Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
Pat Getz-Preziosi
Library of Congress
Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Getz-Preziosi, Pat.
Early Cycladic sculpture : an introduction /
Pat Getz-Preziosi.Rev. ed.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 0-89236-220-0
I . Sculpture, Cycladic. I . J. P. Getty M u s e u m .
I I . Title.
NB130.C78G4 1994
730 '.0939 '15-dc20
94-16753
CIP
Contents
vii
x
xi
Foreword
Preface
Preface to F i r s t E d i t i o n
Introduction
C o l o r Plates
17
T h e Stone Vases
18
51
59
64
66
71
78
T h e D i s t r i b u t i o n o f the F i g u r e s
79
B e y o n d the Cyclades
83
M a j o r Collections of Early
Cycladic Sculpture
84
Selected B i b l i o g r a p h y
86
Photo C r e d i t s
Foreword
R i c h m o n d , Virginia, Fort W o r t h ,
Texas, a n d San F r a n c i s c o , i n 1 9 8 7 1988, a n d " C y c l a d i c C u l t u r e : Naxos
i n the T h i r d M i l l e n n i u m , " s h o w n at
the G o u l a n d r i s M u s e u m i n A t h e n s i n
1990, a n d b r o u g h t t h e t a n g i b l e r e
mains of this Bronze Age civilization
to t h e a t t e n t i o n o f a b r o a d e r p u b l i c
a u d i e n c e . Several m a j o r n e w p u b l i c a
t i o n s also a p p e a r e d , i n c l u d i n g Pat
Getz-Preziosi's m a j o r study,
Sculptors
of the Cyclades, a n d C o l i n Renfrew's
evocative The Cycladic Spirit. B u t per
haps m o s t i m p o r t a n t l y , o u r k n o w l
edge o f the c u l t u r e o f the Cyclades i n
the B r o n z e A g e has been increased by
c o n t i n u i n g excavations and surveys o f
Cycladic sites, p a r t i c u l a r l y on the is
lands o f M e l o s , A m o r g o s , Kea, Keros,
and S a n t o r i n i , as w e l l as r e l a t e d sites
o n m a i n l a n d Greece a n d the i s l a n d o f
Crete. These r e m a r k a b l e w o r k s o f art,
once v a l u e d m o r e for the i n s p i r a t i o n
t h e y p r o v i d e d to m o d e r n s c u l p t o r s
l i k e B r a n c u s i or H e n r y M o o r e t h a n as
the sophisticated achievements of
t h e i r o w n c u l t u r e , can be better appre
ciated as w e u n d e r s t a n d m o r e about
the society t h a t p r o d u c e d t h e m .
T h e r e m a r k a b l e stone sculptures p r o
duced i n the Cyclades d u r i n g the t h i r d
m i l l e n n i u m B . C . have b o t h the advan
tage a n d d i s a d v a n t a g e o f i m m e n s e
p o p u l a r appeal. Even the m o s t casual
observers can i m m e d i a t e l y appreciate
the carefully s c u l p t e d f o r m s o f h u m a n
figures r e d u c e d to t h e i r essential out
lines a n d the vessels o f sure a n d s i m
ple contours w i t h m i n i m a l d e c o r a t i o n .
O u r a t t r a c t i o n to these objects s h o u l d
not be confused w i t h u n d e r s t a n d i n g ,
however, for i t belies the fact t h a t w e
k n o w almost n o t h i n g of the rituals
and beliefs of the society that p r o
duced t h e m .
T h e decade since the f i r s t e d i t i o n
of this b o o k a p p e a r e d has w i t n e s s e d
a b u r g e o n i n g interest i n the study
of Cycladic art and c i v i l i z a t i o n . I n
the same year, 1985, the N i c h o l a s P.
Goulandris Foundation and M u s e u m
of Cycladic A r t , the first i n s t i t u t i o n
d e d i c a t e d to "the d i s s e m i n a t i o n a n d
p r o m o t i o n o f Cycladic art to a w i d e r
scholarly c o m m u n i t y a n d the general
public," opened in Athens. Signifi
cant e x h i b i t i o n s f o l l o w e d , i n c l u d i n g
"Early Cycladic Sculpture i n N o r t h
American Collections," shown in
Pat Getz-Preziosi's
vii
c o n t r i b u t i o n to
t h e s t u d y o f C y c l a d i c stone s c u l p t u r e ,
b o t h i d o l s a n d vessels, a n d o f t h e art
ists w h o p r o d u c e d t h e m , is s u r e l y
u n i q u e . A l t h o u g h t h e basic c h r o n o
l o g i c a l d e v e l o p m e n t o f t h e i d o l types
h a d b e e n p r e v i o u s l y e s t a b l i s h e d , she
was t h e first scholar to r e c o g n i z e t h e
stylistic r e l a t i o n s h i p s a m o n g d i f f e r e n t
pieces a n d to a t t r i b u t e t h e m o n t h i s
basis t o i n d i v i d u a l h a n d s o r " m a s
ters." L i k e those of the creators o f
most surviving ancient artifacts, the
n a m e s o f t h e s e c r a f t s m e n are u n r e
c o r d e d , a n d t h e s c u l p t o r s are n o w
i d e n t i f i e d f o r c o n v e n i e n c e by t h e
names of the collections w h i c h i n
c l u d e or have i n c l u d e d i n the past one
or m o r e examples o f the artist's w o r k .
I t is u n l i k e l y t h a t w e s h a l l ever k n o w
m o r e a b o u t these s c u l p t o r s , b u t D r .
Getz-Preziosi's e x a m i n a t i o n o f groups
of w o r k s by d i f f e r e n t h a n d s a n d h e r
c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f t h e changes a n d var
i a t i o n s i n key s t y l i s t i c features a m o n g
m e m b e r s o f each g r o u p p r o v i d e us
w i t h considerable insight into the
d i s t i n c t a r t i s t i c p e r s o n a l i t i e s t h a t cre
ated t h e m .
D r . G e t z - P r e z i o s i was also t h e first
to offer a c o n v i n c i n g analysis o f t h e
s t a n d a r d i z e d f o r m u l a e t h a t s e e m to
have been a p p l i e d i n the c r e a t i o n o f
t h e stone f i g u r e s . W h i l e the i d o l s ap
pear deceptively s i m p l e at first glance,
t h e f o r m u l a e she believes w e r e used
for t h e p l a n n i n g a n d e x e c u t i o n o f
the i m a g e s reveal t h e i r e x t r a o r d i n a r y
refinement of design. These formulae
m a y also h e l p to e x p l a i n t h e r a t h e r
unsettling impression of similarity
a m o n g figures o f each t y p e , i n spite o f
t h e i r v a r i a t i o n s i n i n d i v i d u a l details.
Readers f a m i l i a r w i t h the origi
nal e d i t i o n o f t h i s b o o k w i l l r e a l i z e
that a n u m b e r o f objects have changed
h a n d s since its appearance. I n 1988,
t h e G e t t y M u s e u m a c q u i r e d t h e Cy
cladic c o l l e c t i o n o f Paul a n d M a r i a n n e
Steiner, i n c l u d i n g t h e n a m e - p i e c e o f
the Steiner Master. T h e W o o d n e r
F a m i l y C o l l e c t i o n was s o l d i n 1991
a n d is n o w i n a N e w Y o r k p r i v a t e
collection.
K e n n e t h H a m m a , Associate C u r a
tor o f A n t i q u i t i e s , has o v e r s e e n t h e
p r o d u c t i o n o f t h i s r e v i s e d e d i t i o n , at
t e n d i n g to m y r i a d details w i t h charac
teristic care a n d patience. T h e text was
e d i t e d by C y n t h i a N e w m a n B o h n , a n d
E l l e n Rosenbery p r o v i d e d n e w p h o t o -
viii
g r a p h s o f the S t e i n e r pieces.
T h i s v o l u m e is i n t e n d e d as a g e n
e r a l i n t r o d u c t i o n to a c o m p l e x a n d
i n t r i g u i n g subject t h a t is c o n s t a n t l y
e n h a n c e d by n e w discoveries. W e may
only hope that the excavations and
research a c t i v i t i e s o f t h e n e x t decade
w i l l f u r t h e r elucidate the o r i g i n a l c u l
t u r a l significance o f these artifacts,
w h i c h have lost n o n e o f t h e i r i m m e
diacy a n d a p p e a l m o r e t h a n f o u r m i l
l e n n i a after t h e i r c r e a t i o n .
M a r i o n True
Curator of Antiquities
ix
Preface
Preface to First E d i t i o n
B l o o m i n g t o n ) , J o h n Coffey ( B o w d o i n
College A r t M u s e u m , B r u n s w i c k ) , J.
Gy. Szilagyi ( M u s e e des B e a u x - A r t s ,
Budapest), Jane Biers ( M u s e u m o f A r t
and Archaeology, University of M i s
souri, C o l u m b i a ) , Giselle Eberhard
(Musee B a r b i e r - M u l l e r , Geneva),
D o m i n i q u e de M e n i l ( M e n i l F o u n d a
t i o n , H o u s t o n ) , U r i A v i d a (Israel M u
seum, Jerusalem), M i c h a e l Maass and
J i i r g e n T h i m m e (Badisches L a n d e s m u s e u m , K a r l s r u h e ) , J. Lesley F i t t o n
(British Museum, London), Tina
O l d k n o w (Los Angeles County M u
seum of A r t ) , Jifi Frel and M a r i o n
True (J. Paul Getty M u s e u m , M a l i b u ) ,
The Guennol Collection (New York),
Joan M e r t e n s ( M e t r o p o l i t a n M u s e u m
o f A r t , N e w Y o r k ) , A l e x a n d r a Staf
f o r d ( N e w Y o r k ) , Paul a n d M a r i a n n e
Steiner (New York), Ian Woodner
(New York), Michael Vickers and
Ann Brown (Ashmolean Museum,
O x f o r d ) , Sara C a m p b e l l ( N o r t o n
S i m o n M u s e u m , Pasadena), Frances
F o l l i n Jones ( T h e A r t M u s e u m ,
Princeton U n i v e r s i t y ) , Renee B e l l e r
Dreyfus (The Fine Arts M u s e u m s of
San Francisco), Paula T h u r m a n (Seat
tle A r t M u s e u m ) , S a b u r o h Hasegawa
For graciously a l l o w i n g m e to r e p r o
duce objects f r o m t h e i r c o l l e c t i o n s
and for p r o v i d i n g photographs and
i n f o r m a t i o n , I a m m o s t grateful to the
f o l l o w i n g m u s e u m s , m u s e u m author
ities, and private owners: Dolly Gou
landris (Athens), Adriana Calinescu
(Indiana University Art Museum,
xi
xii
Introduction
Since t h e n , r e c o v e r y o f t h e a r t a n d
archaeology o f t h e p r e - G r e e k c u l t u r e
that flowered i n the Cycladic archi
p e l a g o has b e e n c o n t i n u o u s , b o t h
t h r o u g h systematic e x p l o r a t i o n and
t h r o u g h c l a n d e s t i n e d i g g i n g . As a re
sult, several t h o u s a n d m a r b l e objects
are n o w k n o w n , p r o v i d i n g a r i c h a n d
v a r i e d corpus to s t u d y a n d enjoy.
