Kroisos vs. Kritios

In Ancient Greece, artists drew inspiration from the Egyptians, whether it be through their architectural forms or their statues of kings. In this case, we look at two statues of men; Kroisos, from Anavysos, Greece, and Kritios boy.

Both of these statues are a kouros, meaning “young man” and they are free-standing statues of men. Their female

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counterpart is called a kore, which is Greek for “young woman” (Stokstad, 107). These free-standing statues were usually fairly accurate sculptures of the men they were meant to represent. The kouros are typically life-size or sometimes twice as large as an actual human and made of white marble they discovered in Egypt (Onians).

The kouros are not meant to be a particular individual or human being, but are created with the intention of being a representation or symbol of the Archaic Greek ideal; gods, warriors, and victorious athletes (Stokstad, 107). In Ancient Greece, young male athletes were considered symbols of fertility and family continuity. This is a contrasting representation to the art we looked at from the Prehistoric Era where many sculptures of females included enlarged breasts and stomachs, also symbolizing fertility.

Each of the statues drew inspiration from Egyptian art again in that they both are trying to capture movement through the placement of their feet; one leg in front of the other. In Ancient Greece, however, they separated the arms and legs from the marble stone which makes them appear more life-like. Furthermore, there is a slight difference in the way Kroisos and the Kritios boy are standing. Kroisos has a much more rigid stance that appears much less natural than the Kritios boy whose weight is shifted to one side, tilting the shoulders and head as a result.

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The expressions of the two statues are also different. Kroisos has what is called an Archaic smile, which is characteristic of this time and meant to enliven and warm the expression of the face (Onians). Kritios boy, however, is given a more realistic expression that someone might have, and appears much more serious.

Both statues are fairly naturalistic in the body; the musculature and fleshy skin. However, Kroisos appears much more geometrical in the abdominal region than Kritios boy. The men also share the same stylistic hair, which contrasts with their naturalistic bodies. Kroisos has long hair in braids with curls and swirls at the top while Kritios has a shorter hair style but with the same kind of curls along the forehead.

Stokstad, Marilyn. Art: A Brief History. Fourth Edition. (Prentice-Hall, 2009). pp 107.

Onians, John. Classical Art and the Cultures of Greece and Rome. N.p.: Yale UP, 1999. Print.

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