Greek Sculpture: Prayers in Stone

(4 Credits)

From the “Snake Goddesses” of Minoan Crete, to the marble kouroi of archaic sanctuaries, from the Parthenon sculptures to the Pergamene Altar, the Greeks devoted enormous resources to the sculpting of images. This course examines sculptural production in Greece from the Bronze Age through the Hellenistic period, with careful attention to materials, techniques, styles, iconography, authorship, patronage, and settings. The votive function of images as “pleasing gifts” for the gods, their apotropaic role in protecting tombs and temples, and the commemorative function of sculptured grave markers will be considered within the broader context of signification. Special topics include: divine images, corporality, athletic statuary, portraiture, and architectural decoration. Sculptures will be examined within the framework of critical theories of representation, mimesis, aesthetics, and reception, as well as within their broader social, political, and historical contexts.