Cycladic figures or idols, as the mos t
d i s t i n c t i v e objects o f this early c u l t u r e
are freely c a l l e d , * have h e l d a strange
appeal f o r n e a r l y five m i l l e n n i a . D u r
i n g the p e r i o d o f t h e i r m a n u f a c t u r e ,
roughly 3000-2200 B . C . , they were
b u r i e d w i t h the Cycladic dead, but
t h e y w e r e also e x p o r t e d b e y o n d t h e
Cyclades a n d even i m i t a t e d nearby o n
Crete a n d i n A t t i c a w h e r e they have
also b e e n f o u n d i n graves. F r a g m e n
tary figures, chance finds t r e a s u r e d as
m a g i c a l l y c h a r g e d relics, w e r e occa
sionally reused i n later m i l l e n n i a . I n
m o d e r n t i m e s C y c l a d i c figures w e r e
at f i r s t c o n s i d e r e d p r i m i t i v e , i n t h e
p e j o r a t i v e sense o f t h e w o r d , u g l y ,
a n d , at best, c u r i o s i t i e s f r o m t h e d i m
recesses o f G r e e k p r e h i s t o r y . R e d i s
covered i n the t w e n t i e t h century,
largely t h r o u g h the appreciation of
O v e r a c e n t u r y ago E u r o p e a n t r a v e l
ers b e g a n to e x p l o r e t h e m o r e t h a n
t h i r t y s m a l l i s l a n d s t h a t l i e at t h e
center o f t h e A e g e a n Sea ( f i g . 1). W e
k n o w these i s l a n d s by t h e h i s t o r i c a l
Greek name of some of themthe
Cycladesso called because they w e r e
t h o u g h t to e n c i r c l e t i n y D e l o s , sacred
b i r t h p l a c e o f t h e gods A r t e m i s a n d
A p o l l o . A m o r e a p p r o p r i a t e n a m e for
these rocky s u m m i t s o f s u b m e r g e d
m o u n t a i n s m i g h t have been " T h e
M a r b l e Isles" or M a r m a r i n a i ; for
m a n y , i f n o t m o s t , o f t h e m are excel
l e n t sources o f t h e m a t e r i a l t h a t was
to s p a r k t h e c r e a t i v e i m p u l s e s a n d
c h a l l e n g e t h e energies o f sculptors i n
both prehistoric and historic times.
N i n e t e e n t h - c e n t u r y travelers to the
Cyclades b r o u g h t h o m e a n u m b e r o f
" c u r i o u s " m a r b l e f i g u r i n e s , o r sigillaria, as t h e y c a l l e d t h e m , w h i c h h a d
been f o r t u i t o u s l y u n e a r t h e d by f a r m
ers' p l o w s . B y t h e 1880s i n t e r e s t i n
these s c u l p t u r e s , w h i c h w e n o w rec
ognize as the p r o d u c t s o f E a r l y Bronze
A g e c r a f t s m a n s h i p , was s u f f i c i e n t l y
aroused that i n f o r m a t i o n about the
c u l t u r e w h i c h p r o d u c e d t h e m was ac
tively sought t h r o u g h excavation.
Figure 1.
The Cyclades and neigh
boring lands. The dotted
line indicates some
uncertainty regarding the
eastern boundary of the
Early Bronze Age culture;
possibly Ikaria and
Astypalaia ought to be
included within its sphere.
tions o f u n d i s t u r b e d sites. T h e p i c t u r e
we have o f C y c l a d i c art has been fur
t h e r c l o u d e d by the i n s i n u a t i o n o f for
geries, p r i m a r i l y d u r i n g the 1960s.
T h e fragmentary state o f the archae
o l o g i c a l r e c o r d o n l y c o m p o u n d s the
very d i f f i c u l t p r o b l e m o f u n d e r s t a n d
i n g the o r i g i n a l m e a n i n g a n d f u n c t i o n
of these figures as w e l l as o t h e r finds
f r o m t h e E a r l y C y c l a d i c p e r i o d . I t is
clear t h a t t h e sculptures had at least a
s e p u l c h r a l p u r p o s e , b u t b e y o n d that,
the l i t t l e w e k n o w a n d the views w e
now h o l d are open to the k i n d o f a m p l i
f i c a t i o n o r a l t e r a t i o n that o n l y f u r t h e r
c o n t r o l l e d excavation m i g h t p r o v i d e .
W h i l e i t is t r u e t h a t t h e excavation
o f E a r l y C y c l a d i c sites has been re
stricted almost exclusively to cemeter
ies, the few settlements that have been
e x p l o r e d have y i e l d e d l i t t l e i n the way
of m a r b l e objects. Perhaps t h e m o s t
i m p o r t a n t gap i n the r e c o r d at pres
ent is the lack o f b u i l d i n g s or sites that
can d e f i n i t e l y be c o n s i d e r e d sanctuar
ies, a l t h o u g h t h e r e is one t a n t a l i z i n g
p o s s i b i l i t y w h i c h w i l l be d i s c u s s e d
later.
To date, n o f i g u r e m e a s u r i n g 60 c m
or m o r e has ever been u n c o v e r e d by
an archaeologist.
W e do not k n o w
t h e r e f o r e h o w t h e very large images
w e r e n o r m a l l y used, t h o u g h the avail
able i n f o r m a t i o n suggests that, at least
on occasion, they, too, were b u r i e d
w i t h the dead.
A l t h o u g h t h e skeletal r e m a i n s have
n o t been analyzed, i t appears f r o m the
objects f o u n d w i t h t h e m t h a t m a r b l e
images were b u r i e d w i t h b o t h m e n
and w o m e n but evidently not w i t h
c h i l d r e n . M o r e o v e r , w h i l e some c e m
eteries are n o t i c e a b l y r i c h e r i n m a r
ble goods t h a n o t h e r s , even i n these
n o t e v e r y b u r i a l w a s so e n d o w e d .
M a r b l e objects, figures as w e l l as ves
sels, a c c o m p a n i e d o n l y a p r i v i l e g e d
few to t h e i r graves. I t is t h o u g h t t h a t
t h e m a j o r i t y o f t h e islanders m a d e do
w i t h less costly w o o d e n f i g u r e s ( a l l
traces o f w h i c h w o u l d have v a n i s h e d
by n o w ) , j u s t as t h e y h a d to be c o n
t e n t w i t h vessels f a s h i o n e d f r o m clay.
A t p r e s e n t , t h e r e is n o t s u f f i c i e n t
a r c h a e o l o g i c a l evidence to state w i t h
assurance w h e t h e r these figures w e r e
n o r m a l l y accorded respect at the t i m e
of t h e i r i n t e r m e n t w i t h t h e dead, w h o
were placed i n cramped, unprepos
sessing, b o x l i k e graves. C l e a r i n f o r
For t h e t i m e b e i n g , one m a y t h i n k
o f t h e s e s c u l p t u r e s as t h e p e r s o n a l
possessions o f t h e d e a d r a t h e r t h a n
as gifts m a d e to t h e m at t h e t i m e o f
by w h o m . W h a t follows, t h e n , is a sur
vey o f t h e t y p o l o g i c a l d e v e l o p m e n t o f
Early Cycladic sculpture, i n a d d i t i o n ,
i t is t h e i n t e n t i o n here to s h o w t h a t it
is possible to isolate the w o r k s o f i n d i
v i d u a l sculptors and to speculate about
these i n d i v i d u a l s ' g r o w t h as a r t i s t s
w o r k i n g w i t h i n the strict c o n v e n t i o n s
of a s o p h i s t i c a t e d craft t r a d i t i o n .
Plate i . Four Early Cycladic marble vases i n the J. Paul Getty Museum.
c. Among
d. EC IJ cylindrical pyxides
normally carried incised
decoration. While curvilin
ear designs (spirals, circles)
are confined almost, exclu
sively to vessels carved in
softer and lessfriable soapstone, marble containers
were regularly ornamented,
with rectilinear
encircling
grooves reminiscent of the
postpartum wrinkles seen
on a number of figures
(e.g.,fig.
6)perhaps
another indication of the
female symbolism of the
vessel. This beautifully
carved example, which
a. Plastiras type. EC I.
Simpler than most exam
ples of its type, this modest
work is unusual in that it
lacks any definition of the
forearms. The mending
hole in the right thigh was
a remedy for damage
incurred perhaps when the
sculptor was in the process
of separating the legs. If
this was the case, he may
have thought it best not to
continue separating them
asfar as the crotch. A
break across the left thigh
probably occurred at a
much later time. Malibu,
The J . Paul Getty Museum
71.AA.128.H. 14.2 cm.
See also figure 13d.
b. Precanonical type. EC
I/II. Although one can see
in this figure a tentative
folding of the armsfore
shadowing the classic idol
of the EC II phase, it is still
very much related to the
earlier Plastiras type in its
long neck, modeled limbs,
andfeet with arched soles
(seefig. 13e) very similar
to those of the piece illus
trated in plate Ha and
figure 13d. Although the
almond-shaped eyes and
the indication of the brows
are related to those painted
on later figures, their sculp
tural rendering connects
them to the earlier tradi
8
a. Precanonical style. EC
1/11. The earliest known
example of a rarely
attempted type requiring
enormous patience and
skill, thefigure is seated on
a chair with an elaborate
backrest, based, like the
harp, on wooden models.
He is represented in the act
of plucking the strings of
his instrument with his
thumbs. Note the light
caplike area at the top and
back of the head which
was once painted. New
York, The Metropolitan
Museum of Art, Rogers
Fund, 47.100.1.
H. 29.5 cm.
10
11
12
d. Dokathismata
variety.
