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The Riace Warriors(Riace Bronzes)
Basic Information
• They are thought to have been sculpted around 460-430 BC which places them in the early to middle classical period.
• Two statues: ‘A’ and ‘B’.• ‘A’ thought to be the younger and ‘B’ the
older.• They were discovered off the coast of Riace by
a scuba-diving chemist on August 16 1972.
Basic Information
• Currently in the Museo Nazionale della Magna Grecia in Reggio Calabria, Italy.
• One of the only original bronze statues that survived the dark ages, most bronze statues only survive in Roman marble copies.
• It is widely believed that there would have been other ‘warriors’ in this set.
The Statues: A
• Warrior A looks younger and appears Athenian.
• Head tilted to the side gives the statue an increased sense of realism.
• Mouth open seems to show capturing of a moment rather than a pose, as if the statue is frozen mid-speech.
The Statues: B
• Made of Bronze and other materials.
• Eyes made of bone and glass.
• Lips and nipples made of copper.
• Right: Statue B.• Very detailed, realistic beard
and is wearing a cap shows he’s possibly Corinthian.
The Statues
• They are both in contrapossto poses.
• Adds realism. • It has been suggested
that their torso’s were made from the same mould and slightly altered.
• Would have been carrying shields.
Development
• Presented the move into ‘perfect’ statues, with a pose that was so life like Woodford writes “The figure may be still, but it is alive with potential energy”.
• These statues are perfect example of the contrapossto technique, its development and arguably, its perfection.
Technique
• Whilst statue A hair at the top of his head is etched into the bronze, the ringlets below the headband are carved separately and attached afterwards.
• Made in the typical bronze fashion of wax moulding.
Quotes
• “His upper body is largely unresponsive to the different degrees of tension in the two arms. The alert turn of the head, however, counteracts any impression of static immobility.”
• “The rejection of the symmetry of the kouros is no longer haphazard but calculated.”