Amil baba in Lahore /Amil baba in Karachi /Amil baba in Pakistan
Figure
1. THE FIGURE
A brief look at representing The Figure, or the
human form, in art history.
2. PREHISTORY
The figure has been the subject of artists for
as long as we know.
From prehistory, we can see
representations of the figure in both twodimensional and three-dimensional artwork.
The artwork also gives us a glimpse into the
lives of people in that time period.
3. PREHISTORIC FIGURE
Notice the
disproportional
dimensions.
What is emphasized
in Venus of
Willendorf
Figures are reduced
to simple
representations.
Movement of figures
is poorly
represented.
Lascaux cave paintings, 14,000 B.C.E.
Venus of Willendorf, Found in
village in lower Australia, 4 inches,
24,000 B.C.E – 22,000 B.C.E.
4. ANCIENT EGYPTIAN FIGURE
Produced from 5000
BCE to 1000BCE
Notice how the
figure is more
Representational,
or realistic, than the
prehistoric figure.
Notice the chest, or
the heart, is always
facing forward.
5. ANCIENT GREEK FIGURE
Notice change from
Stylized, or painted
with a style rather
than realistic, the
images on the early
Greek pot are
compared to the
highly
representational
sculptures.
Greek Pottery 6th - 4th Century BCE yron, Discobolus, 460 BCE Dying Gaul, circa 230 BCE
M
6. BYZANTINE FIGURE
Stylized figure.
Notice elongated
fingers.
Baby represented
as small person.
What media do you
think was made to
create these?
Hagia Sophia in Constantinople 494 CE Cenni Di Pepo, Santa Trinita Madonna, 1240
7. RENAISSANCE FIGURE
First time in two
dimensional work
we see figure
represented highly
realistically.
What do you think
took so long?
Figures have
correct proportions.
Raphael, Detail: Apollo on Mount Parnassus,
Donatello, Zuccone, Circa 1423