Praxitel - biography, facts from life, photos, background information. Praxiteles the sculptor of ancient Greece and his works The most famous sculpture

16.07.2019

Praxiteles, ancient Greek sculptor

Praxiteles(Praxityles) (about 390 BC - about 330 BC), ancient Greek sculptor. Representative of the late classics. Son and disciple of Kephisodot. He worked mainly in Athens. The works of Praxiteles, made mainly in marble, are known from antique copies and the testimonies of ancient authors (the original is, perhaps, the group "Hermes with the baby Dionysus", about 340 BC, Museum, Olympia). In the early works, Praxiteles follows in the main the traditions of Polykleitos. Subsequently, he develops a new, more refined ideal of beauty that meets the artistic trends of the era. The images of the gods created by Praxiteles, slender and harmonious in proportions, are full of dreamy thoughtfulness and contemplation. With the help of virtuoso processing of marble, the sculptor achieves tangible sensuality and flexible plasticity of images, the finest chiaroscuro play (the soft flow of the sculptural surface creates, for example, the effect of a "wet look" in his statues). Praxiteles' innovations include the use of genre elements, as well as the use of external fulcrum, allowing to give postures greater grace and ease ("Apollo Saurokton", or "Apollo killing a lizard", about 370 BC, Vatican Museum; "Aphrodite" for the island of Kos, or "Aphrodite from Arles", about 360-350 BC, Louvre). Among the most famous sculptures of Praxiteles in antiquity, repeatedly reproduced in copies, is Aphrodite of Cnidus (about 350 BC, Pio-Clementino Museum, Vatican, and

Praxiteles is a sculptor who lived during the time of Ancient Greece. The famous sculptor introduced elements of lyrics into art and succeeded in creating divine images. It is believed that it was he who was the first to praise the beauty of the naked body in his marble works. Researchers call the master a "singer of female beauty." What else can be said about him and his works?

Ancient Greek sculptor Praxiteles: biographical information

Unfortunately, there is little information about this talented person. Praxiteles is a sculptor who was born in Athens. Historians have not been able to establish the exact date of his birth, it is believed that he was born around 390 BC. The most recent mention of the master dates back to 334 BC, it refers to his work in Ephesus.

Praxiteles is a sculptor who managed to create about 70 works in his life, if you rely on information from ancient and medieval sources. However, the researchers were able to confidently name him the author of only a small part of them.

Family

What is known about the family of this outstanding person? statues, working with marble, he learned in the workshop of his father - the Athenian sculptor Kefisodota. It is worth mentioning that the father did not receive the glory that his son and student deserved. His most outstanding creation is a copper sculpture depicting the goddess Eirene with a baby in her arms.

Praxiteles also had two sons - Kefisodot and Timarchus. It is known that they followed in the footsteps of their father, but did not try to exactly copy his unique style. For example, Kefisodot succeeded most in the genre of portrait sculpture, created a portrait of the famous orator Lycurgus.

Love story

Praxiteles is a sculptor who has been in love with the beautiful for many years. Some historians claim that it was the features of this woman that he conveyed when creating a statue of beautiful goddesses. For example, it is possible that it was this lady who posed for him when he was working on his famous Aphrodite of Cnidus.

Two portrait statues of hetairas are also known, which have not survived to this day, the author of which he is.

Features of creativity

What topics did the brilliant Praxiteles prefer to touch on in his works? The sculptor, whose biography is discussed in this article, loved to create images of goddesses and gods. Information about works depicting maenads, nymphs, caryatids, and so on has also been preserved. Mere mortals were of much less interest to him.

The skill of Praxiteles was admired by his contemporaries and descendants, ancient writers compared the sculptor with other outstanding masters of that era, for example, with Polykleitos, Phidias. Especially favorable critics noted his ability to convey the beauty of the human body.

aesthetic ideal

Praxiteles also had his own aesthetic ideal, he liked to exalt the beauty of youth, which is still devoid of impulsive passion. The sculptor rarely worked with large compositions, preferring to focus on sculpting individual images. The sculptor never emphasized the muscles of the body, preferring to focus on tenderness.

