Hellenistik Heykel

World of Art

by R.R.R. Smith

Hellenistik Heykeltraşlığın abartılı gerçekçiliği ve ustaca tekniği daha sonraki Avrupa sanatının temelini oluşturmuştur. İskender ve onun takipçileri devrimde heykeltraşlar, klasik Yunan repertuarını hermaphroditoslar, puttiler, köylüler ve boksörler gibi yeni konularla zenginleştirmişlerdir. Ayrıca barok işleniş, günlük hayat figürleri ve bireyselleşmiş portrecilik gibi yeni üsuplar da ortaya çıkmıştır. Profesör Smith, bu sanatsal dönemi yenilikler dolu bir devir olarak tümüyle yeniden ele almakta ve üslupların çeşitliliklerini, inceliklerini ve karmaşıklıklarını göstermektedir. Üstün estetik değerlere ve dışavurumcu güce sahip heykellerin yaratıcıları olan Hellenistik ustaların yetenek ve yaratıcılıkları kitaptaki pek çok resim ile gözler önüne serilmektedir. Sonuç olarak, Batı sanatının evriminde çok önemli bir yer tutan bu dönemin canlı bir değrelendirmesi ortaya çıkmıştır.

Genres: Art, Art History, Nonfiction, School, History, Classics

294 pages, Paperback

First published September 17, 1991

Reviews

[Czarny Pies · Rating 4 out of 5]

"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.

[Mary Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Owen Hatherley · Rating 4 out of 5]

An extremely interesting moment, well explained, though coming down against the 'syncretic' interpretation and more on the 'Greek imperialism' one.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

The standard work on the subject. Serves as a complement to Boardman's three-volume sculpture series.

[The Unglitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely great book!

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[Liam Ostermann · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Julia Deptuła · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of the most enjoyable academic reads!!!! actually had fun reading it, v gripping & informative