Kouros

kouros

Marble kouros from Anávissos, Greece, c. 540–515 BC; in the National …

(credit: SuperStock)

Archaic Greek statue representing a standing male youth. These large stone figures began to appear in Greece c. 700 BC and closely followed the Egyptian style of geometrical, rigid figures. Later forms reflect the Greeks' increased understanding of human anatomy and are more naturalistic. Kouroi sometimes represented the god Apollo, but more commonly served as votive offerings or grave markers. See also kore.

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Kouros 

a statue of a young athlete (usually nude), a characteristic example of Greek archaic sculpture. This type of statuary (dating from the end of the seventh century B.C.) is related to the development of the social consciousness of the citizens of the early polis and to the emergence of the ideal of a physically perfect hero, athlete, or warrior. The kouroi are marked by a rigid frontal disposition and a generalized treatment of the human body. Their faces are animated with what is known as the archaic smile. The kouroi were erected in sanctuaries and on tombs. Primarily memorial statues, they were sometimes used as objects of worship. The kouros was formerly known as the archaic Apollo.

REFERENCE

Richter, G. M. A. Kouroi, 2nd ed. London, 1960.