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World of Art
Hellenistic Sculpture
Provides a thematic and regional survey of Hellenistic sculpture, focusing on its main elements and its innovations.
The exuberant realism and virtuoso technique of Hellenistic sculpture formed the basis of European art. Under Alexander and his cosmopolitan successors, sculptors enriched the classical Greek repertoire with a whole range of new subjects - hermaphrodites, putti, peasants, boxers - and new styles - baroque treatment, genre figures, individualized portraiture.
Professor Smith offers a reappraisal of this entire artistic epoch as a period of innovation, demonstrating the variety, subtlety and complexity of its styles. Numerous illustrations reveal the skill and inventiveness of the Hellenistic masters, who created works of great beauty and expressive power. The result is a lively survey of a vital phase in the evolution of Western art.
The exuberant realism and virtuoso technique of Hellenistic sculpture formed the basis of European art. Under Alexander and his cosmopolitan successors, sculptors enriched the classical Greek repertoire with a whole range of new subjects - hermaphrodites, putti, peasants, boxers - and new styles - baroque treatment, genre figures, individualized portraiture.
Professor Smith offers a reappraisal of this entire artistic epoch as a period of innovation, demonstrating the variety, subtlety and complexity of its styles. Numerous illustrations reveal the skill and inventiveness of the Hellenistic masters, who created works of great beauty and expressive power. The result is a lively survey of a vital phase in the evolution of Western art.
288 pages, Paperback
First published September 17, 1991
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 23, 2023
"Hellenistic Sculpture" by R.R.R. Smith bears all the characteristics of the books in the "The World of Art" series of Thames and Hudson. It avoids any sensational theory that might excite the reader of the general public. It stays rigorously on its subject and does not discuss paintings, mosaics, and frescos which also underwent important developments during the Hellenistic era. The photos which are all in black and white seek to portray the entire work clearly rather than some feature of interest to the author. Unfortunately, the very rigour of Smith's book does in fact make it rather tedious to read. One's interest must be very strong.
Unlike a many authors most notably André Malraux, R.R.R. Smith does not see a positive side to the fact that so many of the Hellenistic statues have missing limbs. Those in the Malraux school insist that the imaginary museum of our civilization would be much different if all the statues had their arms, legs and heads. For Smith, the fact that many parts are missing means rather that it is more difficult for the contemporary viewer to divine the intention of the sculptor.
Smith also does not encourage us to view the Laocoön Group as the work that inspired many of the great innovations of the Renaissance. The sculptor who executed the Laocoön Group was simply not thinking of the reaction that the work would provoke centuries later. What that reaction was is of no interest to him.
What Smith does present is mast array of themes and devices. Hellenistic sculptors portrayed kings, philosophers, satyrs, centaurs, fauns, hermaphrodites, deities, athletes and common people. The styles varied considerably by region and evolved constantly. There were single figures and remarkable groups. The artists addressed both heterosexual and homoerotic.
Smith has chapters focussed on various geographic areas of production notably Greece, Ptolemaic Egypt, the Seleucid East and Delos. The very best chapter in the book is probably the one on Pergamon.
"Hellenistic Sculpture" is a tough slog but one with many rewards for the reader who is highly interested in Hellenism.
Unlike a many authors most notably André Malraux, R.R.R. Smith does not see a positive side to the fact that so many of the Hellenistic statues have missing limbs. Those in the Malraux school insist that the imaginary museum of our civilization would be much different if all the statues had their arms, legs and heads. For Smith, the fact that many parts are missing means rather that it is more difficult for the contemporary viewer to divine the intention of the sculptor.
Smith also does not encourage us to view the Laocoön Group as the work that inspired many of the great innovations of the Renaissance. The sculptor who executed the Laocoön Group was simply not thinking of the reaction that the work would provoke centuries later. What that reaction was is of no interest to him.
What Smith does present is mast array of themes and devices. Hellenistic sculptors portrayed kings, philosophers, satyrs, centaurs, fauns, hermaphrodites, deities, athletes and common people. The styles varied considerably by region and evolved constantly. There were single figures and remarkable groups. The artists addressed both heterosexual and homoerotic.
Smith has chapters focussed on various geographic areas of production notably Greece, Ptolemaic Egypt, the Seleucid East and Delos. The very best chapter in the book is probably the one on Pergamon.
"Hellenistic Sculpture" is a tough slog but one with many rewards for the reader who is highly interested in Hellenism.
September 8, 2013
This book is the text book for my class on Hellenistic art, and it probably says a lot that I was able and willing to finish it all at the very start of the semester. The book is an overview of Hellenistic sculpture by theme, explaining how different types of sculptures (i.e. sculptures of rulers, or of nude goddesses) reflected Hellenistic society, and that was all well and good. Unfortunately, the reason it is rated 3 stars is because I couldn't get over the absolutely terrible way it was organized. Instead of having the works of art in the text itself, they were relegated to several pages of photographs at the back of each chapter. So, when a piece of art was mentioned in the text, you had to flip to the back of the chapter to see what it looked like. When there are 30+ images in each chapter, this is a lot of back-and-forth flipping which made the reading super tedious. So, 3/5. Good writing, great art, but organization bad enough for me to demote it to 3 stars.
September 3, 2024
An extremely interesting moment, well explained, though coming down against the 'syncretic' interpretation and more on the 'Greek imperialism' one.
December 9, 2012
The standard work on the subject. Serves as a complement to Boardman's three-volume sculpture series.
March 21, 2023
Absolutely great book!
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November 25, 2022
More a catalogue then a narrative exposition but I can't fault it for comprehensiveness or for information, the photographs and illustrations are fascinating but not great. This is more an academic work then something aimed at the amateur enthusiast of antique sculpture.
June 21, 2022
one of the most enjoyable academic reads!!!! actually had fun reading it, v gripping & informative
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews