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Cycladic Marble Idols. Ancient Greece -3300 BC – 2000 BC. Cycladic art is the art and sculpture of the ancient Cycladic civilization, existing in the islands of the Aegean Sea from 3300 - 2000 BCE. . Map. Early Cycladic Art .
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Cycladic Marble Idols Ancient Greece -3300 BC – 2000 BC
Cycladic art is the art and sculpture of the ancient Cycladic civilization, existing in the islands of the Aegean Sea from 3300 - 2000 BCE. Map
Early Cycladic Art Cycladic civilization flourished between about 2700 and 1100 BC among a group of islands, called the Cyclades, in the Aegean Sea between Greece and Asia Minor. Small tribes or family groups were scattered throughout the islands’ fortified towns. These people left behind no written records, although archaeologists have unearthed their stone tombs and a large number of marble statues.
The Cyclades are rocky, volcanic islands and have the materials necessary for stone sculpture. Marble and other kinds of stone are plentiful. Also available on the islands is emory, which can be used as an abrasive to carve and polish marble. Cycladic culture was contemporary with the Minoan civilization of ancient Crete and the Mycenaean culture of the Greek mainland.
The best-known art of this period are the Marble Idols, which had been refined since Neolithic times. These marbles are seen scattered around the Agean, suggesting that these figures were popular amongst the people of Crete.
Art mainly manifested itself in the form of marble idols, often used as offerings to the dead. Idols possessed a flat, geometric quality, giving them a striking resemblance to today's modern art. Marble Sculptures
Cycladic Idol3000-2000 B.C.Louvre, Paris A majority of the figurines are female, depicted nude, and with arms folded across the stomach. It is unknown whether these idols depict a goddess, or merely Cycladic women. Figure 1 Figure 2: Standing female figure of resin. Height 27 cm, length 12 cm.
Female Figure • These figures are carved from marble, occur in a variety of sizes, and appear very stylized, almost abstract. • Many have been found in graves, but some come from excavations of fortified hilltop towns. • Most have oval or U-shaped heads that tilt slightly back. The arms cross over the torso, the legs are side by side, and the toes point downward. • While the figures are commonly displayed as standing, the pose indicates that they were probably intended to recline. Perhaps they were meant to echo the bodies of the Cycladic dead with which they were often buried. • In a few cases, figures of musicians have also been found. The exact purpose of these sculptures is unknown.
Perhaps the most famous of these Marble Idols are musicians: one a harp-player the other a pipe-player. Dating to approximately 2500 B.C.E., these musicians are sometimes considered “the earliest extant musicians from the Aegean” . Harp Player
Aesthetic Qualities • Styles of figure is unlike other art created at this time of history. • Composition appears to change when viewed from different angles • Flowing space directs viewer’s eye around and through the design. • Sculpture carved from a single block of marble. • Size of sculpture (about 9” high) contrasts to actual size of subject. • Smooth texture and white color emphasize the sense of unity and also contrast with surroundings. • Currved shapes appears in lyre, chair back, chair supports, and throughout the rounded tube-like construction. • The few details include incised toes and the figure’s nose. • Lyre is balanced on the musician’s lap. Its strings must be imagined; they are not depicted. • Intricate interplay of positive andnegative space.