It is interesting that it was Praxiteles, the sculptor of Ancient Greece, who was the first to venture to create a statue of a naked Aphrodite. Of course, accusations of indiscretion rained down on the master, but he did not pay attention to them. His Eros and satires, having lost their muscles, turned into dreamy, melancholy youths. The faces of his statues shine with tenderness and tranquility.

most famous sculpture

What is the most famous work created by the talented Praxiteles? The sculptor, whose brief biography is described in this article, is the author of a work depicting a god. It is believed that this is the only work of the sculptor that has come down to us in the original. The sculpture was discovered during the excavations that were carried out in Olympia in 1877. However, some researchers are still convinced that the statue is just a first-class replica of the work of the creator, while the original has been lost forever.

The sculpture is made of marble and depicts the god Hermes leaning against a tree trunk. In his right hand is a bunch of grapes, to which the baby Dionysus pulls his hands. Unfortunately, the hand of Hermes has not been preserved.” Researchers believe that work on this work was completed around the 40s of the fourth century BC.

Why is this statue so good? The work is filled with internal energy, which is emphasized by the relaxed pose of the hero. The sculptor endowed the impeccably beautiful face of the god with spirituality and tenderness. Praxiteles skillfully experiments with the shimmering play of chiaroscuro, draws attention to the finest nuances of texture. He managed to emphasize the nobility and strength of Hermes, the flexibility of his muscles. You can also note the shining eyes of the statue.

Young satyr

As already mentioned, the unobtrusive beauty of youth is a topic that the great creator Praxiteles especially loved. The sculptor, a photo of whose work can be seen in this article, created many works that extol the beauty of youth. The sculpture "Resting Satyr" is one of them. This work, unfortunately, has not been preserved in the original, but there are quite good replicas created many centuries ago.

Praxiteles emphasizes the grace of the young satyr, endowing him with a relaxed pose. The hero stands leaning on a tree trunk, shadows glide over the surface of the body, thanks to which the statue seems to be alive, moving. The warmth of the skin is accentuated by a heavy lynx skin draped over the shoulder. Satyr has a dreamy look, a soft smile plays on his lips. He holds a flute in his right hand, so it looks like he has just taken a break from playing.

The sculpture "Satyr pouring wine" also deserves a mention. It is assumed that it refers to the early work of Praxiteles. The statue is made of bronze, preserved only as a copy.

Aphrodite of Knidos

Of course, far from all the amazing creations authored by Praxiteles (sculptor) are described above. is one of his most outstanding works, the existence of which is known to our contemporaries. Unfortunately, the original creation of the master has not been preserved, but the inhabitants of the modern world have the opportunity to admire the numerous copies of this bright work.

The statue can be called unique, because before Praxiteles, not a single sculptor allowed himself to portray the goddesses naked. His sculpture is a kind of reference to the history of the origin of Aphrodite - the beautiful goddess who emerged from the sea foam, according to the famous legend. His heroine is a woman who has already got rid of her clothes and is going to swim.

The sculptor perfectly succeeded in emphasizing the grace of the body of the beautiful goddess, endowing her with a rich inner world. It's no surprise that his is on the list of the most outstanding statues of all time.

Other Aphrodite Praxiteles

It is known that the ancient Greek sculptor Praxiteles managed to create several statues of the goddess Aphrodite. Researchers believe that the first time this happened was when the sculptor was doing an order for Thespias. Historians believe that Aphrodite of Arles, which can be seen in the Louvre, goes back to this statue.

It was not possible to establish exactly what Praxiteles made the next two Aphrodites. The researchers found only information that one of these works was made of bronze. Much more famous was Aphrodite of Kos, whose image was preserved on ancient coins. This goddess was depicted dressed, her long hair flowing spectacularly over her shoulders. The woman's head was crowned with a wreath, and a necklace was placed around her neck.

Goddess Artemis

The brave goddess of hunting and fertility was also not ignored by the brilliant Praxiteles (sculptor). His works, glorifying Artemis, have come down to us only in the form of copies. For example, the statue of a huntress, which is the work of a sculptor, was located for a long time in her sanctuary, located near the city of Antikyra. Praxiteles dressed his heroine in a short chiton, and placed a torch in her hand.

