The Spear Bearer: Doryphoros By Polykleitos Sculpture
Ashley Vickrey
November 17, 2011
Art Survey T&Th.
Mrs. Zeilman
Spear Bearer Doryphoros by Polykleitos sculptors of the Early and High Classical Greek periods in art strived for perfection in creating the human form. They combined such features such as regular facial features, smooth skin, and particular body portions into an ideal of perfect beauty. Polykleitos of Argos was a well known sculptor. His aim in sculpting was to produce the perfect human figure using a mathematical equation to sculpt the body parts. It is believed that he used a basic unit ratio to measure the rest of the body parts. A sculpture he created named the “Doryphoros” and is now called “The Spear Bearer” is an example of his work. Unfortunately nobody knows …show more content…
The figure is of a soldier carrying a heavy spear. The sculpture is physically stocky, with broad shoulders and thickly muscled arms and legs. Either because he was a warrior in the Spartan form, or maybe even just a well trained athlete. The Spear Bearer was created out of bronze; this was used more at the time because it had the ability to show more movement than in marble. This statue was one of the earliest to be shown in the fully developed contraposto position. This technique makes it look to be relaxed but yet a certain tension is there and he is ready to spring into action at any moment. The right arm of The Spear Bearer is relaxed and languid at his side while the left has tension from holding the spear over his shoulder. His right leg the opposite of the right arm and tensed to support the weight of the body, while the left leg relaxes with his heel up, ready to take action. The hips as well are offset and the
November 17, 2011
Art Survey T&Th.
Mrs. Zeilman
Spear Bearer Doryphoros by Polykleitos sculptors of the Early and High Classical Greek periods in art strived for perfection in creating the human form. They combined such features such as regular facial features, smooth skin, and particular body portions into an ideal of perfect beauty. Polykleitos of Argos was a well known sculptor. His aim in sculpting was to produce the perfect human figure using a mathematical equation to sculpt the body parts. It is believed that he used a basic unit ratio to measure the rest of the body parts. A sculpture he created named the “Doryphoros” and is now called “The Spear Bearer” is an example of his work. Unfortunately nobody knows …show more content…
The figure is of a soldier carrying a heavy spear. The sculpture is physically stocky, with broad shoulders and thickly muscled arms and legs. Either because he was a warrior in the Spartan form, or maybe even just a well trained athlete. The Spear Bearer was created out of bronze; this was used more at the time because it had the ability to show more movement than in marble. This statue was one of the earliest to be shown in the fully developed contraposto position. This technique makes it look to be relaxed but yet a certain tension is there and he is ready to spring into action at any moment. The right arm of The Spear Bearer is relaxed and languid at his side while the left has tension from holding the spear over his shoulder. His right leg the opposite of the right arm and tensed to support the weight of the body, while the left leg relaxes with his heel up, ready to take action. The hips as well are offset and the