In ancient Greece, the corporeal essence was a key to embracing the human-divine connection. As the democratic state and philosophy developed, the perception and presentation of the human form also changed. In ancient Greece, the body was the material means of constructing and transmitting social values; the body’s visual representation exemplified the moral codes of the time. With the development of philosophy and moral judgments of right and wrong, some human body depictions gradually transformed from realistic to distorted and exaggerated to highlight the implied ethical message.
The rank and personal status of a person in ancient Greece were evaluated, among other things, by one’s physical form. The Athenian democracy was established around the fifth century B.C. but soon evolved into an aristocracy, where the best-elected people ruled (Tridmas 995). At roughly the same time, the classically ideal body sculpture took over ancient Greece art. Some of the sculptures of that time began depicting the set of beliefs about how society works – and who gets to be a part of it. For instance, public sculptures with prominent postures and distinct physiques acted, arguably, as a reminder of societal progress.
Moreover, the accent on the development of science and philosophy was reflected in the realm of art as well. For example, the mathematical precision of the bodily proportions and their ratio, embraced by Aristotle, Socrates, and other philosophers, became an increasingly bigger part of fine art, including representing the human form (Gondek and Weaver 2). Overall, this era was signified by the strive for perfection, manifesting itself in depicting ideal bodies, which signified (nearly) ideal citizens.
As time went on, well-developed musculature stayed associated with superiority – which is why the ancient Greek gods or god-like warriors are portrayed in perfect physical shape. However, the representations of exaggerated stylistic behavior and appearance returned after the classically harmonious era (Gondek and Weaver 2). For example, a notable exception to perfect divine bodies is Dionysus, a god of festivity and insanity, who has sometimes been portrayed as a moderately obese man, clearly reflecting a passing judgment. In the later centuries, many Greek sculptures returned to being almost cartoon-like.
The human body was the foundational part of a person’s image, by which they fit within the societal hierarchy. As Socrates’ and then Plato’s philosophy took hold, a well-sculpted body and high intelligence became major determinants of social status. For instance, Tanner analyzes an example of two vase paintings, where an alert, muscular, and tall Lapith fights with an awkward Centaur with a confused and unappealing face (198). The beautiful and highly ordered posture of the Lapith refers to Plato’s description of “fine physiques” that go along with “noble characters” (Tanner 200). Thus, the appearance of human (or semi-human) bodies began to convey part of the moral narrative.
To conclude, the way the human form was portrayed reflected a larger picture of the development of ancient Greek political and philosophical systems. Initial and most commonly knowns portrayals of perfect bodies reflected the political, philosophical, and mathematical desire to portray perfect people. However, as the notions of right or wrong developed, ancient Greek artists partially moved away from the flawless human form, focusing on enhancing features to convey a story.
Works Cited
Gondek, Renee M., and Carrie L. Sulosky Weaver. “Approaching Transformation.”The Ancient Art of Transformation: Case Studies from Mediterranean Contexts, Oxbow Books, 2019, pp. 1–6. JSTOR.
Tanner, Jeremy. “Social Structure, Cultural Rationalization and Aesthetic Judgement in Classical Greece.” Word And Image in Ancient Greece, Edinburgh University Press, 2020, pp. 183–273.