Another statue of Artemis, which was kept in the sanctuary of the goddess, located in Athens, also went down in history. It was found that this sculpture was created in 345 BC. Many researchers are convinced that Artemis from Gabia, which is kept in the Louvre, is a replica of this work.

The third Artemis of Praxiteles adorned the sanctuary of Leto for a long time. Her neighborhood was made up of statues on which Leto and Apollo were depicted. Unfortunately no replicas of this famous work have been found.

God Apollo

The famous Praxiteles (sculptor) is considered the creator of what other famous sculpture? His works, as already mentioned, for the most part have come down to us only in the form of excellent copies. It is not surprising that in many cases the author of the sculptor is put by researchers under a question mark. Suppose this also applies to the sculpture, which depicts a lizard killer.

An alleged copy of this work is currently on display at the Louvre, formerly located in the Villa Borghese in Rome. The young god is depicted naked, his figure is located next to a tree on which a lizard climbs. Researchers believe that the lizard in this case symbolizes the fire-breathing Python. This is a dragon from ancient Greek mythology, which was killed by this god, according to legend. This replica was created in the first centuries of our era, it happened during the existence of the Roman Empire. There are two more good copies that can be seen in the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Pius Clementine Museum.

It is known that the original sculpture of Praxiteles, which depicts the god Apollo, was made of bronze. The copy, which reproduces the features of the original, is made of marble.

The date and cause of Praxiteles' death remain mysteries that research has not yet been able to solve.

(Greek praxiteles)

(c. 390 - c. 330 BC)

Greek sculptor, son of the Athenian sculptor Kefisodota. Of the 10 works attributed to him, only the Hermes with the baby Dionysus group and a number of Roman copies have survived - statues of Aphrodite of Cnidus, Apollo with a lizard, a resting satyr, etc.

Belov G.D. Praxitel L., 1973; Rivkin B.I. Antique art. M., 1972. S. 186-190.

(I.A. Lisovy, K.A. Revyako. The ancient world in terms, names and titles: Dictionary-reference book on the history and culture of Ancient Greece and Rome / Scientific ed. A.I. Nemirovsky. - 3rd ed. - Minsk: Belarus, 2001)

Athenian sculptor, who lived in the middle of the 4th century. BC which was admired and often imitated in antiquity. Many works of Praxiteles are known from marble copies, for example, his Aphrodite of Cnidus, described by Lucian and Pliny the Elder, his Aphrodite of Arles and Apollo Savrokton ("killing a lizard"). The famous sculpture - Hermes carrying the infant Dionysus, Pausanias may have seen in the original. It is also likely that Praxiteles worked on the mausoleum (see Mausolus). With less certainty, such masterpieces as The Drunken Satyr and Artemis of Gabia are attributed to him.

(Modern reference dictionary: Antique world. Compiled by M.I. Umnov. M .: Olympus, AST, 2000)

(2nd - 3rd quarter of the 4th century BC)

other gr. sculptor, origin from Athens. Worked premier. in marble. The style of P. can be judged by the original marble statue of his work - Hermes with the infant Dionysus, stored in the Museum of Olympia. Found in 1877, it was immediately identified as a product. P. at the mention of Pausanias, which is an exceptional case for our understanding of the greatest masters of other gr. sculptures, although this statue was not a masterpiece of P., and ancient, the authors pass over it in silence. The most famous production P. was Aphrodite of Knidos, who stood in the temple on the island of Knidos; according to Pliny the Elder, "the most beautiful statue not only of Praxiteles, but in general in the whole world." Bol. Lucian was a fan of this statue. The best copies of it are kept. in the Vatican, Brussels and Munich. Dr. prod. P. - Apollo Saurok-ton ("killing a lizard") - also identified in Extant copies (according to the description of Pliny St.). A number of statues of Eros, Artemis in the temple of Antikyra, Leto and Chloris in the temple of Argos, and others were attributed to him. a base from Mantinea, decorated with reliefs, on which stood statues by P. According to Pausanias, P. himself was especially proud of his statue of a satyr, which stood on Tripod Street in Athens, with which the antique an anecdote about Phryne. Possibly, it was this statue that survived in a number of copies, the best of which are in Dresden and Palermo. Dr. the statue of a satyr (“Resting Satyr”), which has come down in many copies, is named by Pliny St. (among the works of P. in bronze) "world famous". P. had the glory of an artist, who “endowed his marble figures with spiritual passions with perfect art.” The serene, refined grace of his creations P. influenced both the modern. he claims, and for the last, the era of Hellenism, especially, on the Alexandrian school. P.'s sons, Kefisodot and Timarchus, were also sculptors. L and t.: Belov G. D. Praxiteles. L., 1973; BrshpovaN. N. Praxiteles. M., 1958; Zeest I. B. Praxitele. M., 1941; 2.163 - 164; 3.114-115; 2S, 247-254; 33, 239 - 242; 58, 139 - 140; 59, 82 - 84; 94.106; 100.186 - 188; 112, 200 - 208.

