Olga Palagia – författare

The aim of this 1996 book is to identify and evaluate the distinctive styles of five important ancient Greek sculptors whose work is discussed by ancient writers. Its underlying assumption is that the history of Greek sculpture was not simply governed by impersonal, evolutionary forces but that, like the sculpture of later periods, it was shaped by the intuitions, predilections and innovations of particular individuals. The international group of authors whose essays appear here recognize that the problematical and fragmentary nature of the surviving evidence makes their task a difficult one. Nevertheless, by drawing upon the evidence of recent archaeological finds and by re-evaluating both the ancient literary sources and earlier scholarly literature, they expand our understanding of the role of personal styles in ancient Greek art.

This book examines the effects of the Peloponnesian War on the arts of Athens and the historical and artistic contexts in which this art was produced. During this period, battle scenes dominated much of the monumental art, while large numbers of memorials to the war dead were erected. The temple of Athena Nike, built to celebrate Athenian victories in the first part of the war, carries a rich sculptural program illustrating military victories. For the first time, the arts in Athens expressed an interest in the afterlife, with many sculptured dedications to Demeter and Kore, who promised initiates special privileges in the underworld. After the Sicilian disaster, a retrospective tendency can be noted in both art and politics, which provided reassurance in a time of crisis. This is the first book to focus on the new themes and new kinds of art introduced in Athens as a result of the thirty-year war.

The Handbook of Greek Sculpture aims to provide a detailed examination of current research and directions in the field. Bringing together an international cast of contributors from Greece, Italy, France, Great Britain, Germany, and the United States, the volume incorporates new areas of research, such as the sculptures of Messene and Macedonia, sculpture in Roman Greece, and the contribution of Greek sculptors in Rome, as well as important aspects of Greek sculpture like techniques and patronage. The written sources (literary and epigraphical) are explored in dedicated chapters, as are function and iconography and the reception of Greek sculpture in modern Europe. Inspired by recent exhibitions on Lysippos and Praxiteles, the book also revisits the style and the personal contributions of the great masters.

This book focus on Athenian art in the second half of the fifth century, one of the most important periods of ancient art. Including papers on architecture, sculpture, and vase painting the volume offers new and before unpublished material as well as new interpretations of famous monuments like the sculptures of the Parthenon. The contributions go back to an international conference at the American School of Classical Studies, Athens.