Employing the same methodology she has used in her previous studies of Greek sculpture, Brunilde Sismondo Ridgway critically scrutinizes most of the best-known pieces of Greek sculpture to determine what can be securely considered to have been produced during 200-100 B.C. Arguing that characterizations of the second century have been overly influenced by the dramatic Pergamon Altar, Ridgway begins afresh, examining architectural sculpture, statuary in the round, funerary and votive reliefs, and the difficult cases of sculptures known only, or primarily, through later copies, or found on Italian soil but probably made by Greek masters. Her exploration ultimately reveals a tentative but plausible picture of the artistic trends of this fascinating period.