(Ancient culture: literature, theater, art, philosophy, science. Dictionary-reference book / Edited by V.N. Yarkho. M., 1995.)

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    Praxiteles Praxiteles (Praxiteles) - an ancient Greek sculptor, the main representative of the Neo-Attic school of plastics, in all likelihood the son of the sculptor Kefisodot, born. in Athens at the beginning of the 4th century. to R. Chr. His works, in contrast to the works of the Athenian sculptors of the era

    Praxiteles

    From the book Great Soviet Encyclopedia (PR) of the author TSB

Lived in the 5th century BC. in Athens, where, in all likelihood, he was born. He was the son of the sculptor Cephisopot and the father of two sons, Cefisadot and Timarchus, who were also sculptors.
Pausanias reports that the heyday of Praxiteles' creativity falls on the time around 340 BC. By the middle of the fourth century BC. also applies to his connection with the heterosexual Phryne, who many times posed for his work. The connection of Praxiteles with Phryne, as well as the trip to Asia Minor, were, apparently, the key events in his life, since they are directly and decisively connected with his artistic work. It is possible that Phryne was the model for the statues of Aphrodite.

Creativity Praxiteles

Although Prakitel known more for his work in marble, but with no less success he worked in bronze. He learned the art of sculpting in marble and casting bronze statues from his father. When painting marble, he collaborated with the artist Nikias.
The number of works by Praxiteles mentioned in ancient and medieval sources is very high - about seventy. However, only a few of them are recognized with varying degrees of certainty. The originals are considered statue of hermes with the infant Dionysus from Olympia, found in May 1877 during the excavations of Olympia, relief plates of statues of the Apollonian trinity from Mantinea and a bronze statue of an ephebe found in the sea near Marathon.


All others works of Praxiteles have come down to us in copies and have been recognized as the work of Praxiteles based mainly on the manner of execution. Many of Praxiteles' works depict nymphs, maenads, caryatids, and others are allegories, however most are images of gods. The most significant works of Praxiteles are the sculptural group of Leto, Apollo and Artemis in Mantinea, Apollo Saurokton, Aphrodite of Knidos(Knidus - a peninsula in Asia Minor, Resting Satyr, Eros in Thespia, etc.


Praxitel worked in many Greek cities and Asia Minor, so his works were scattered throughout the Greek world, where they aroused such strong admiration among contemporaries that sometimes it seems exaggerated. Ancient writers extol the skill of Praxiteles and put him next to Phidias and Polykleitos, admire the way the sculptor depicts the beauty of the human body. Especially female beauty, so there were so many Praxitele statues of Aphrodine.
aesthetic ideal of Praxiteles youthful beauty, far from any impulsive passion. Praxiteles was more interested in depicting individual images than in large compositions. Having renounced the majestic and impressive traditions of Phidiean art and the "chiasm" of Polykleitos. Praxiteles avoids emphasizing the muscles of the body and introduces into Greek sculpture the image of the gods with a delicate body, for the first time completely exposes Aphrodite, depicts Eros and satyrs as beautiful melancholic and dreamy youths. The faces of Praxiteles are almost unique in Greek sculpture due to their tenderness, softness and calmness.

