Kouros Analysis

The function of the Anavysos Kouros most likely as grave marker of a young warrior named Kroisos, who died in war before having children. Most Kouroi were used as grave markers, although they were not portraits of those who had died. The artwork most likely stood on top of his grave or the communal family grave. It is also thought to be a depiction of the god, Apollo. The artwork may have been used as a votive figure, giving offerings to the god Apollo. The Anavysos Kouros is made out of marble and still has remnants of paint. Some Kouros figures may have been made out of bronze as both bronze and marble were indigenous materials to ancient Greece. The remnants of paint indicate it would have been brightly polychromed, with natural hues; the

Adding flesh and muscle contour around the body give a sense of realism. The early Kouros may have been influenced during trade with the Egyptians, with the exposure to canon of proportion and monumental sculptures. The toes are all the same length, arms are down and attached. Later Kouros have more muscle and are more naturalistic with articulated toes. The artwork is quite rounded and reveal it is in a transitional form. Through the transition of the Archaic period the figures begin to look less stiff and formal. The frontal pose of the Kouros reveal the rigid stance of articulated feet with one leg moved forward. There is also a sense of symmetry throughout the entire anatomy of the artwork using simple geometric forms. Unlike in Egyptian art nudity does not indicate lower status, but an aesthetic concept of an idealized form. Greek’s militaristic society is a reason the figures are nude. The bare muscular bodies illustrate the warrior culture and the might of the Greek army. Sadly the Kouroi, like most nude figures, were destroyed during the early Christian period in Greece. This results in the artwork become rare artifacts, leading to forged artworks being sold as