A-LEVEL BREAKDOWN - Kore 675
Kore 675 (c. 520 BC) is one of the most advanced female figures of the archaic period. By this time it was standard for rich decoration and complex drapery - this statue and others like it are the precursors to the complex female figures now synonymous with Classical Greek Art.
This statue is considerably shorter than others of the period, but is not short enough to be considered a statuette. In its current state, Kore 675 comes to 0.55 M, though with its legs attached in its metal sockets as designed, the statue is likely closer to 0.75 M. That said, the legs are lost, likely destroyed in the Athenian Acropolis’ destruction and reconstruction.
In terms of pose, the statue is is similar to the Peplos Kore. It stands with it arm raised, this time the arm on the statue’s right (image left). This arm holds an offering dish, breaking the frontal plane. The other arm (image right), pulls the skirt of the statue’s chiton to one side, in a way that is risque for statues of this time. Both arms would have been fitted with metal threads, Tenons, for both practicality for repairs and to show the sculptor’s techne.
The statue is remarkably frontal, compared to its predecessors. In contrast with the complex drapery of the front, the rear of the statue is virtually unrendered, telling us that the statue was likely located in a corner, against a wall or within a column. There is still a hint of anatomy on the rear, as the hair continues down the back, curving over the shoulders and upper torso, and there is a hint of a curve lower down the statue’s back. The front of the statue is for the most part anatomically correct. There is a clear bust, a far cry from the flat planes of the earlier statues of the period.
Accurate anatomy naturally leads to more realistic drapery. The chiton is heavily fluted, and incredibly naturalistic, increasing the statue’s aesthetic. This is in turn decorated with polychromy, including patterns of blue and red detailing the anatomy. Other coloured areas include the eyes, mouth and hair.
The facial structure of the statue is comparable to earlier statues. The statue still has almond shaped, insectoid eyes and an archaic smile. It, like other late archaic statues, no longer has volute ears, but instead interestingly has earrings. In terms of geometry in the hair, Kore 675 has four or five different patterns across the scalp and beading down the back. The statue’s fringe is undulating, looping up and down, and the statue has the typical beaded hair. Other patterns are hidden under the statue’s hairpiece, a stephane, or are packed close together at the piece’s lip.
Kore 675 is, in my opinion, the epitome of archaic Greek female sculpture, and though not fully in the round, it makes use of complex drapery to enhance its aesthetic image.