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Greek Sculpture
From Wikipedia:
The origins of Greek sculpture have been
traditionally ascribed to the wooden cult statues described by Pausanias
as xoana[1]. No such statue survives and the descriptions of them
are frustratingly vague despite the fact that some were objects
of veneration for hundreds of years. The first piece of Greek statuary
come down to us is probably the Lefkandi Centaur (Eretria Mus.)
found on Euboia. This terracotta statue of circa 900 BC was constructed
in parts before being dismembered and buried in two separate graves,
it bears an intentional mark on its knee perhaps indicating it represents
Cheiron and the wound from Herakless arrow, if so it would
be the first depiction of myth in Greek art.
Of the forms of art from the geometrical
period (ca. 900 to 700 BC) we have terracotta figurines, bronzes
and ivories. The bronzes are chiefly tripod cauldrons and freestanding
figures or groups. Such bronzes were made using the lost-wax technique
probably introduced from Syria and are almost entirely votive offerings
left at the Panhellenic sanctuaries of Olympia, Delos and Delphi.
These were manufactured elsewhere and a number of local styles may
be identified by finds from Athens, Argos and Sparta. Typical works
of the era include the Karditsa warrior (Athens Br. 12831) and the
many examples of the equestrian statuette (for example, NY Met.
21.88.24 online).
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