EC II. In contrast to the
rather conservative form
of the Spedos variety head
(pi. Vc), that of the
Dokathismata variety is
usually rather extreme and
mannered. Note the broad
crown and pointed chin.
The head is carved in a
13
14
15
17
T h e Figurative Sculpture
T h e vast m a j o r i t y o f t h e f i g u r e s are
made of sparkling white marble;
w o r k s i n gray, b a n d e d , or m o t t l e d
m a r b l e s o r i n o t h e r m a t e r i a l s such as
v o l c a n i c ash, s h e l l , o r l e a d are v e r y
r a r e . T h e i m a g e s v a r y i n size f r o m
m i n i a t u r e s m e a s u r i n g less t h a n 10 c m
(4 i n . ) ( f i g . 5) to n e a r l y l i f e - s i z e
( f i g . 4 ) , a l t h o u g h m o s t do n o t exceed
50 c m ( l f t . ) .
I n terms of n a t u r a l i s m , the sculp
tures range f r o m s i m p l e m o d i f i c a t i o n s
o f stones s h a p e d a n d p o l i s h e d by t h e
sea to h i g h l y d e v e l o p e d r e n d e r i n g s o f
the h u m a n f o r m w i t h subtle variations
of plane and contour. I n m a n y exam
ples, n o p r i m a r y sexual characteristics
are i n d i c a t e d , b u t unless these figures
are d e p i c t e d i n a specifically m a l e r o l e
( p i . i v ) , t h e y are u s u a l l y a s s u m e d to
r e p r e s e n t females. T h e f e m a l e f o r m ,
s o m e t i m e s s h o w n as p r e g n a n t (figs.
5, 75) or w i t h p o s t p a r t u m s k i n folds
(figs. 6, 7 ) , d o m i n a t e s t h r o u g h o u t t h e
p e r i o d . M a l e figures account for o n l y
about five p e r c e n t o f t h e k n o w n p r o -
18
t a t i o n a l i d o l s is s u g g e s t e d by t h e i r
occasional presence i n a single grave
(fig. 7). M a n y sculptors probably
carved b o t h types, b u t t h e s c h e m a t i c
f i g u r i n e was doubtless the less e x p e n
sive to m a k e , since i t was n o r m a l l y
s m a l l a n d c o u l d be f a s h i o n e d f r o m
a flat beach pebble, thus r e q u i r i n g
m u c h less w o r k ; as m a n y as f o u r t e e n
of these have b e e n f o u n d t o g e t h e r i n
one grave.
T h e f o r m s t h a t Cycladic s c u l p t u r e s
t o o k s o m e t i m e after t h e b e g i n n i n g o f
t h e E a r l y B r o n z e A g e ( E a r l y Cycladic
i) appear to be d i r e c t l y r e l a t e d to t h e
figures carved i n m u c h s m a l l e r n u m
bers d u r i n g the N e o l i t h i c A g e (figs. 8,
20
a.
b.
c.
c) already produced in
limited numbers in Late
Neolithic times. Note the
exaggerated breadth of the
upper torso necessitated
by the position of thefore
arms. New York, Shelby
White and Leon Levy Col
lection. H. 13.3 cm. Said
to be part of a grave group
from Attica or Euboia.
22
23
24
Figure 11.
The typological and chron
ological development of
Cycladic sculpture. With
the exception of the sche
matic Neolithic figure, the
pieces illustrated here are
discussed elsewhere in this
work (the numbers provide
figure
references).
Figure 12.
A Neolithic standing figure
with hollowed eye sockets
that presumably once held
inlays. New York, The Met
ropolitan Museum of Art
LA974.77J
(on loan from
Chris tos G. Bast is).
H. 20.9 cm.
stylistically a n d i c o n o g r a p h i c a l l y , i n t o
two distinct groups, apparently w i t h
a t r a n s i t i o n a l phase i n b e t w e e n ( f i g .
11). T h e s e d i v i s i o n s c o r r e s p o n d g e n
erally to the c h r o n o l o g i c a l a n d c u l t u r a l
sequences based o n changes t h a t oc
curred i n Cycladic ceramics d u r i n g
the t h i r d m i l l e n n i u m B . C .
T h e earlier g r o u p , w h o s e r e l a t i o n to
N e o l i t h i c a n t e c e d e n t s w e have been
c o n s i d e r i n g , m i g h t c o n v e n i e n t l y be
called "archaic." T h e n u m e r o u s sche
m a t i c figures o f this phase, m a n y o f
t h e m s h a p e d l i k e v i o l i n s ( f i g . 7#, c),
are characterized by a l o n g , headless
prong. T h e i r rather rare representa
t i o n a l counterparts (Plastiras type),
besides r e t a i n i n g t h e N e o l i t h i c a r m
p o s i t i o n and stance, also reveal a c u r i
ous c o m b i n a t i o n o f exaggerated p r o
p o r t i o n s a n d p a i n s t a k i n g c o n c e r n for
anatomical d e t a i l , b o t h on the face and
o n the body ( f i g . 10). Careful a t t e n t i o n
was p a i d to the kneecaps, ankles, a n d
a r c h e s , w h i l e t h e navel a n d b u t t o c k
d i m p l e s w e r e also o f t e n i n d i c a t e d .
A l t h o u g h f o r t h e m o s t p a r t t h e eye
sockets are n o w e m p t y , they w e r e i n
l a i d w i t h d a r k stones ( p i . v # ) , a prac
t i c e f o r w h i c h t h e r e m a y also have
25
a. Seefigure 8.
b. Seefigure 9.
c. Seefigure
b e e n N e o l i t h i c p r e c e d e n t s ( f i g . 12).
A n e w feature o f these archaic f i g
ures is t h e c o m p l e t e s e p a r a t i o n o f t h e
l e g , f r o m t h e feet u p to t h e c r o t c h . I n
t h e N e o l i t h i c f i g u r e s , o n l y t h e feet
w e r e c a r v e d as s e p a r a t e e l e m e n t s .
Whatever the m o t i v e for this new
practice, it carried a strong risk of
accidental breakage to t h e legs, w h i c h
often happened, perhaps d u r i n g the
45a.
26
vases t h e y p r o d u c e d i n a s t o n i s h i n g
q u a n t i t y at t h i s t i m e ( p i . la, b). W h e n
a f i g u r e sustained a fracture, they also
used the b o r e r to m a k e rather conspic
uous holes t h r o u g h w h i c h a s t r i n g or
leather t h o n g c o u l d be d r a w n to refasten the b r o k e n p a r t ( p i . n<2, f i g . 4 5 ) .
A l t h o u g h the archaeological r e c o r d
is u n c e r t a i n at t h i s p o i n t , i t appears
that Cycladic s c u l p t u r e n e x t entered a
period of transition, Early Cycladic
1/II ( f i g . 11). T h e first evidence o f this
change is the a t t e m p t by sculptors to
fuse the abstract a n d the representa
t i o n a l approaches. I n the m o s t c o m
m o n f o r m , the figures have featureless
heads, the i n c i s i o n w o r k was k e p t to
a m i n i m u m , a n d the p r o b l e m o f r e n
d e r i n g t h e a r m s was a v o i d e d by m a k
ing t h e m simple, angular projections
at t h e s h o u l d e r s (figs. 6, 14). By c o n
trast, the legs are often q u i t e carefully
m o d e l e d . As m a n y as seven of these
transitional (Louros type) examples
have been f o u n d together i n one grave.
27
a.
b.
c.
crotch. Private
H. 15.8 cm.
collection.
b. Norwich,
University
ofEastAnglia,
Sainsbury
Centre for Visual Arts,
P9(d).H.
9.5 cm.
c. The arms are tentatively
folded (cf pi. Ilh) but
in an unorthodox
rightabove-left
arrangement.
The legs are separated to
just above the knees. A
28
d.
any n e w i n f l u e n c e or shift i n r e l i g i o u s
m e a n i n g or gesture, most likely i n
spired the gradual development of
t h e f o l d e d - a r m p o s i t i o n t h a t was to
b e c o m e de rigueur i n the n e x t phase
( f i g . 15). T h i s n e w p o s i t i o n entails no
free space i f t h e e l b o w s a n d u p p e r
a r m s are h e l d close to t h e sides.
I n d e e d , the very early f o l d e d - a r m
f i g u r e s s e e m to be t i g h t l y c l a s p i n g
t h e m s e l v e s ( f i g . 16). I n o r d e r to re
duce f u r t h e r the r i s k o f f r a c t u r e , the
legs are n o w separated f o r o n l y about
h a l f t h e i r l e n g t h , f r o m t h e feet to the
knees, or even less ( p i . ub). B e g i n n i n g
w i t h these " p r e c a n o n i c a l " figures,
repairs are m u c h less frequently seen,
p r e s u m a b l y because t h e r e w e r e fewer
accidents i n t h e w o r k s h o p . C o n s i d e r
able a t t e n t i o n was still paid to i n d i v i d
ual f o r m , a n d to details, b u t less t h a n
i n e a r l i e r phases.
T o w a r d t h e e n d o f the t r a n s i t i o n a l
p h a s e , s c u l p t o r s b e g a n to s t r i v e f o r
more balanced and natural propor
t i o n s ( f i g . 15, pis. 116, m ) . W h i l e u n
k n o w i n g l y s e t t i n g t h e stage f o r t h e
emergence of the canonical foldeda r m f i g u r e at the b e g i n n i n g o f the sec
o n d , "classical," phase ( f i g . 16), these
s c u l p t o r s w e r e f i n d i n g n e w ways to
produce representational figures i n
q u a n t i t y . A t the same t i m e , they w e r e
r e d u c i n g the risks involved i n the carv
i n g process. A l o n g w i t h m o r e n a t u r a l
p r o p o r t i o n s , w h i c h r e s u l t e d i n stur
d i e r f i g u r e s , t h e s c u l p t o r s s e e m to
have been s e e k i n g an a r m r e n d e r i n g
m o r e a p p r o p r i a t e to the s l e n d e r b o d y
style o f t h e i r i m a g e s . W h i l e t h e o l d
N e o l i t h i c a r m p o s i t i o n o f hands t o u c h i n g o v e r t h e m i d r i f f m a y w e l l have
been s u i t e d to exaggerated c o r p u
lence, for the person o f o r d i n a r y b u i l d
to assume this pose involves m o v i n g
the elbows a n d u p p e r a r m s w e l l away
f r o m t h e sides so t h a t a large t r i a n g u
l a r clear space r e m a i n s . This gap was
s o m e t i m e s h a z a r d o u s l y i n d i c a t e d by
p e r f o r a t i o n s at the fragile b e n d o f the
a r m s . A n i n t e r e s t i n a n a t u r a l pose
c a r v e d i n a secure w a y , r a t h e r t h a n
R o u g h l y c o n t e m p o r a r y w i t h these
t r a n s i t i o n a l figures is t h e h a r p player
in the M e t r o p o l i t a n M u s e u m of A r t .
