The Smile of a Sphinx

 THE SMILE OF A SPHINX 

#sphinx #archaicsculpture #greeksculpture #archaicgreekart 

Its Not only Maidens and Youths who have THAT smile in Archaic Greek ART.

This statue is the top part of an Archaic Attic Stele (I'll show you the lower part in the next post) and the slender feline proportions and pose of the lower body suggest the  sculptor seems to have seen a cat (then an exotic import) about to bring upwards. Note the distinctive Archaic Smile. The lack of plumage yet detailed carving of the face suggests also the sculptor wanted onlookers looking upwards to notice the smile ? Such elegant refined curves!

The stele was discovered broken into pieces and this is a museum reconstruction.

Next post will include closeups of the youth below.

The Archaic Smile - FOUR

 The Archaic Smile - Four 

The notes to this museum image clim its though to be the head of a sphinx but does not say why?

Sphinx woman or goddess she has that Archaic Smile. 

THE ARCHAIC SMILE -THREE

 The ARCHAIC SMILE - THREE

This  time one of the boys 

A #Kouros from Southern Italy from a time when Reggio in modern Calabria was a Hellenic city.

The Archaic Smile Two

 The Archaic Smile

#Greeksculpture #kore #chios 

The Chios Kore is one of those sculpture that retained traces of the original coloring and inspire debates about the painting of ancient sculptures.

Personally I think any tinting would have been a bit more delicate but look at the faded original and compare the reconstruction and decide for yourself and enjoy that fabulous archaic smile !

The Archaic Smile - One

 THE ARCHAIC SMILE - ONE 

If there's one thing that particularly stands out about Archaic Greek Sculptures its the SMILE !

Assyrian sculptures tend to have rulers and courtiers who seem to be almost sneering and with Egyptian sculpture the smile seems to say I a powerful mortal have ascended to become a god but human or mortal the first large Hellenic statues SMILE.

This first example is from Cyprus and while her head-dress and choker style necklace show the influence of the Near art probably Phoenician art she has that look that distinct upturn of the lips that shows both confidence and happiness.

My first theme this month will be the archaic smile. Join and follow me as I seek for more images to share with you.