Kouros of Paros
Catalogue Image
2014-00-00
Name/Title
Kouros of ParosEntry/Object ID
75G0303Description
Kouros (boy) standing, facing front, with left leg forward and arms straight down by his sides. Right arm has been broken off at the shoulder, while left arm hangs downwards with the left hand clenched and pressed against the thigh. Wig like hairstyle, wearing a fillet. Almond shaped eyes with archaic smile. Penis is missing from the statue. Legs are absent below the knee. Statue set on a base.Type of Sculpture
StatueArtwork Details
Medium
PlasterContext
Because the statue was found in the Asklepieion on the island of Paros, this Kouros statue may have been a dedicatory statue to the god Asklepios. Kouroi are mostly found in sanctuaries and on graves, so they are believed to have religious or funerary significance. These statues may have represented or were dedicated to a deceased man, though the figure's youthful countenance may suggest that this is a representation of the god Apollo. The stylized braids of the figure's hair, along with the left-foot forward stance, is suggestive of the near-Eastern influence permeating Greek art during this period. The figure's fully sculpted nudity is indicative of a popularization of the male nude in Greek art during the Archaic period.Collection
Archaic GreeceMade/Created
Date made
540 BCE - 530 BCETime Period
ArchaicEthnography
Culture/Tribe
Greek - Archaic