T h i s w o r k , w i t h its a l l e g e d l y u n - C y cladic a r m muscles a n d t h r e e - d i m e n
sional t h u m b s ( p i . i v # ) , has often been
c o n d e m n e d because i t does n o t c o n
f o r m to w h a t has c o m e to be a r e -
29
30
11). M o r e s i m p l i f i e d a n d s t r e a m l i n e d
t h a n its p r e d e c e s s o r s , the c a n o n i c a l
or f o l d e d - a r m t y p e was p r o d u c e d i n
a s t o n i s h i n g q u a n t i t y over a p e r i o d o f
several centuries. Its abstract counter
part ( A p e i r a n t h o s t y p e ) has a s i m p l e
g e o m e t r i c body, w i t h the neck carry
i n g the s u g g e s t i o n o f a head ( f i g . 18).
U n l i k e t h e p r o f i l e axis o f t h e f i g
ures o f the archaic phase, t h a t o f the
first f o l d e d - a r m figures (Kapsala v a r i
ety a n d s o m e e x a m p l e s o f the E a r l y
Spedos variety) is sharply b r o k e n , par
t i c u l a r l y at the back o f the head and
at the b e n d o f the knees. T h e feet are
h e l d at an angle, o u t w a r d a n d even
tually also d o w n w a r d , i n w h a t appears
to be a t i p t o e p o s i t i o n i f the figures are
set vertically. T h e s e features, however,
are a p p r o p r i a t e to a r e l a x e d , r e c l i n i n g
p o s i t i o n (figs. 4, 5 ) , i n contrast to the
erect p o s t u r e o f the archaic Plastiras
figures (figs. 10, 13). T h e figures dat
i n g f r o m the e a r l i e r p e r i o d w e r e e v i
d e n t l y m e a n t to s t a n d , a l t h o u g h they
do not do so u n s u p p o r t e d . Just as w i t h
the changes i n a r m p o s i t i o n t h a t t o o k
place about the same t i m e , this altered
posture p r o b a b l y does not i n d i c a t e any
r a d i c a l change i n r e l i g i o u s s y m b o l i s m
31
or any e x t e r n a l i n f l u e n c e . Because i t
evolved gradually, i t is m o r e l i k e l y that
the r e c l i n i n g p o s t u r e was i n t r o d u c e d
by the sculptors themselves. Since the
f i g u r e s w e r e n o r m a l l y l a i d on t h e i r
backs i n the grave, the sculptors m a y
h a v e a s s u m e d t h a t t h e y s h o u l d be
m a d e i n a r e c l i n i n g p o s t u r e f r o m the
start. I n any case, at t h i s t i m e a n o t h e r
d i s t i n c t i o n was m a d e : t h o s e f i g u r e s
i n t e n d e d to stand w e r e f u r n i s h e d w i t h
s m a l l r e c t a n g u l a r bases (figs. 26, 3 2 ) ,
w h i l e seated figures w e r e carved w i t h
t h e i r feet parallel to the g r o u n d ( p i . i v ,
figs. 23, 24, 2 7 ) .
I n the early f o l d e d - a r m figures
(Kapsala a n d E a r l y Spedos v a r i e t i e s ) ,
t h e legs are j o i n e d by a t h i n m e m
b r a n e , p e r f o r a t e d f o r a s h o r t space
b e t w e e n the calves (figs. 2, 16, 55, 56).
T h i s p r a c t i c e seems to be a f u r t h e r
a t t e m p t t o s t r e n g t h e n t h e l i m b s at
v u l n e r a b l e p o i n t s . As t h e f o l d e d - a r m
figures d e v e l o p e d , however, the per
f o r a t i o n o f t h e l e g cleft was u s u a l l y
o m i t t e d altogether ( L a t e Spedos v a r i
ety; figs. 3, 4 4 , 4 9 ) , n o d o u b t i n an
effort to reduce the r i s k o f fracture s t i l l
f u r t h e r . I n t h e latest a n d m o s t h a s t i l y
executed e x a m p l e s , t h e legs are sepa-
32
35
rated by a b r o a d groove ( D o k a t h i s m a t a
v a r i e t y ; figs. 19, 20) o r m e r e l y by an
engraved line (Chalandriani variety;
figs. 2 1 , 2 2 , 35, 3 6 ) . Because o f t h e
r i s k , o n l y a few sculptors o f such very
late w o r k s p e r f o r a t e d t h e l e g clefts o f
t h e i r figures o r d a r e d to free t h e slen
d e r u p p e r a r m s f r o m t h e sides (figs.
19,21,226).
A f t e r t h e eye has b e e n t r a i n e d by
l o o k i n g at a large n u m b e r o f f i g u r e s ,
any d e p a r t u r e f r o m t h e r i g h t - b e l o w left f o r m u l a strikes one as d e c i d e d l y
o d d q u i t e w r o n g , i n fact ( f i g . 2 ) . N o t
u n e x p e c t e d l y , forgers o f C y c l a d i c f i g
ures, as w e l l as copiers f o r the G r e e k
t o u r i s t t r a d e , n o t i n f r e q u e n t l y arrange
the a r m s i n the opposite fashion: r i g h t
above left. T h e y p r o b a b l y d o so o u t o f
a f a i l u r e to appreciate just h o w strictly
t h e c o n v e n t i o n was observed.
F r o m t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h i s second
phase, t h e f o l d e d a r r a n g e m e n t o f t h e
a r m s b e c a m e a s t r i c t l y observed c o n
v e n t i o n . N o t o n l y are t h e a r m s f o l d e d ,
b u t also, for several centuries a n d w i t h
very f e w e x c e p t i o n s , t h e y are f o l d e d
i n one a r r a n g e m e n t o n l y : the r i g h t
a r m is s h o w n b e l o w t h e l e f t . S o m e
m i g h t i n t e r p r e t t h i s as h a v i n g m y s t i
cal c o n n o t a t i o n s , b u t i t is possible t h a t
the c o n v e n t i o n was established u n w i t
t i n g l y by a few r i g h t - h a n d e d sculptors
w h o f o u n d i t easier to d r a w t h e a r m s
i n t h i s p a t t e r n . H a v i n g set t h e l o w e r
b o u n d a r y o f t h e a r m s by d r a w i n g t h e
r i g h t one, t h e s c u l p t o r c o u l d easily f i l l
i n t h e lines o f t h e left a r m above, leav
i n g h i m s e l f a clear v i e w o f t h e r i g h t
o n e . O n c e t h e p r a c t i c e was s t a r t e d ,
other sculptors presumably w o u l d
have f o l l o w e d s u i t .
34
35
a.
b.
c.
56
37
T h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e second E a r l y
C y c l a d i c phase was a t i m e o f p r o d i
gious o u t p u t a n d o f s t a r t l i n g self-con
fidence and virtuosity, analogous to
the a m b i t i o u s d e v e l o p m e n t s i n large
m a r b l e sculpture that t o o k place i n
the Cyclades some t w o t h o u s a n d years
l a t e r . A l t h o u g h a f e w e x a m p l e s are
stylistically slightly earlier (pis. i n ,
i v # ) , m o s t o f t h e r a r e special f i g u r e
types b e l o n g to t h i s phase.
F i r s t a n d f o r e m o s t are t h e m u s i
cians, t h e seated harpists a n d stand-
58
i n g w o o d w i n d players (figs. 2 3 - 2 6 ,
p i . i v ) . O t h e r seated types i n c l u d e t h e
c u p b e a r e r a n d v a r i a t i o n s o f the stan
d a r d f o l d e d - a r m f e m a l e (figs. 27, 2 9 ) .
A l s o i n c l u d e d are the scarce t w o - a n d
three-figure c o m p o s i t i o n s . I n one t w o figure arrangement, a small folded
a r m f i g u r e is carved on the h e a d o f a
l a r g e r one ( p i . i n ) . I n another, o f
w h i c h no c o m p l e t e e x a m p l e survives,
t w o f i g u r e s o f t h e same size are set
side by side c l a s p i n g each o t h e r about
the shoulders (figs. 30, 31). A v a r i a t i o n
o f t h i s t h e m e is t h e a m a z i n g t h r e e f i g u r e g r o u p carved i n a single piece,
in w h i c h the standing male figures
l i n k a r m s to s u p p o r t a seated f e m a l e
(fig. 52).
Nearly all the exceptionally large
figures w e r e also carved at this t i m e
(figs. 4, 3 4 ) . W h i l e a n u m b e r o f frag
ments of such m o n u m e n t a l figures
s u r v i v e ( f i g . 3 3 ) , very f e w c o m p l e t e
ones are k n o w n . F r o m the largest ex
t a n t e x a m p l e , f o u n d i n t h e last cen
tury, r e p u t e d l y i n a grave o n A m o r g o s ,
we k n o w that such nearly life-size
w o r k s w e r e at least s o m e t i m e s b r o k e n
i n t o several pieces i n o r d e r to f i t t h e m
i n t o t h e grave, w h i c h was n o r m a l l y
39
40
41
42
n o l a r g e r t h a n necessary to a c c o m
m o d a t e the corpse i n a severely c o n
tracted position.
T h e r e is an i n t e r e s t i n g d i s t i n c t i o n
o f roles observed i n males and females
i n E a r l y C y c l a d i c s c u l p t u r e . T h e fe
m a l e is always r e p r e s e n t e d i n a pas
sive a n d , i n t e r m s o f c u r r e n t b o d y
language theory, a l o o f a t t i t u d e , re
gardless o f w h e t h e r she is s t a n d i n g ,
r e c l i n i n g , or s i t t i n g , or w h e t h e r she is
single or d o u b l e d . O n the o t h e r h a n d ,
the m a l e f i g u r e is m o r e often t h a n not
d e p i c t e d i n an active r o l e . I n the ear
l i e r p a r t o f the classical p e r i o d , as we
have seen, he takes t h e r o l e o f c u p
bearer, m u s i c i a n , or s t r o n g m a n w h o ,
w i t h a c o m p a n i o n , holds aloft a quietly
s i t t i n g f e m a l e . T o w a r d t h e e n d o f the
p e r i o d , he is o u t f i t t e d w i t h the accou
trements of a h u n t e r or w a r r i o r . A t
t h a t t i m e his m o s t n o t i c e a b l e piece o f
e q u i p m e n t is always a b a l d r i c , t h o u g h
he m a y also carry a s m a l l dagger a n d /
or w e a r a b e l t w i t h a codpiece (figs.
