Visual Art Paper 2 (Essay) WASSCE (SC), 2016

Question 7

 Write notes on the sculpture of archaic period of Greek art focusing on:
(a)        Subject matter;
(b)        four characteristics.

Observation

(a)        Subject matter

  • - Standing clothed female figure called kore (young woman)
  • - Standing male nude called kouros (young man)
  • - Draped male figures
  • - Seated and reclining figures
  • - Horseman
  • - Warriors with sacrificial animals
  • - Imaginary creatures such as sphinxes
  • - Relief terracotta plaques depicting myths or scenes of everyday life.

 (b)       Characteristics

  • - Naturalistic representation
  • - Rigid pose
  • - Block-like shape
  • - Stiff and frontal (often female) figures (Daedalic form).
  • - Subtle mechanical smile covering actual feeling
  • - Elaborate clothing (Kore)
  • - Male figures (Kouros) in nude
  • - Predominantly marble
  • - Former representation in adherence to established forms and patterns
  • - Frontal pose with the left foot extended forward
  • - Arm attached or close to the hips
  • - Male painted in the dark colour
  • - Female painted in lighter colour
  • - Figures have braided hair