An Introduction to Greek Sculpture

In this video, we’ll cover 500 years of Greek sculpture—starting with the stiff, symbolic kouros figures of the Archaic period and ending with the raw emotional punch of the Hellenistic Dying Gaul. Along the way, you’ll see how Greek artists turned the human figure into the ultimate symbol of humanism—not just a body, but a reflection of thought, movement, and emotion.

We’ll look at:

Archaic Period – Egyptian influence, the “Egyptian Hokey Pokey,” the Anavysos Kouros, and the Archaic smile.

Early Classical – The Kritios Boy, contrapposto, and the start of Athens’ Golden Age.

High Classical – Polykleitos’ Doryphoros and the Canon of perfect proportions.

Late Classical – Lysippos’ Apoxyomenos, Praxiteles’ Aphrodite of Knidos, and the move toward individuality and sensuality.

Hellenistic – The Dying Gaul and how Greek art embraced empathy, drama, and the full range of human experience.

From idealized perfection to the messy, beautiful reality of life, this is how Greek sculpture changed the way we see ourselves—and why it still matters today.