35,48a).
N e i t h e r t h e sculptors n o r t h e i r cus
t o m e r s seem to have been very p a r t i c
u l a r a b o u t t h e i r f i g u r e s at t h i s l a t e
d a t e . T h e r e are e x a m p l e s i n w h i c h
43
44
45
Figure 37.
Detail of work illustrated
infigures 56 and 57, show
ing paint ghosts on the
back of the head preserved
as a light, smooth surface.
See also plate vb and
figure 58.
Figure 38.
Detail of figure 37. Note
the little tails" on the
neck.
u
46
Figure 40.
The back and side of the
head illustrated in figure
39, showing raised paint
ghosts for hair with
depending curls.
h e a d , a n d a s o l i d area o n t h e back o f
the head to i n d i c a t e a s h o r t - c r o p p e d
h a i r s t y l e ( f i g s . 37, 3 8 ) . L e s s o f t e n
curls, d e p e n d i n g f r o m the s o l i d area,
w e r e p a i n t e d o n the sides a n d back o f
t h e h e a d (figs. 39, 4 0 ) , a n d dots o r
stripes d e c o r a t e d the face i n various
p a t t e r n s ( p i . v i # , c; figs. 42, 69, 7 8 ) .
O n l y one f i g u r e k n o w n at p r e s e n t has
p a i n t e d ears ( p i . v i r f ) , w h i l e few, i f
any, s h o w c l e a r t r a c e s o f a p a i n t e d
m o u t h . T h e a p p a r e n t o m i s s i o n o f the
m o u t h w o u l d accord w e l l w i t h the
sepulchral nature o f the figures. Occa
sionally p a i n t was also used to e m p h a -
T h e r e d a n d b l u e p i g m e n t is i t s e l f
only rarely preserved, but many fig
ures show paint "ghosts," that is,
o n c e - p a i n t e d surfaces w h i c h , because
they w e r e p r o t e c t e d by p i g m e n t , n o w
appear l i g h t e r i n color, smoother,
a n d / o r s l i g h t l y r a i s e d above the sur
r o u n d i n g areas, w h i c h are generally i n
p o o r e r c o n d i t i o n ( p i . iva). I n c e r t a i n
cases the ghost lines are so p r o n o u n c e d
t h a t t h e y can easily be m i s t a k e n f o r
actual r e l i e f w o r k ( p i . vb).
M o s t often the p a i n t i n g took the
f o r m o f a l m o n d - s h a p e d eyes w i t h dot
t e d p u p i l s , solid bands across the fore
47
48
49
Figure 42.
Detail of work illustrated
in figure 41 (and pi. K/a,
b ) showing painted details
Figure 43.
Copy of
thefemalefoldedarm figure in figure 44
carved by Elizabeth
Oustinoffin an experiment
using Parian marble and
tools madefrom
Naxian
emery, Melian obsidian,
and Theran pumice. A
fracture sustained during
the initial shaping of the
piece necessitated an alter
ation of the original design
so that thefinished
work,
intended at the outset to be
somewhat larger than the
model, does not closely
resemble it except, acciden
tally, in size. Such mis
haps probably
occurred
with somefrequency
in
ancient times as well, but it
would appear that sculp
tors preferred to repair or
otherwise salvage their
works rather than discard
them to begin again. A
dramatic example may be
seen infigure 54. L . 17 cm.
50
T h e Formulaic Tradition
W e have r e v i e w e d r a t h e r h a s t i l y
r o u g h l y e i g h t centuries o f s c u l p t u r a l
a c t i v i t y , w i t h key d e v e l o p m e n t s i l l u s
t r a t e d by a m e r e e x a m p l e or t w o . Per
haps t h e s i n g l e m o s t i m p o r t a n t p o i n t
t o be s t r e s s e d , h o w e v e r , a n d o n e
w h i c h is d i f f i c u l t to appreciate w i t h
o u t a p l e t h o r a o f e x a m p l e s , is the re
m a r k a b l e a d h e r e n c e to a s t a n d a r d
f o r m . O f the m a n y h u n d r e d s o f extant
pieces o f E a r l y C y c l a d i c s c u l p t u r e ,
t h e r e are o n l y a very few t h a t do not
b e l o n g to one o f the e s t a b l i s h e d types
or do not contain elements of t w o
s e q u e n t i a l v a r i e t i e s . D e s p i t e a vast
array o f subtle differences a n d a w i d e
variation i n quality, Cycladic sculp
tures are essentially f o r m u l a i c i n char
acter. T h e r e are n o freely c o n c e i v e d
pieces. Even those special pieces such
as the h a r p players h a d t h e i r o w n for
m u l a e and strict design rules. Once
e s t a b l i s h e d , each t r a d i t i o n a l t y p e ,
each h i g h l y f o r m a l i z e d set o f c o n v e n
t i o n s , was a d h e r e d to w i t h a l m o s t
i m p e r c e p t i b l e changes f o r c e n t u r i e s .
T h e sheer l a b o r i n v o l v e d i n the p r o
d u c t i o n o f any b u t t h e s i m p l e s t s m a l l
figures m u s t have p r e c l u d e d a haphaz
a r d or spontaneous approach. M a r b l e ,
t h o u g h n o t a h a r d stone, c l e a r l y lacks
t h e m a l l e a b i l i t y o f clay o r the tracta
ble q u a l i t i e s o f w o o d . I n fact, m a r b l e
tends to crack a n d b r e a k q u i t e easily
T h e w a y t h e figures w e r e m a d e can
shed some l i g h t o n t h e i r f i n a l s i m i l a r
ity. I t m u s t have been a l a b o r i o u s p r o
cess, one i n v o l v i n g constant yet careful
51
a.
b.
a n d thus requires a h i g h l y d i s c i p l i n e d
a p p r o a c h i f i r r e m e d i a b l e errors are to
be a v o i d e d . I t appears t h a t f o r m u l a e
w e r e d e v e l o p e d to a i d t h e C y c l a d i c
s c u l p t o r i n c a r e f u l l y c o m p o s i n g his
f i g u r e o n t h e slab before he actually
began to carve. P r o b a b l y e v o l v i n g o u t
o f necessity, such f o r m u l a e m a y also
have i m b u e d the sculptor's craft w i t h
a certain mystique. T h e y doubtless
served as o r a l a n d v i s u a l vehicles f o r
the t r a n s m i s s i o n o f the s c u l p t u r a l tra
d i t i o n , t h e sculptor's r i t u a l , f r o m one
g e n e r a t i o n to the n e x t .
I n e x a m i n i n g some o f the rules that
52
a. See figure
10.
b. See figure
66.
c. Seefigure 72.
M a s t e r (see note on p . 5 8 ) . B o t h f i g
ures w e r e d e s i g n e d a c c o r d i n g to the
three-part p l a n , but w i t h some i m p o r
t a n t d i f f e r e n c e s . I n the n a m e - p i e c e ,
the p i l l - b o x hat, or polos, was a d d e d
to t h e t h r e e - p a r t s c h e m e , w h e r e a s it
was an i n t e g r a l p a r t o f t h e design- o f
the other figure. O n the N e w York i d o l
(#), the sculptor carved a relatively
s h o r t h e a d on a very l o n g n e c k . O n
t h e o t h e r f i g u r e (>), he d i d just t h e
o p p o s i t e : t h e h e a d is e l o n g a t e d ; t h e
n e c k , f o r t h i s e x a g g e r a t e d t y p e , is
r a t h e r short; a n d the r e m a i n d e r o f the
top d i v i s i o n is f i l l e d o u t by t h e head-
53
Figure 47.
Grid plans based on the
standard four-part
plan.
Seefigure 23.
dress. S i m i l a r l y , t h e n a m e - p i e c e has
an a m p l e r chest area b u t a shorter
w a i s t t h a n t h e o t h e r w o r k , yet w i t h i n
this m i d d l e d i v i s i o n is c o n t a i n e d the
e n t i r e torso o f each o f these f i g u r e s .
T h e p r o p o r t i o n s m i g h t vary, there
fore, even i n t w o figures carved by the
same p e r s o n , w h i l e t h e basic t r i p a r
t i t e f o r m u l a t e n d e d to r e m a i n r e m a r k
ably constant.
I n t h e classical p e r i o d o f C y c l a d i c
s c u l p t u r e , t h e d e s i g n f o r m u l a appears
t o have c h a n g e d to a c c o m m o d a t e a
m o r e n a t u r a l a p p r o a c h to t h e h u m a n
f o r m . T h e e a r l i e r f o l d e d - a r m figures
(Kapsala a n d Spedos v a r i e t i e s ) w e r e
n o w c o n c e i v e d as d i v i s i b l e i n t o f o u r
e q u a l parts, w i t h a m a x i m u m w i d t h
54
a.
b.
w e r e f u r t h e r s u b d i v i d e d to f o r m a g r i d
o f e i g h t by six "squares." T h e lines o f
the g r i d t e n d e d to c o i n c i d e w i t h key
p o i n t s o n the o u t l i n e as w e l l as w i t h
i n t e r n a l d i v i s i o n s , such as t h e c h i n ,
the e l b o w , the cup, a n d the top o f the
seat. A s u b s t a n t i a l n u m b e r o f the
same c o i n c i d e n c e s r e c u r f r o m p i e c e
to piece; a d d i t i o n a l coincidences are
noticeable i n the w o r k s a t t r i b u t e d to
the same sculptors ( f i g . 4 7 ) .
