Human animals--such as centaurs, satyrs, sphinxes, sirens, and gorgons--as well as other composite creatures like Pan, Triton, and the Minotaur are extremely common in Greek myth, literature, theater, and the visual arts. Understanding the phenomenon of combining human and animal elements into composite creatures is central to our knowledge of the Greek imagination. This landmark book is the first to investigate representations of these human animals in early Greek art (ca. 850-450 B.C.). The Centaur's Smile discusses ...
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Human animals--such as centaurs, satyrs, sphinxes, sirens, and gorgons--as well as other composite creatures like Pan, Triton, and the Minotaur are extremely common in Greek myth, literature, theater, and the visual arts. Understanding the phenomenon of combining human and animal elements into composite creatures is central to our knowledge of the Greek imagination. This landmark book is the first to investigate representations of these human animals in early Greek art (ca. 850-450 B.C.). The Centaur's Smile discusses the oriental antecedents of these fantastic creatures, examining the influence of Egyptian and Near Eastern models on the formation of Greek monsters in the early Archaic period. Essays also explore the nature and origin of horse-men (centaurs and satyrs) and the ways in which they are represented in early Greek art. Furthermore, the book surveys the broader range of Greek composite creatures and discusses their evolving forms and changing roles and meaning. Over one hundred exquisite objects--all beautifully reproduced in color--are described and analyzed in detail. Among the featured works are reliefs and statuettes in stone, bronze, and terracotta; jewelry and metalwork in gold, silver, and electrum; engraved sealstones in rock crystal, jasper, and cornelian; and painted ceramic vases from Athens, Corinth, Rhodes, Miletus, Cyprus, and Etruria.
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Seller's Description:
Good+ in Very Good dust jacket. 0300101635. Faint crease through pages. Inner hinges are strained. Front board bowed. DJ has minor shelfwear.; Human animals-such as centaurs, satyrs, sphinxes, sirens and gorgons-as well as other composite creatures like Pan, Triton and the Minotaur are extremely common in Greek myth, literature, theatre and the visual arts. Understanding the phenomenon of combining human and animal elements into composite creatures is central to our knowledge of the Greek imagination. This is an investigation of the representations of these human animals in early Greek art (circa 850-450 BC). "The Centaur's Smile" discusses the oriental antecedents of these fantastic creatures, examining the influence of Egyptian and Near Eastern models on the formation of Greek monsters in the early Archaic period. Essays also explore the nature and origin of horse-men (centaurs and satyrs) and the ways in which they are represented in early Greek art. Furthermore, the book surveys the broader range of Greek composite creatures and discusses their evolving forms and changing roles and meaning. Over 100 objects-all reproduced in colour-are described and analysed in detail. Among the featured works are: reliefs and statuettes in stone, bronze and terracotta; jewellery and metalwork in gold, silver and electrum; engraved sealstones in rock crystal, jasper and cornelian; and painted ceramic vases from Athens, Corinth, Rhodes, Miletus, Cyprus and Etruria.; 406 pages; Oversized.
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Seller's Description:
New. 0943012406. *** FREE UPGRADE to Courier/Priority Shipping Upon Request ***-*** IN STOCK AND IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE FOR SHIPMENT-FLAWLESS COPY, BRAND NEW, PRISTINE, NEVER OPENED----IMPORTANT: Interior text is clean, tight, and unmarked. Pages are intact and tight to the spine. --with a bonus offer--; 4to-over 9¾"-12" tall.
