Statue of Eros Sleeping
Hellenistic sculpture artworks had a unique style and romance about them. Rarely were figures seen in plain, everyday poses or situations, but many ancient artists liked to show action and undulation in their artworks. Hellenistic sculpture has a certain classical feel to it as well three dimensional sculptures were created, allowing the statue to be seen and relished from each side draping techniques were also exhibited in these sculptures. Designs also mean to show a certain transparency of attire, which allowed for viewers to see the body of the subject, and recognize its pose. The statue of Eros sleeping much resembles these other features found in many of the artworks of the period.
Art in the Hellenistic period demonstrated the exact and efficient characterization of the times. Young children were demonstrated in exotic and unique poses, whether in mythological statue form, as the baby Eros, or, in larger scenes that exhibit many activities of many deities and notable Greeks and Romans, frolicking and playing with one another, or seen dealing with animals. The god of love Eros has been brought from Olympus to earth and made into the figure of a normal-looking person, a conception that is quite different from the deity that had been described in many mythological works. Here, Eros seems peaceful and loving, and much like a small, drowsy boy, who is seen in a very humanly pose, resting. This is one of the bronze sculptures to have survived from the time of its original creation in the period of antiquity, and this statue is directly of an overweight baby that is completely relaxed and without care as he sleeps, and this statue conveys a sense of the actuality and certain personal detail that the medium used (which was bronze, like many sculptures and statues of the time) made possible. Eros is obviously based on an actual observation of a sleeping baby, which the artists would have used as a sort of template. Likely, the original artwork would have had a base made of stone upon which the sculpture of the sleeping baby would have rested. His wings were delicately crossed or folded across his back in the sculpture, and his curly hair is done very well. This statue seems to designate a soft side of the art period, as some other artworks from the same period were more extreme or seemingly resulting of war and toil in nature.
This small statue is one of the finest examples of Hellenistic art that we have today. Perfectly preserved, and perfectly human, Eros activities are not questionable. He is resting, just as would any other boy. The Hellenistic art period was very concerned with making things seem personal and real, at the same time as making them exotic and interesting, and clearly this statue of the young god exhibits all of those characteristic qualities. In this sculpture, Eros body is contorted much to resemble many of the other artworks of the period, but at the same time, he was supposed to be resting on something. Though the original base is lost, the god of love clearly cannot be resting upon a bed, or his body would not be in the draped position that it is. The object which the original statue rested upon likely also has some significance that relates directly to the Hellenistic period.
The boy in the sculpture is lying upon his back, with his legs hanging over something, and his feet fallen over the side, and his upper body is contorted to the side. He is twisted, in a sort. He has wings on his back, and one of his arms is draped over an adjacent side of the object upon which he rests, adding a certain human and imperfect attribute to the sculpture. This type of sculpture, where gods were participating in humanly activities, or at least striking un extraordinary poses were very common in the period. Many replicas of this statue, and others that are very similar in style were also found.
The medium used in this statue was bronze. This metal was used for many things during the time in which the artwork was constructed, including weapons and shields. This medium is very typical of the age, although stone also had a significant presence. However, the Hellenistic age showed the use of more copper than did years to come, and this statue of bronze is clearly very typical of the time and region in which it was created. The bronze has been subjected to oxidation over the years, and the sculptures rust has turned it a deep green color.
The Metropolitan Museum of the Arts in New York City also has much the same to say about the statue, and its resemblance and devotion to the art period. In this Hellenistic statue of Eros, were are confronted with an image of the great Greek god of love - represented as a sleeping child, a Loggia (exploring art and humanities organization) writes of the modest Hellenistic statue. Indeed, the bronze image charmingly captures the innocent slumber of an exhausted child, complete with details such as pudgy limbs and tousled hair. The only thing that distinguishes this statue from being a startlingly lifelike depiction of a baby, in fact, is the addition of tiny wings. One can easily imagine that the artist who created this statue delighted in their ability to humanize the irresistible god of love and desire.
While the ancient Greeks regarded Eros as one of the most powerful deities in their pantheon, it is interesting that the god underwent a transformation in art over the centuries. During the Archaic and Classical periods, Eros was commonly represented as an idealized, handsome youth. However, as artists during the Hellenistic era began to experiment with different, less idealized images, depictions of both old and young people were introduced into art. One result was that Eros was portrayed increasingly during this period as a child, in both art and mythology.