The classic posture of the athletic body is now replaced by a very natural posture of the body, which carelessly leans on some object, usually on a tree trunk, emphatically curving at the waist in such a way that the vertical axis of the body eventually forms the “S” line.
Thus, he becomes the creator of an elegant artistic style that is able to express not only the perfection of the human body, but also the feeling and mental warehouse of the depicted person.
Influence of Praxiteles on subsequent sculptors was huge.

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Praxiteles - an ancient Greek sculptor, was born in Athens around 390 BC. Perhaps Praxitel is the son and student of Kefisodot the Elder. Praxiteles worked in his native city in 370-330. BC, and in 350-330. BC. sculpted also in Mantinea and in Asia Minor. His works, mostly in marble, are known mainly from Roman copies and the testimonies of ancient authors.
The best idea of ​​the style of Praxiteles is given by the statue of Hermes with the infant Dionysus (Museum at Olympia), which was found during excavations in the temple of Hera at Olympia. Despite some doubts, this is almost certainly an original, made around 340 BC. The flexible figure of Hermes gracefully leaned on a tree trunk. The master managed to improve the interpretation of the motif of a man with a child in his arms: the movements of both hands of Hermes are compositionally connected with the baby. Probably, in his right, not preserved hand, there was a bunch of grapes, with which he teased Dionysus, which is why the baby was reaching for it. The poses of the heroes have moved further away from the stiff straightness seen in the earlier masters. The figure of Hermes is proportionately built and perfectly worked out, the smiling face is full of liveliness, the profile is graceful, and the smooth surface of the skin contrasts sharply with the schematically outlined hair and the woolly surface of the cloak thrown over the trunk. Hair, drapery, eyes and lips, and sandal straps were painted. The coloring of the statues at Praxiteles pursued not only a decorative effect: he considered it an extremely important matter and entrusted well-known artists, such as Nikia from Athens and others. The masterful and innovative execution of Hermes made him the most famous work of Praxiteles in our time; however, in ancient times, the statues of Aphrodite, Eros and satyrs that did not reach us were considered his masterpieces. Judging by the surviving copies, they existed in several versions.
The statue of Aphrodite of Cnidus was considered in antiquity not only the best creation of Praxiteles, but in general the best statue of all time. As Pliny the Elder writes, many came to Knidos just to see her. It was the first monumental image of a completely naked female figure in Greek art, and therefore it was rejected by the inhabitants of Kos, for whom it was intended, after which it was bought by the townspeople of neighboring Cnidus. In Roman times, the image of this statue of Aphrodite was minted on Knidos coins, numerous copies were made from it (the best of them is now in the Vatican, and the best copy of the head of Aphrodite is in the Kaufmann collection in Berlin). In ancient times, it was claimed that the model of Praxiteles was his beloved, hetaera Phryne.
Worse are other statues of Aphrodite attributed to Praxiteles. A copy of the statue chosen by the inhabitants of Kos has not been preserved. Aphrodite from Arles, named after the place of discovery and kept in the Louvre, may not depict Aphrodite, but Phryne. The legs of the statue are hidden by drapery, and the torso is completely exposed; judging by her posture, she held a mirror in her left hand. A few fine statuettes of a woman putting on a necklace have also survived, but again one can see both Aphrodite and a mortal woman in them.
Statues of Eros by Praxiteles were at Thespiae in Boeotia and at Paria in Troas. An idea of ​​them can be given by the graceful and elegant figures of Eros on coins, medallions and gems, where he is represented leaning on a column and supporting his head with his hand, or next to a herm, as on coins from Pariah. The torsos of similar statues have been preserved from Bai (kept in Naples and the Metropolitan Museum in New York) and from the Palatine Hill (in the Louvre and in the museum in Parma).
According to copies, two versions of the statue of a young satyr are known, one of which, perhaps, belongs to the early period of Praxiteles' work, and the other to the mature one. The statues of the first type depict a satyr who pours wine from a high-lifted jug with his right hand into a bowl in his other hand; on his head he has a bandage and a wreath of ivy, his features are noble, his profile is thin. The best copies of this type are found in Castel Gandolfo, in Anzio and in Torre del Greco. In the second version (it was copied more often, the best statues are in the Torlonia Museum and in the Capitoline Museum in Rome; to these should be added the torso from the Palatine Hill, stored in the Louvre), a satyr was depicted leaning on a tree trunk, holding a flute in his right hand, and with the left, throwing back the skin of a panther thrown over his shoulder.
