This is eight feet of masterfully-rendered agony and violence. The creators
clearly spent a massive amount of time and planning crafting it. Generally
ancient art depicting violence is in the context of war, so in that respect
this work is a departure. Forms writhing and twisting in space
underscore the terror flooding the minds of the subjects. |
Clearly this is a work of naturalism with forms treated with a moderate degree of idealism. This idealism doesn’t only come from the proportions and muscular development of the figures, but in the rendering of the cloth supporting the twisting, tangled energy of the serpents and limbs. While this work exhibits the graceful, balanced and realistic character of fully developed classical Greek achievement, it is meant to “unbalance” the mind of the observer with base impressions of agony and horror.
When viewed straight-on, an interlocking pattern of figure and space supports the meandering motion of the tangled forms. In this way, this work is deceptively simple: Mass and volume form the skeleton, supporting this intertwining mass of flesh.
Energy and movement characterize this work, but the placement of the two smaller figures in relation to the central keep it from becoming unbalanced. The vertical division axis is placed slightly to the left from the half-way point, corrected by the more extreme placement of the rightward figure. This combined with the direction of lines of force and form edges has the effect of “rotating” the orientation of this work to a diagonal flow.
Forms are dominated by a muscular, fleshy tone over those that are artificial and meant to clothe the flesh. There is contrast in figurative forms that are prey and those that are governed by a mindless, strangling evil. The interplay of volume against mass and massive forms against diminutive is brought into a natural sense of alignment as well. When content is compared to formal presentation, extremes are present, but are calibrated into a strong overall sense of balance, a defining characteristic of ancient Greek artistic achievement.
The relative size of the central figure, the outward direction of his pose and his tortured expression place primary focus on his emotional condition. Secondarily, attention follows the lines of serpentine and flesh edges, causing the mind to alternate between impressions of agony and sinewy strength.
This work carries all of the achievement of high classical Greek art. Forms are masterfully rendered and carry the pleasing proportionality that was carefully crafted by Greek creators for centuries, even if in this example they are not in proportion to each other, a trait of anti-Hellenistic expression. This formal perfection is beautifully contrasted by the content and mood it so effectively communicates. Complexity exemplifies this work, but I believe the primary underlying message is to underscore the frailty of the human condition.
Clearly this is a work of naturalism with forms treated with a moderate degree of idealism. This idealism doesn’t only come from the proportions and muscular development of the figures, but in the rendering of the cloth supporting the twisting, tangled energy of the serpents and limbs. While this work exhibits the graceful, balanced and realistic character of fully developed classical Greek achievement, it is meant to “unbalance” the mind of the observer with base impressions of agony and horror.
When viewed straight-on, an interlocking pattern of figure and space supports the meandering motion of the tangled forms. In this way, this work is deceptively simple: Mass and volume form the skeleton, supporting this intertwining mass of flesh.
Energy and movement characterize this work, but the placement of the two smaller figures in relation to the central keep it from becoming unbalanced. The vertical division axis is placed slightly to the left from the half-way point, corrected by the more extreme placement of the rightward figure. This combined with the direction of lines of force and form edges has the effect of “rotating” the orientation of this work to a diagonal flow.
Forms are dominated by a muscular, fleshy tone over those that are artificial and meant to clothe the flesh. There is contrast in figurative forms that are prey and those that are governed by a mindless, strangling evil. The interplay of volume against mass and massive forms against diminutive is brought into a natural sense of alignment as well. When content is compared to formal presentation, extremes are present, but are calibrated into a strong overall sense of balance, a defining characteristic of ancient Greek artistic achievement.
The relative size of the central figure, the outward direction of his pose and his tortured expression place primary focus on his emotional condition. Secondarily, attention follows the lines of serpentine and flesh edges, causing the mind to alternate between impressions of agony and sinewy strength.
This work carries all of the achievement of high classical Greek art. Forms are masterfully rendered and carry the pleasing proportionality that was carefully crafted by Greek creators for centuries, even if in this example they are not in proportion to each other, a trait of anti-Hellenistic expression. This formal perfection is beautifully contrasted by the content and mood it so effectively communicates. Complexity exemplifies this work, but I believe the primary underlying message is to underscore the frailty of the human condition.
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