Ancient Greek Sculpture

Definition

The sculpture of ancient Greece from 800 to 300 BCE took inspiration from Egyptian and Near Eastern monumental art, and evolved into a uniquely Greek vision of the art form. Greek artists captured the human form in a way never before seen where sculptors were particularly concerned with proportion, poise, and the idealised perfection of the human body.

More about: Ancient Greek Sculpture

Timeline

  • c. 700 BCE
    Paros begins to export its Parian marble across the Greek world and it is widely used in temples and sculpture.
  • c. 580 BCE
    The kouroi of Argos, thought to represent Cleobis & Biton, are sculpted.
  • c. 560 BCE
    Naxos dedicates a large column and sphinx to the oracle of Apollo at Delphi.
  • c. 550 BCE
    Oldest surviving sculpture of a winged Nike found on Delos.
  • c. 525 BCE
    The Treasury of the Siphnians is built at Delphi which included Caryatid architecture.
  • 510 BCE - 370 BCE
    Greeks fighting Amazons becomes a popular subject of architectural sculpture across Greece.
  • 490 BCE - 480 BCE
    A 1.4 m (4 ft 7 in) tall Iris or Nike sculpture is erected on the Acropolis of Athens in memory of the general Kallimachos, killed in the Battle of Marathon.
  • 480 BCE - 460 BCE
    The bronze charioteer of Delphi is sculpted.
  • c. 460 BCE - 457 BCE
    Temple of Zeus is built at Olympia with a statue of Apollo dominating the west pediment and containing the cult statue of Zeus by Phidias.
  • c. 460 BCE
    The west pediment of the Temple of Zeus at Olympia is decorated with a Centauromachy of centaurs fighting Lapiths at the wedding of Peirithoos.
  • c. 460 BCE
    The bronze Poseidon or Zeus statue (of Cape Artemesium) is sculpted.
  • 460 BCE - 450 BCE
    Two bronze Greek warriors are sculpted, the 'Bronzi Riace'.
  • c. 457 BCE
    Metopes on the Temple of Zeus at Olympia depict the twelve labours of Hercules.
  • 450 BCE - 440 BCE
    The bronze statue of the discus thrower (Diskobolos) by Myron is sculpted.
  • 438 BCE
    The cult statue of Athena Parthenos is dedicated in the Parthenon of Athens.
  • c. 430 BCE
    The cult statue of Zeus by Phidias is dedicated in the Temple of Zeus, Olympia. It is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
  • c. 425 BCE
    Kresilas sculpts the idealised portrait statue of Pericles which in antiquity was much copied as a bust.
  • 424 BCE - 420 BCE
    The Nike of Paionios is erected at Olympia to commemorate the Messenian and Naupaktian victory over Sparta at the battle of Sphakteria.
  • 421 BCE - 406 BCE
    The Erechtheion of Athens acropolis is constructed with six Caryatids in the south porch.
  • 340 BCE
    Praxiteles sculpts his Aphrodite, the first full female nude in Greek sculpture.
  • c. 330 BCE
    Statue of Hermes sculpted by Praxiteles.
  • 460 CE - 450 CE
    Most likely date of production of the Riace Bronzes.
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