or contrapposto (shifting of the main parts of the body around the vertical, but flexible, axis of the spine)

Summary of an idealized canon of human proportions, marks the onset of the Early Classical period

Contemporary with the Persian Wars (497-479 B.C.E.): against the invasion of Greece by the Persians; Athens emerged as leading Greek power

A) Praxiteles
B) Kritios Boy
C) Polykleitos
D) Phidias

Answer 1

The Kritios Boy is a significant work of ancient Greek sculpture by the artist Kritios, representing the Early Classical style with its use of contrapposto. This technique introduces a more naturalistic depiction of the human form compared to the rigid kouroi of the Archaic period.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Kritios Boy, dating back to around 480 BCE, is attributed to the sculptor known as Kritios. This work signifies a pivotal moment in ancient Greek sculpture, representing a departure from the more rigid and stylized kouroi figures of the Archaic period towards the more naturalistic and dynamic portrayals of the human figure that characterize the Early Classical period. The Kritios Boy embodies the technique of contrapposto, a stance wherein the weight is shifted onto one leg, creating a subtle 'S' curve in the body's central axis and introducing a sense of potential movement. This is notably different from figures such as the Anavysos (Kroisos) Kouros, which, while more realistic than earlier kouroi, still retains a certain rigidity and idealization. Unlike Polykleitos, who developed a canon of proportions for the perfect male body, or Phidias, known for his work on the Parthenon, the Kritios Boy's creator captured a more immediate sense of naturalism and youth.