O f the figures p r o d u c e d late i n the
second phase ( D o k a t h i s m a t a and
C h a l a n d r i a n i v a r i e t i e s ) , f e w f a i l to
give s o m e i n d i c a t i o n t h a t t h e y w e r e
d e s i g n e d a c c o r d i n g to a c o n s c i o u s l y
applied f o r m u l a (fig. 46c). However,
as w i t h t h e c a n o n i c a l a r r a n g e m e n t o f
the a r m s , the f o u r - p a r t p l a n , t h o u g h
s t i l l the p r e f e r r e d one, was n o t t h e
o n l y one i n use; s o m e sculptors e v i
d e n t l y t r i e d o t h e r designs, u s i n g , f o r
example, three- and five-part divi
sions ( f i g . 4 8 ) . By n o w i t w o u l d seem
t h a t the compass was g e n e r a l l y c o n
s i d e r e d i n a p p r o p r i a t e for the severely
a n g u l a r style o f these i m a g e s .
A l t o g e t h e r , r o u g h l y o n e - h a l f o f all
Cycladic figures a p p e a r to have b e e n
quite carefully conceived a c c o r d i n g to
g r a t e a s c u l p t u r e s i n tne r o u n d , i he
m o s t i m p o r t a n t side is i n v a r i a b l y the
r i g h t one, t h e side o n w h i c h the harp
or cup is h e l d . I t appears t h a t a g r i d
p l a n was c o n s i s t e n t l y a p p l i e d i n t h e
design o f these w o r k s . T h e g r i d was
based o n a d i v i s i o n o f the h e i g h t i n t o
the usual f o u r p r i m a r y u n i t s , w h i l e the
w i d t h was m a d e to a p p r o x i m a t e t h r e e
o f these u n i t s . T h e h e i g h t a n d w i d t h
55
a.
a specific d e s i g n f o r m u l a . T h e o t h e r
h a l f s e e m to have b e e n less t h o u g h t
fully p l a n n e d or at least less r i g o r o u s l y
executed a c c o r d i n g to the o r i g i n a l
designs l a i d out o n the r a w slab. Some
s e e m n o t to have b e n e f i t e d f r o m any
logical p l a n . M a n y o f these are o f infe
r i o r q u a l i t y , carved p e r h a p s by n o n specialists. T h e r e are also a n u m b e r
o f i d o l s e x e c u t e d by p r o f i c i e n t sculp
tors w h o seem to have f o u n d i t to t h e i r
l i k i n g and certainly well w i t h i n their
c a p a b i l i t i e s to a l t e r t h e r u l e s to s u i t
their o w n personal aesthetic. Some
sculptors, for e x a m p l e , e l o n g a t e d t h e
thighs to an exaggerated degree, m a k
i n g the calves a n d feet r a t h e r s h o r t by
c o m p a r i s o n (fig. 55). Others p r e f e r r e d
56
b.
Figure 50a, b.
The harmonic
system:
angles derivedfrom a 5:
or golden, triangle (or
rectangle).
a. Seefigure
7a.
b. Seefigure
14.
to o m i t the m i d s e c t i o n o f t h e i r figures,
p l a c i n g the p u b i c area d i r e c t l y b e l o w
the f o r e a r m s ( f i g . 4 9 ) . T h i s d e c i s i o n
r e q u i r e d an a d j u s t m e n t o f t h e stan
d a r d f o r m u l a : the m i d p o i n t n o w oc
curs at the a r m s or h i g h e r r a t h e r t h a n
at the a b d o m e n .
A n o t h e r c o n t r o l l i n g factor i n the
f o r m u l a i c p l a n n i n g o f a l l the figures,
even t h e s i m p l e s t o n e s , a p p e a r s to
have b e e n t h e r e p e a t e d use o f several
angles based o n t h e p r i n c i p l e o f t h e
golden triangle found frequently in
b o t h art a n d n a t u r e ( f i g . 50a). Recent
e x p e r i m e n t s c o n d u c t e d by t h e a u t h o r
suggest t h a t v i r t u a l l y everyone has an
i n n a t e p r e f e r e n c e for at least one or a
c o m b i n a t i o n o f t w o o f t h e angles i n
57
Figure 51.
Harmonic angles and their
combinations used for cer
tain features on the outline
and for internal details.
w i t h t h e f o r m u l a e p o i n t to a class o f
sculptors w h o specialized i n carving
i d o l s a n d vessels i n r e s p o n s e to t h e
needs o f t h e i r c o m m u n i t i e s .
I t s h o u l d be e v i d e n t by n o w t h a t t h e
C y c l a d i c sculptor's craft was a sophis
t i c a t e d one. I t seems m o s t u n l i k e l y
that o r d i n a r y farmers and sailors
c o u l d , as a r u l e , have m a d e t h e i r o w n
m a r b l e figures. As m e n t i o n e d earlier,
most islanders either d i d w i t h o u t
i d o l s a l t o g e t h e r o r at m o s t m a d e d o
w i t h figures fashioned from w o o d
w h i c h t h e y c o u l d have w h i t t l e d f o r
themselves at n o expense. M o r e likely,
the f o r m u l a i c nature of the idols, the
exquisite craft d e m o n s t r a t e d i n m a n y ,
and the occasional e x p e r i m e n t a t i o n
58
T h e I n d i v i d u a l Sculptor
t h e i r way to o t h e r s e t t l e m e n t s a n d at
least occasionally to o t h e r islands. T h e
figures o f s o m e o f these artists have
t u r n e d u p i n excavations at d i f f e r e n t
sites, a n d i n s o m e cases at sites o n
m o r e t h a n one i s l a n d (e.g., Naxos a n d
Paros; N a x o s a n d K e r o s ) . I t is possi
b l e too t h a t s o m e o f these s c u l p t o r s
were itinerant craftsmen, although
m o s t p r o b a b l y stayed h o m e , e k i n g o u t
a l i v i n g f r o m t h e soil a n d p r a c t i c i n g
t h e i r craft p a r t - t i m e .
W h i l e i t is n o t f e a s i b l e t o i s o l a t e
w o r k s h o p s or local schools, i t is n o w
p o s s i b l e to r e c o g n i z e t h e h a n d s o f a
s u b s t a n t i a l n u m b e r o f i n d i v i d u a l s . To
identify the w o r k s o f i n d i v i d u a l Cy
cladic sculptors can be quite easy, since
some o f t h e m m a d e figures t h a t are
n e a r l y exact replicas o f one another.
S o m e t i m e s t h e f i g u r e s o f one a r t i s t
are v e r y s i m i l a r t o o n e a n o t h e r i n
o v e r a l l a p p e a r a n c e a l t h o u g h i n size
they may differ appreciably. I n other
cases, ascriptions are n o t easily m a d e .
T h e extent to w h i c h figures o f one
t y p e c a r v e d by one p e r s o n r e s e m b l e
one a n o t h e r w o u l d have v a r i e d , o f
course, f r o m s c u l p t o r to s c u l p t o r a n d
f r o m piece to piece. S o m e s c u l p t o r s
T h e r e is n o evidence to suggest t h a t
t h e r e w e r e w o r k s h o p s o n the Cycladic
islands i n w h i c h several sculptors
l a b o r e d side by side. N o r is i t possi
ble to d i s t i n g u i s h t h e styles o f differ
ent i s l a n d " s c h o o l s , " i f i n d e e d s u c h
e x i s t e d . I t seems l i k e l y t h a t t h e l a r g e r
c o m m u n i t i e s on these islands, and
p r o b a b l y s o m e o n a few o t h e r islands,
t e n d e d i n each g e n e r a t i o n to s u p p o r t
one o r t w o sculptors or, m o r e l i k e l y , a
s c u l p t o r a n d his a p p r e n t i c e , w h o was,
i n m o s t cases, p r o b a b l y his o w n son
(fig. 52). T h r o u g h trade or travel,
some o f t h e i r w o r k s w o u l d have f o u n d
59
Figure 52.
"Marble John " working on
a gravestone made from
stone hewn from the moun
tainside on the outskirts of
Apeiranthos on Naxos in
1963. The village marble
carver, he learned his craft
from his father, "Marble
George. "Although the
marble-working
tradition
may not have been contin
uous from the third millen
nium B.C. to the present,
the need for such craft
specialists and the passing
on of the traditions from
father to son seem, never
theless, to have changed
but little over the millennia.
60
Museum
78.AA.407,
79.AA.11,
83.AA.316.1-2,
83AA.317.1-2,
83.AA.318.1,
83.AA.201.
For the large piece at cen
ter, seefigure 69. Pres.
L.7.5A8.4cm.
been v i r t u a l duplicates, p a r t i c u l a r l y i f
t h e y w e r e c o n c e i v e d as c o m p a n i o n
p i e c e s . F o r e x a m p l e , i n t h e case o f
group compositions we k n o w that
sculptors strove to m a k e the m a t c h i n g
m e m b e r s o f each w o r k i d e n t i c a l ( p i .
i n , f i g . 3 2 ) . F i g u r e s carved i n d e p e n
d e n t l y b u t r e l a t i v e l y close i n t i m e , or
figures m o d e l e d o n past w o r k k e p t on
h a n d , w o u l d be l i k e l y t o r e s e m b l e
each o t h e r to a g r e a t e r d e g r e e t h a n
w o u l d w o r k s carved at a c o n s i d e r a b l e
i n t e r v a l i n t i m e f r o m each other. O n e
w o u l d e x p e c t to f i n d m a j o r changes
a m o n g pieces r e p r e s e n t i n g d i f f e r e n t
phases o f a sculptor's a r t i s t i c develop
m e n t , so t h a t i f t h e accidents o f pres
e r v a t i o n w e r e such t h a t o n l y a v e r y
early a n d a m a t u r e w o r k o f one sculp
t o r h a d b e e n b r o u g h t to l i g h t , the t w o
i m a g e s m i g h t p r o v e d i f f i c u l t t o at
t r i b u t e to a single h a n d . T h e r e is, o f
course, the possibility t h a t some sculp
tors a l t e r e d t h e i r styles so d r a s t i c a l l y
f r o m piece to piece or f r o m phase to
p h a s e t h a t w e c a n have n o h o p e o f
ever a t t r i b u t i n g a reasonably c o m p l e t e
b o d y o f w o r k to t h e m . B u t so m a n y
changes w o u l d m o r e l i k e l y have b e e n
the exception rather than the rule.
