When looking at the "Dorifor" of Poliklet, a person living in our century and not experienced in matters of art, will not immediately understand why this sculpture is considered so valuable. However, contemporaries of the ancient Greek master could very quickly determine the differences between the statue and other works of that period. The sculpture “Dorifor” of Policlet was distinguished by a special formulation of the body, it was one of the first works in ancient Greece, the character of which seemed alive, ready to leave the pedestal by a person. Even in those days, the statue was considered the standard of classical art, an example of mathematically verified proportions that can breathe life into bronze.
Polyclet Senior
The sculptor who created the statue, which will be discussed in the article, lived at the end of the 5th century BC (presumably the 480-420s BC). The exact birthplace of Polycletus remains unknown. According to ancient Greek authors, it could be Argos or Sikion, cities that were centers of the artistic culture of that time. Polycletes gained his skills under the supervision of the sculptor Agelar. Another famous ancient Greek artist, Miron, studied with him.
The work of Polyclet is distinguished by a relentless search for the ideal. Creating sculptures, he sought to achieve perfection in the transmission of posture, facial expressions. His characters are far from fuss, they are calm and wise. Harmony was peculiar not only to the figure, but also to the internal content of the image.
Favorite Heroes
Before and after the creation of Dorifor, Polyclet was interested in the image of athletes. And this is not surprising: who, if not stately Olympic winners, could demonstrate the beauty of a developed male body. However, most often, Polyclet depicted athletes not in the process of competition, but after victory. At that moment, excess tension left the body, but there were no signs of fatigue. The body became relaxed and collected at the same time - the very harmony that the ancient Greek sculptor loved and knew how to transmit was felt.
Sculptures
The original statues of the author were not preserved. Many works were left only in the form of descriptions of contemporaries, some came to us thanks to Roman copies. Thus, the love of sculptors of the holy empire for the repetition of ancient Greek works allowed art historians of our time to see one of the earliest works of Policlet. The master captured the winner of the Olympic Games at the moment when he crowned his head. But about the statues of Pythocles and Ariston, as well as Heracles and Hermes, we know only thanks to written sources.
A little later than the creation of these works, Policlet, “Dorifor” was also ready at that time, moved to Athens. Here he creates the "Wounded Amazon." This sculpture came to us in the form of a Roman copy. In style, it practically does not differ from the “Dorifor” of Policlet. The setting of the body, the drawing of a strong muscular body, the felt inner strength - all this makes two statues related.
At the end of life
In Athens, Polycletus was also engaged in portrait sculpture. At that time, this type of art was not widespread. Polyclet, judging by the messages and reviews that have reached us, perfectly knew his job. The sources preserved information according to which the master worked on a portrait of Arteman, an engineer of Pericles himself.
The statues of recent years reflected the new search for the author. One of these works is “Diadumen” (about 430 BC). The statue depicts the Olympic winner, with a beautiful gesture of tying the ribbon on his head. In his figure and facial expression there is already much less calm than in the previous works of the master.
Dorifor Polycletus: Description
However, the most famous work of the sculptor is precisely Dorifor. The sculpture depicts a spear-bearer who has just won the competition. The original, which has not reached us, dates from 460-450. BC e. Today we can judge the work thanks to several surviving copies.
The elusive movement and staging of the hull - this is what sets off the statue that Polyclet created. Dorifor the spear-bearer stands, leaning on one leg, the second only supports the figure - as if he was about to take a step. The young man’s right hand is lowered; in his left he holds a spear. It is easy to notice that part of the body is at rest, while the other is tense. This combination looks so natural that the lancer seems alive. The statue favorably differed from the static images characteristic of the previous period in art.
Canon
The basis of the construction of the body of the "Dorifor" of Polycletus was an exact mathematical calculation and the positions of Pythagoreanism. The male body depicted by the master was repeatedly copied by his followers and received the name "Canon of Polycletus". The sculptor's treatise was also called, where the foundations of the teachings of Pythagoras and the mathematical calculation of proportions were laid out. The work of the sculptor has not reached us, today scientists can only judge it by the records of his contemporaries.
The basis of the composition is the cross uneven movement of the body. On the right, the lowered arm and supporting leg are static but tense. On the left, the corresponding parts of the body are relaxed, but are in motion. With the help of this opposition, Polycletus managed to convey the inner calm of the hero and the simultaneous readiness for any trials.
Golden ratio
When the Dorifor statue was created, Polycletus applied another principle of Pythagoreanism. All body proportions are constructed according to the golden ratio rule . Briefly, it can be formulated as follows: the length of the entire object or body relates to the greater part as much as the last to the smaller. The height of the statue refers to the distance from the pedestal to the navel of the lancer, as the latter to the distance from the navel to the crown of the head.
All proportions of the sculpture are subject to certain calculations. It was precisely the ideal ratios of the parts of the body that made it possible to create a stately warrior, rather than an elongated or stocky figure, that the numerous students of the master tried to repeat by copying Dorifor. Here are some of these proportions:
The rule of the golden ratio and proportional ratios Polyclet observed in all works. The master refused them only if they began to contradict the natural parameters of the human body in a particular sculpture.
Counterpost
Polyclet was one of the first to use the method of counterpost, which later became a classic. It is expressed precisely in the cross-tension in the arms and legs. Reception allows you to make the pose more natural, to convey the movement inherent in it. Statues created with the use of a counterpost compares favorably with static sculptures of antiquity. They depict living people, but not frozen copies of deities.
Working on sculptures, Polyclette watched people. He noticed that always the movement of one part of the body causes a change in position and another. He was not the first to see this feature, but better than others he could convey it. Like some of his predecessors, he realized that to transmit movement, it is necessary to push the left leg and right arm forward, or the right leg and left arm. This is the cross position of the parts of the body, which resulted in the principle of counterpost.
Unfortunately, the original of the statue created by Polycletus did not reach us. “Dorifor”, the photos show this well, and in the surviving copies embodies the canon of the image of a stately male body. However, there is reason to believe that the original, lost over the centuries, looked even more harmonious. Nevertheless, “Dorifor” to this day remains a role model in art. The proportions of the body and the principle of the golden section used to create it are considered ideal today. Today, the sculpture "Dorifor" can be considered a kind of educational material, and not only for sculptors, but also for artists and other artists.