Kouros from Actium at The Louvre, Paris

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The attribution of this kouros to a specific workshop or artist remains undefined. Some specialists have extensively hypothesized that the piece originated from Naxos, while others argue it is a Corinthian artist or someone influenced by Corinthian style. This kouros is one of two found at the Sanctuary of Apollo in Actium, similar in style but at an earlier stage of development than its counterpart. The four-square design of the sculpture is emphasized by straight arms and shoulders. Strong horizontals on the clavicles further this impression. A median line groove divides the torso in half, while a small arch separates the thorax from the abdomen. On the back half, U-shaped lines indicate the shoulder blades are set far to either side. The broad mass of hair emphasizes the flatness and width of the shoulders. The waist is narrow, with short distance between the sternum and navel. The arms drop directly to the thighs, securely attached from just below the elbows to the tips of the fists. The sculpture was discovered by Champoiseau, a French consul in Ioannina, in 1867 alongside another kouros. Kouroi were first carved in the late eighth century BC on the Cycladic Islands. Alongside its female counterpart (the kore), the kouros - or idealized young male nude - became one of the major types of Greek statuary until the early fifth century BC. Whether placed in a temple or used to mark a tomb, the kouros had a religious function, partly explaining its restrained pose. Throughout the Archaic period, the image of a nude young man with arms by his sides was familiar and endlessly repeated. The present statue fits this schema perfectly, preserved from the base of the neck to the knee. Its discovery during excavations at the temple of Apollo in Actium is a clue to its votive function, but we are unable to determine whether it represents Apollo himself or the person who donated and dedicated the statue.