61
62
T h i s s i g n a t u r e m a y be d e f i n e d as a
complex of r e c u r r i n g characteristics
w h i c h , t h o u g h o f t e n easier to a p p r e
ciate visually t h a n to describe verbally,
reveals the w o r k s o f one s c u l p t o r to be
stylistically closer to one a n o t h e r t h a n
to the w o r k s o f any o t h e r sculptor. T h e
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s v a r y f r o m m a s t e r to
master, a n d n o t w o sculptors are p r e
cisely a l i k e i n t h e w a y t h e y express
t h e i r i n d i v i d u a l i t y . C e r t a i n techniques
o f e x e c u t i o n , f o r m s o r d e t a i l s , even
e r r o r s o r o m i s s i o n s , aspects o f t h e
63
The Karlsruhe/Woodner
Master
C o n s i d e r a t i o n o f i n d i v i d u a l style m a y
b e g i n w i t h an e x a m i n a t i o n o f t w o
w o r k s a t t r i b u t a b l e to a s c u l p t o r o f the
early classical phase c a l l e d t h e K a r l s
r u h e / W o o d n e r M a s t e r (figs. 5 6 - 5 9 ) .
N e a r l y i d e n t i c a l i n l e n g t h a n d excep
t i o n a l l y l a r g e , t h e t w o f i g u r e s share
a n u m b e r of characteristics whose
c o m b i n e d presence c a n n o t have b e e n
f o r t u i t o u s even t h o u g h t h e y d i f f e r i n
obvious ways. A l t h o u g h t h e W o o d n e r
piece is m u c h s t o c k i e r i n b u i l d a n d
exhibits somewhat different propor-
64
t i o n s t h a n those o f the f i g u r e i n K a r l s
r u h e , the basic f o r m s a n d contours are
very close. S i m i l a r l y executed details
w o r t h y o f m e n t i o n are the carved ears
a n d the shape o f the nose as w e l l as
t h e i r a s y m m e t r i c a l p l a c e m e n t ; i n ad
d i t i o n , t h e eyes a n d h a i r a r e n o w
clearly discernible i n the f o r m of
p a i n t ghosts ( p i . v&, figs. 37, 3 8 ) . T h e
p u b i c area, also r e n d e r e d i n a s i m i l a r
f a s h i o n i n a plane s l i g h t l y b e l o w t h a t
o f t h e t h i g h s , was p r o b a b l y o n c e a
b l u e - p a i n t e d t r i a n g l e , as suggested by
traces o f t h e o r i g i n a l m a r b l e s k i n o n
both figures.
T h e m a i n difference i n d e t a i l is the
t r e a t m e n t o f t h e breasts: the flat tear
d r o p - s h a p e d breasts o f the W o o d n e r
i d o l are u n p r e c e d e n t e d i n c l a s s i c a l
Cycladic sculpture and may, i n this
case, be t h e r e s u l t o f an e x p e r i m e n t
or an a t t e m p t to cover u p accidental
damage. W r i s t grooves, clearly incised
o n t h e K a r l s r u h e piece, are m i s s i n g
f r o m the W o o d n e r figure but m a y have
been indicated i n paint.
M o r e i m p o r t a n t l y , the figures differ
i n s t r u c t u r e . T h e W o o d n e r i d o l is
s o m e w h a t t h i c k e r i n p r o f i l e t h a n the
one i n K a r l s r u h e , b u t the m o s t n o t i c e -
65
able d i s c r e p a n c y is i n r e l a t i v e w i d t h :
the f o r m e r has a s h o u l d e r span s l i g h t l y
m o r e t h a n t w e n t y - f i v e p e r c e n t o f its
l e n g t h , w h i l e t h e l a t t e r has a w i d t h
s l i g h t l y less t h a n t w e n t y percent. Oneq u a r t e r o f the b o d y l e n g t h was the
p r e f e r r e d r a t i o for t h e s h o u l d e r w i d t h
i n figures o f s m a l l a n d average size,
b u t m o s t sculptors r e d u c e d t h e w i d t h
to one-fifth or less for t h e i r large w o r k s
(fig. 77). A n a r r o w e r f i g u r e w o u l d have
m o r e comfortably fit the hands not
o n l y o f t h e s c u l p t o r b u t those o f bear
ers as w e l l , a n d i t w o u l d also h a v e
s i g n i f i c a n t l y r e d u c e d its w e i g h t , an
i m p o r t a n t consideration i f the sculp
t u r e was to have b e e n c a r r i e d easily to
the gravesite. T h e W o o d n e r figure
weighs thirty-five pounds, w h i l e the
slightly longer but t h i n n e r and nar
r o w e r K a r l s r u h e piece by c o m p a r i s o n
weighs only twenty-three.
early a t t e m p t o n t h e p a r t o f t h e sculp
t o r to execute a f i g u r e o n such a g r a n d
scale. I n d o i n g so he seems s i m p l y to
have m a d e a large v e r s i o n o f t h e stan
dard figure w i t h o u t addressing the
matter of increased b u l k and w e i g h t
as he d i d o n t h e K a r l s r u h e piece. T h e
t w o pieces i l l u s t r a t e d here m a y i n fact
have b e e n r e l a t i v e l y s m a l l w o r k s f o r
t h i s s c u l p t o r . A t h i r d w o r k f r o m his
hand, i n the Goulandris collection i n
A t h e n s , has a l e n g t h o f 140 c m . O f t h e
t h r e e , i t is t h e m o s t r e f i n e d a n d p r o
portionally the narrowest.
66
ures i n an u n u s u a l l y w i d e range o f
sizes. T h e smallest measures about six
a n d a h a l f inches (16.5 c m ) , w h i l e his
largest k n o w n w o r k , o f w h i c h o n l y the
h e a d s u r v i v e s , was n e a r l y six t i m e s
as b i g . T h e l a r g e f i g u r e s t e n d to be
m o r e a m b i t i o u s l y conceived t h a n the
s m a l l e r ones: t h e y are p l a n n e d m o r e
accurately a c c o r d i n g to t h e s t a n d a r d
four-part plan (fig. 46&); they exhibit
m o r e p r o n o u n c e d m o d e l i n g of the
arms; the contours of the a b d o m e n
and thighs curve m o r e strongly; the
f o r e a r m s are s o m e t i m e s separated by
a clear space; a n d t h e f i n g e r s are
sometimes incised. Because the
s m a l l e r pieces ( 1 6 . 5 - 4 0 c m ) t e n d to
be t h i c k e r i n p r o f i l e , s t r a i g h t e r i n out
l i n e contour, a n d l a c k i n g i n u n u s u a l
e m b e l l i s h m e n t , they s h o u l d g e n e r a l l y
be r e g a r d e d as p r o d u c t s o f a n e a r l y
phase o f t h e G o u l a n d r i s M a s t e r ' s de
v e l o p m e n t (figs. 60, 61, 68). T h e
g r e a t e r care l a v i s h e d o n t h e l a r g e r
f i g u r e s (55 c m o r m o r e ) a n d t h e i r
g r e a t e r r e f i n e m e n t p o i n t to a m a t u r e
phase o f the sculptor's career (figs.
6 4 - 6 7 ) . To a m i d d l e phase m i g h t be
assigned a n u m b e r o f w e l l - b a l a n c e d ,
carefully e x e c u t e d w o r k s o f substan-
67
68
70
is observable.) O n e s h o u l d n o t e , too,
the i n d e n t e d waist and the subtle
curve o f the forearmsa convention
used to r e p r e s e n t or, i n t h i s s c u l p t o r ' s
w o r k , accentuate a pregnant c o n d i
t i o n . T h e s e a n d o t h e r s h a r e d features
d e f i n e t h e p a r t i c u l a r style o f t h e A s h
molean Master, a sculptor n a m e d for
the h o m e o f his largest k n o w n f i g u r e .
T h e A s h m o l e a n Master's largest
s c u l p t u r e is t h r e e t i m e s t h e size o f the
s m a l l e s t . T h e t w o m i d d l e figures ( o f
w h i c h o n l y o n e is i l l u s t r a t e d h e r e ,
figs. 72, 73) are v e r y s i m i l a r b o t h i n
style a n d i n size, each a b o u t h a l f as
l o n g as t h e n a m e - p i e c e . A n d a g a i n ,
like the w o r k of the Goulandris M a s
ter, the s m a l l e s t f i g u r e o f the A s h
m o l e a n M a s t e r (figs. 70, 71) has a n
unrefined look when compared w i t h
the others. T h e largest f i g u r e (figs. 74,
75) differs f r o m t h e o t h e r t h r e e b o t h
i n t h e a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e f o u r - p a r t for
m u l a a n d i n its r e l a t i v e n a r r o w n e s s .
T h i s e x a g g e r a t e d s l i m n e s s w a s , as
m e n t i o n e d above, c o m m o n i n excep
t i o n a l l y large i m a g e s .
One can see i n the w o r k s ascribed to
the A s h m o l e a n M a s t e r the p r o d u c t s o f
t h r e e separate stages i n t h e sculptor's
71
72
73
d e v e l o p m e n t , w i t h the smallest r e p r e
s e n t i n g a n e a r l y phase, t h e largest a n
i n t e r m e d i a t e phase, and the m i d
sized w o r k s a late o r m a t u r e phase.
D e s p i t e its great size ( i t is t h e largest
k n o w n example of the Dokathismata
variety), the name-piece should prob
ably be assigned to a m i d d l e phase,
because o f its r a t h e r u n b a l a n c e d p r o
p o r t i o n s a n d because i t shares w i t h
the s m a l l f i g u r e a closely s i m i l a r treat
m e n t o f t h e rear, o n w h i c h , f o r e x a m
p l e , t h e i n c i s i o n s m a r k i n g t h e back o f
t h e a r m s are o m i t t e d .
i n g t h e i r f o r m a t i v e years. H o w e v e r , i t
is l i k e l y t h a t t h e y f i r s t m a s t e r e d t h e i r
craft by m a k i n g r e l a t i v e l y m o d e s t f i g
ures a n d o n l y a t t e m p t e d larger, m o r e
a m b i t i o u s l y c o n c e i v e d ones l a t e r o n .
One m i g h t compare the small, al
l e g e d l y early w o r k s o f t h e G o u l a n d r i s
Master and a sculptor called the
S t e i n e r M a s t e r (figs. 60, 6 1 , 68, 76)
w i t h t h e i r larger, m o r e m a t u r e figures
(figs. 6 4 - 6 7 , 69, 7 7 ) ; t h e e a r l i e r ones
a p p e a r coarse, heavy, a n d c o m p a c t .
