The Centaur's Smile: The Human Animal in Early Greek Art

by J. Michael Padgett, William A.P. Childs (Contributor), Despoina Tsiafakis (Contributor)

Human animals—such as centaurs, satyrs, sphinxes, sirens, and gorgons—as well as other composite creatures like Pan, Triton, and the Minotaur are extremely common in Greek myth, literature, theater, and the visual arts. Understanding the phenomenon of combining human and animal elements into composite creatures is central to our knowledge of the Greek imagination. This landmark book is the first to investigate representations of these human animals in early Greek art (ca. 850–450 B.C.).

The Centaur’s Smile discusses the oriental antecedents of these fantastic creatures, examining the influence of Egyptian and Near Eastern models on the formation of Greek monsters in the early Archaic period. Essays also explore the nature and origin of horse-men (centaurs and satyrs) and the ways in which they are represented in early Greek art. Furthermore, the book surveys the broader range of Greek composite creatures and discusses their evolving forms and changing roles and meaning.

Over one hundred exquisite objects—all beautifully reproduced in color—are described and analyzed in detail. Among the featured works are reliefs and statuettes in stone, bronze, and terracotta; jewelry and metalwork in gold, silver, and electrum; engraved sealstones in rock crystal, jasper, and cornelian; and painted ceramic vases from Athens, Corinth, Rhodes, Miletus, Cyprus, and Etruria.

406 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2003