Hellenistic Male Head 3 at The British Museum, London

myminifactory

The Hellenistic period spans ancient Greek history and Mediterranean history between Alexander the Great's death in 323 BC and the Roman Empire's emergence signified by the Battle of Actium in 31 BC, followed by the conquest of Ptolemaic Egypt the next year. During this time, art shifted from idealized figures to a style dominated by realism and emotion. The depiction of naturalism in art is reflected in stories like that of Zeuxis, who painted grapes so realistic birds pecked at them. Female nudes became popular, as seen in Praxiteles' Aphrodite of Cnidos, and art became more erotic. The Hellenistic ideals were those of sensuality and passion. People of all ages and social statuses were depicted in Hellenistic art. Artists like Peiraikos chose mundane subjects, earning him the name rhyparographos for painting barbers' shops and cobblers' stalls. Even barbarians like the Galatians were depicted in heroic form, prefiguring the noble savage theme. The image of Alexander the Great was an important artistic theme, with all diadochi depicting themselves as young and strong. Notable Greek sculptures from this period include Laocoön and his Sons, Venus de Milo, and the Winged Victory of Samothrace. This object is part of "Scan The World", a non-profit initiative by MyMiniFactory to create a digital archive of 3D printable sculptures for public access. Scan the World is an open-source community effort; if you have interesting items, email stw@myminifactory.com to contribute. Scanned using Photogrammetry (Processed with Agisoft PhotoScan).