I will be comparing and contrasting two works of ancient art, the statue of Zeus and the statue of the Good Shepherd. Both statues are beautiful examples of the ideal image of their times.
The first piece of art that I analyzed is the statue of Zeus. The larger than life bronze statue was created around 460BC that depicts the early religious beliefs in Gods. The statue of bronze differed from ones that came before it because it was not made of the normal marble that was used on most statues. The statue of Zeus couldn’t be made out of marble because of marbles lack of tensile strength and would not have been able to support the upper body on its legs and ankles much less his arms stretch outward in the position they are in now. The debate over whether the statue represents Poseidon or Zeus is attributed to the lost lightning bolt held in the right hand. The god is caught at the moment of pause in the full potentiality of his coming movement, the figure has the potential for violence, is concentrating, positioned to throw, but the action is just beginning, and we are left to contemplate the coming …show more content…
The Good Shepherd is depicted as Jesus who lays down his life for the sheep. The Good Shepherd is a life size marble statue that depicts the early Christian art era of about 150-400CE . But it is still uncertain if the statue is a representation of Christ as a good shepherd or the more general concept of God caring for his flock. Unlike the statue of Zeus, the Good Shepherd has more of a non-movement involved pose. It is not as much of a demonstration of strength but more of a demonstration of the humble modesty. The Good Shepherd is not in a position of action but more of a position of mystery or patience in which the statue is relaxed standing and waiting for something which leaves our imagination wondering on what the artist meant when he create the