E v e n t h o u g h i n each case t h e basic
concept is the same, the s m a l l e r f i g u r e
is n o t as w e l l b a l a n c e d o r elegant, a n d
is, i n fact, p l a i n by c o m p a r i s o n . F o r
the Goulandris Master, the smaller
w o r k lacks t h e h i g h l y c o n t r o l l e d a n d
subtle contours as w e l l as t h e separa
t i o n o f the forearms w h i c h appear i n
the larger w o r k s ; furthermore, not
e n o u g h r o o m is a l l o t t e d f o r t h e d e l i
cately i n c i s e d fingers so characteristic
o f his later w o r k . For t h e Steiner M a s
ter, the s m a l l e r f i g u r e lacks t h e grace
ful curvature o f the outline contours
a n d t h e c a r e f u l l y e l o n g a t e d effect o f
the larger w o r k . Such e m b e l l i s h m e n t s
a n d r e f i n e m e n t s do m u c h to alter a n d
e n h a n c e a f i g u r e ' s appearance.
74
75
O n t h e o t h e r h a n d , t h e rare v i r t u
oso piecesthe h a r p e r s or t h e t h r e e figure groupwere surely the most
d i f f i c u l t o f a l l Cycladic sculptures to
carve, p a r t l y because o f t h e i r s m a l l
size. T h e y m u s t have b e e n m a d e by
sculptors w h o h a d p o l i s h e d t h e i r skills
by m a k i n g t h e u s u a l f o l d e d - a r m f i g
ures. T h e s e sculptors w o u l d have at
t e m p t e d the m u c h more d e m a n d i n g
f i g u r e types o n l y after they h a d devel
o p e d t h e i r techniques a n d h o n e d t h e i r
styles. E v e n t h e n , i n t h e absence o f
such m o d e r n aids as sketchbooks a n d
plasticene or plaster m o d e l s , t h e i r
first attempts m u s t have been less suc
cessful t h a n t h e i r l a t e r ones. S o m e
t h i n g o f t h e p r o g r e s s f r o m p i e c e to
piece m a y be sensed i n a p a i r o f h a r p
ers said to have been f o u n d t o g e t h e r
a n d e v i d e n t l y d e s i g n e d as c o m p a n i o n
pieces (figs. 25, 4 7 ) . I n g e n e r a l , t h e
s m a l l e r f i g u r e is t h e m o r e c a r e f u l l y
executed o f t h e t w o ; i t is also c o n s i d
erably freer a n d m o r e r e l a x e d i n a t t i
t u d e . I t w o u l d appear t h a t i n t h i s case
the s m a l l e r figure was carved after the
l a r g e r one a n d t h a t i t b e n e f i t e d f r o m
t h e e x p e r i e n c e g a i n e d by t h e s c u l p t o r
d u r i n g the m a k i n g o f t h e first v e r s i o n .
76
a p o s s i b i l i t y . H o w e v e r , i n the absence
of a n u m b e r of folded-arm figures
d e f i n i t e l y a t t r i b u t a b l e to the s c u l p t o r
o f this harper, one can o n l y speculate
about his a r t i s t i c career, the apex o f
w h i c h this masterpiece must surely
represent.
Since b o t h w o r k s reveal a h a n d p r o f i
cient i n the r e n d e r i n g o f this d i f f i c u l t
figure type, one m u s t also assume that
these are n o t the first harpists carved
by this sculptor.
F i n a l l y , one m i g h t consider the
h a r p p l a y e r i l l u s t r a t e d i n f i g u r e 79
(see a l s o p i . \vb, f i g s . 2 4 , 2 5 , a n d
cover). A s c u l p t u r e t h a t goes w e l l be
y o n d m e r e t e c h n i c a l v i r t u o s i t y , i t is
r e m a r k a b l e for the h a r m o n y o f its sub
t l y c u r v i n g f o r m s a n d f o r t h e excel
lence o f its w o r k m a n s h i p and surface
f i n i s h . C l e a r l y such a w e l l - b a l a n c e d
w o r k m u s t have b e e n p l a n n e d w i t h
diligence and precision. T h e m o s t i m
p o r t a n t side, as i n all the h a r p e r s , is
the r i g h t one; b u t the o t h e r t h r e e are
also w e l l c o n c e i v e d . O n e can easily
a p p r e c i a t e the s t r o n g i n f l u e n c e o f the
d o m i n a n t f o l d e d - a r m t y p e , especially
i n the t r e a t m e n t o f t h e legs w h i c h are
j o i n e d by a m e m b r a n e o f m a r b l e per
forated b e t w e e n the calves. A l t h o u g h
at present no o t h e r w o r k s by the same
h a n d can be i d e n t i f i e d w i t h c o n f i
dencethe a t t r i b u t i o n to one sculptor
o f f i g u r e s e x e c u t e d i n d i f f e r e n t pos
tures b e i n g e x c e e d i n g l y d i f f i c u l t t h e
piece i l l u s t r a t e d i n figure 78 is at least
77
T h e D i s t r i b u t i o n of the Figures
L i t e r a l l y h u n d r e d s o f vases a n d f i g
ures o f t h e second phase o f t h e E a r l y
Cycladic c u l t u r e , m o s t l y f r a g m e n t a r y ,
have been recovered o n t h e s o u t h w e s t
coast o f K e r o s at an e x t e n d e d site t h a t
appears n o t to have b e e n a s e t t l e m e n t
o r a c e m e t e r y , at least n o t an o r d i n a r y
one. Nevertheless, w i t h the possible
e x c e p t i o n o f one vessel t y p e , a l l t h e
objects f o u n d t h e r e by archaeologists
o r t h o u g h t w i t h g o o d reason to have
b e e n f o u n d t h e r e by o t h e r s b e l o n g to
t h e t y p e s n o r m a l l y r e c o v e r e d else
w h e r e i n graves (figs. 18, 53, 60, 6 9 ) .
78
T h e c a r v i n g o f small-scale h u m a n f i g
ures i n m a r b l e , l i m e s t o n e , o r alabas
t e r was w i d e s p r e a d over t h e greater
M e d i t e r r a n e a n a n d N e a r East d u r i n g
t h e t h i r d m i l l e n n i u m B . C . a n d even
earlier. Particularly strong traditions
f l o u r i s h e d i n A n a t o l i a (figs. 83, 84)
a n d i n S a r d i n i a , w i t h n u m e r o u s sur
viving examples, w h i l e occasional
pieces have been u n e a r t h e d i n C y p r u s
(figs. 8 0 - 8 2 ) , Persia, a n d t h e B a l k a n s ,
to n a m e o n l y a f e w places. W i t h few
e x c e p t i o n s , t h e f e m a l e f o r m is d e
picted, usually i n a schematic or
highly stylized manner.
T h e r e is n o concrete evidence t h a t
t h e C y c l a d i c s c u l p t u r a l t r a d i t i o n was
d i r e c t l y i n f l u e n c e d by o r e x e r t e d a
d i r e c t i n f l u e n c e o n the t r a d i t i o n o f any
of the contemporaneous nearby cul
tures except those o f Early M i n o a n
Crete and Early H e l l a d i c Greece,
w h e r e i t was c l e a r l y i m i t a t e d . A f e w
examples of Early Cycladic sculpture
also f o u n d t h e i r w a y to t h e coast o f
Asia M i n o r but apparently w e n t no
f a r t h e r east. T h e E a r l y B r o n z e A g e
levels o f t h e Cyclades are s t r i k i n g l y
free o f n o n p e r i s h a b l e i t e m s f r o m
o t h e r l a n d s : a s i n g l e s t a m p seal f r o m
79
80
t o r i c a r t . A d h e r e n c e to s u c h s t r o n g
aesthetic p r i n c i p l e s by Cycladic sculp
tors makes t h e i r figures especially
a p p e a l i n g as a g r o u p a n d also n a t u
r a l l y e n c o u r a g e s one to t h i n k ahead
t w o m i l l e n n i a to t h e a c h i e v e m e n t s o f
A r c h a i c G r e e k sculptors, w h o s e basic
ideals, f o r m u l a i c a p p r o a c h , a n d r i g o r
ous m e t h o d s o f c o n t r o l l i n g t h e same
f r a c t i o u s m e d i u m w e r e n o t so v e r y
d i f f e r e n t after a l l , h o w e v e r f o r t u i
tously, f r o m those o f these earliest
m a r b l e artists.
81
82
ISRAEL
DENMARK
Israel M u s e u m (Jerusalem)
Antiksamlingen, Nationalmuseet
(Copenhagen)
SWITZERLAND
M u s e e B a r b i e r - M u e l l e r (Geneva)
ENGLAND
Fitzwilliam M u s e u m (Cambridge)
British Museum (London)
Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts
(Norwich)
Ashmolean M u s e u m (Oxford)
U N I T E D STATES
J. Paul G e t t y M u s e u m ( M a l i b u )
Metropolitan M u s e u m of A r t
( N e w York)
M e n i l Collection (Houston)
FRANCE
M u s e e d u L o u v r e (Paris)
GERMANY
Staatliche M u s e e n ,
Antikensammlung (Berlin)
Staatliche K u n s t s a m m l u n g e n ,
Skulpturensammlung (Dresden)
Badisches L a n d e s m u s e u m
(Karlsruhe)
Staatliche A n t i k e n s a m m l u n g
(Munich)
GREECE
National Archaeological M u s e u m
(Athens)
Paul C a n e l l o p o u l o s M u s e u m
(Athens)
M u s e u m o f Cycladic and A n c i e n t
G r e e k A r t , N i c h o l a s P. G o u l a n d r i s
Foundation (Athens)
Archaeological M u s e u m (Naxos)
83
Selected Bibliography
G e t z - P r e z i o s i , P. " A n E a r l y C y c l a d i c
S c u l p t o r . " Antike Kunst 18 (1975),
pp. 47-50.
in the
84
M a r a n g o u , L . , ed. Cycladic
Culture:
Naxos in the Third Millennium
B.C.
Athens, 1990.
Oustinoff, E. "The Manufacture of Cy
cladic Figurines: A Practical Approach."
In Cycladica, pp. 38-47. &a?Fitton, 1984.
Papathanassopoulos, G. Neolithic
and
Cycladic Civilization. Athens, 1981.
Preziosi, P. G., and Weinberg, S. S. See
Getz-Preziosi and Weinberg, 1970.
Renfrew, C. " T h e D e v e l o p m e n t and
Chronology of the Early Cycladic Figu
rines." American Journal of Archaeol
ogy73 (1969), pp. 1-32.
. The Emergence of
Civilisation:
The Cyclades and the Aegean in the
Third Millennium B.C. London, 1972.
85
Photo Credits
86