The motif of a figure leaning on a support is also used in the statue of Dionysus, the best copy of which is in Madrid. Dionysus relies on a herm reminiscent of the herm of the sculptor Alkamen, the same as in Hermes by Kefisodot. The statue of Apollo of Lyceum, so called because it was located in the Athenian Lyceum gymnasium, is reproduced on Attic coins. Apollo here leans on a column and supports his head with his right hand, in his left hand is a bow. Quite a few copies of this statue have survived, the best of which are in the Louvre and in the Capitoline Museum in Rome. There are also copies of the statue of the young Apollo Savrokton (Apollo killing the lizard) - in the Louvre, in the Vatican, at the Villa Albani in Rome, etc.
In two versions of the statue of Artemis created by Praxiteles, we see examples of solving the motif of a draped human figure. One of them depicts a young hunter dressed in a simple peplos, who takes an arrow from a quiver behind her back. The best copy of this type is the Artemis kept in Dresden. The second option is the so-called. Artemis Brauronia from the Athenian Acropolis, dating back to 345 BC, belongs to the late period of the master's work. It is believed that a copy of it is a statue found in the Gabia and kept in the Louvre. Artemis is depicted here as the patroness of women: she throws a veil over her right shoulder, brought by a woman as a gift for a successful release from a burden.
One of the last works of Praxiteles is the Leto group with Apollo and Artemis, fragments of which were found in Mantinea. On the pedestal, the sculptor carved a relief depicting the competition of Apollo and Marsyas in the presence of nine muses, the relief (in its entirety, except for the figures of the three muses) was found and is now in Athens. The folds of the draperies reveal a wealth of elegant plastic motifs.
Praxiteles was an unsurpassed master in conveying the grace of the body and the subtle harmony of the spirit. Most often he portrayed the gods, and even the satyrs, as young; in his work to replace the majesty and sublimity of the images of the 5th century BC. grace and dreamy tenderness come. The art of Praxiteles found its continuation in the works of his sons and students, Kefisodot the Younger and Timarchus, who worked on the orders of the Ptolemies on the island of Kos and transferred the style of the sculptor to the East. In Alexandrian imitations of Praxiteles, his inherent tenderness turns into weakness and languid lifelessness.
"Hermes with the Infant Dionysus", a sculptural group believed to be a genuine work of Praxiteles, made of marble around 330 BC. e. Stored in the Archaeological Museum, Olympia. The flexible figure of Hermes gracefully leaned on a tree trunk. Probably, in his right, not preserved hand, there was a bunch of grapes, with which he teased Dionysus, which is why the baby was reaching for it. The figure of Hermes is proportionately built and perfectly worked out, the smiling face is full of liveliness, the profile is graceful, and the smooth surface of the skin contrasts sharply with the schematically outlined hair and the woolly surface of the cloak thrown over the trunk. Hair, drapery, eyes and lips, and sandal straps were painted.

"Aphrodite of Cnidus", a sculpture made by Praxiteles. A naked goddess is depicted, holding a fallen robe with her hand. Not preserved, known from a Roman copy, kept in the Vatican Museums. Praxiteles for the first time dared to portray the female figure of Aphrodite completely naked. In those days in Hellas, the naked body of the goddess was an absolute taboo. Having created a naked Aphrodite, Praxiteles took a very bold step, demonstrating to his contemporaries that she was not only a majestic goddess, but also a beautiful woman.

"Resting Satyr", a marble sculpture made by Praxiteles. Copies are kept in the Capitoline Museum (Rome) and the State Hermitage Museum (St. Petersburg). A beautiful young man, resting, casually leaned his elbows on a tree trunk. Fine modeling, as well as shadows gently sliding over the surface of the body, create a feeling of breathing, awe of life. The lynx skin thrown over the shoulder with its heavy folds and rough texture sets off the extraordinary vitality and warmth of the body. Deep-set eyes carefully look at the world around him, a soft, slightly sly smile on his lips, in his right hand is the flute on which he has just played.



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