One statue that goes hand in hand with the statue of Eros in representation of the Hellenistic art period is that of the Gaul dying. An article by Greek Landscapes summarizes the period, and very well designates how the statue of Eros and the statue of the Gaul represent the period. The Hellenistic period begins in 323 with the death of Alexander the Great and ends with the battle of Actio in 31 BC. While Philip of Macedon conquered and united the Greek city-states, his son Alexander the Great embraced on a campaign that found him the conqueror of a vast empire which included Greece, Persia, the Near East, and Egypt. During this period the city-states begin to give way to a more global culture, and the entire Mediterranean sea and the Middle East flourish in a background of conflict, commerce, and cross-cultural influence, with the Greek ideals and language dominating the scene. During the Hellenistic period art underwent dramatic transformations and evolved on the road paved previously by the Classical artist. While the Classical Greek concepts were not entirely abandoned, the artist of the Hellenistic era expanded his formal horizons with dramatic posing, sweeping lines, and high contrast of light, shadow and emotions. The conventions and rules of the classical period gave way to the experimentation and a sense of freedom that allowed the artist to explore his subjects from different unique points of view, which summarizes the freedom of artists, and their abilities to create flowing, life-like statues and sculptures. Because of the statue of Eros certain style and exhibited humanity, it is likely from between 250 BCE and 150 BCE, a period when many other artworks exhibited a similar style.
Another style that this statue exhibits is that of the erotic. In the Hellenistic period, this style included mostly nude, or partially nude subjects, many of whom were striking exotic poses that demonstrate a sort of sexual nature. Nude subjects were seen in paintings, sculptures, statues, and these ideally represented aspects of ancient life. A great example of Hellenistic erotic art is the statue of Laocoon and his sons, which was constructed of white marble, and lies in a museum in Venice. Though this statue came from Italy during the period, it very much demonstrates erotic style in a revered artwork.
The erotic nature of many of the artworks from the Hellenistic period may be attributed to peoples reverence to the human body, and its activities at the time. This brought out ideals in artwork, which were already held by people in ancient society. The human condition and state of mind became a popular subject and inconsequential moments of life were transcended into universal signs and immortalized in stone. The sleepy satyr, the old woman, the swing of Aphrodites sandal, a twist of the torso, a humorous grin or a surprised expression gave life to cold marble and bronze, Mark Koulos writes of the period. In the Venus, Eros, and Pan, statue the voluptuous Aphrodite (Venus) contrasts sharply with the grotesque appearance of Pan who tries to seduce her as she attempts to repel him with a smile and a swing of her sandal. This demonstrates the reverence which people feel toward everyday normal poses and actual eroticism within art of the period.
Her immense erotic power personified by Eros has a firm grasp of the creatures horns playfully guiding the theatrical setting towards an impossible conclusion that we are left to create ourselves. Eroticism gained popularity during this period and statues of Aphrodite, Eros, Satyrs, Dionysus, Pan, and even hermaphrodites are depicted in a multitude of configurations and styles. Statues of female nudes became popular in Hellenistic art and statues of Venus in various poses and attitudes adorn the halls of many museums around the world. Venus de Milo (Aphrodite of Melos) is still admired today as the personification of Beauty itself with its ideal proportions, the high waste, the sharp twist of the leg, and the seductive Praxitelean S curve of the torso. Seductive poses seem commonplace in the Hellenistic art of the period. The statue of Eros, though of a boy, does not fail to embrace the erotic, as the mostly-naked child sleeps with his body twisted and flowing.
Other statues, paintings, and sculptures of Greek gods, including Eros and Aphrodite often have seductive and provocative natures as well. Postures exhibited in some of these sculptures are actually intended to seduce, in a way. Plain sculptures that have little action or contortion in the body of the subject are not seen from this period as much. People laying sprawled about, naked or mostly unclothed, and those striking purposeful seductive poses are most common seen from the Hellenistic period. Action poses, in addition to those purely erotic in nature also had a major presence in the Hellenistic art movement, and these sculptures seem to show allusions to war and fighting. The dying Gaul is a mix of the romantic, erotic style of sculpture seen in the sleeping Eros statue, and the action one, as a man lays dying, apparently struggling for his last breath. This type of art was prevalent in the movement, and it nicely compliments the peaceful art seen in statues of love and eroticism.
Although there have been many statues from the period that did not directly try to capture seductive poses and eroticism, many of the artworks from the period tried to capture a certain realism that was evidenced in such provocative works. Almost every artwork containing the goddess Venus, as well as many containing other gods and goddesses showed subjects in curious and sexual poses that indicated the undulating and flowing abilities of the human body. The statue of Eros sleeping is no exceptions, as it had much that very style. It showed a young, nude god, who was plump and healthy looking, slumped, or draped over some unknown structure, with his body contorted to the side in an almost sensual fashion. Made of bronze, and exhibiting these qualities of realism, the statue of Eros, on display at the Metropolitan Art Museum in NYC is the perfect and fundamental example of erotic, and Hellenistic art from the last few centuries BCE.
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