Torso of a kouros

myminifactory

Greek artists create increasingly naturalistic representations of the human figure throughout the sixth century B.C. During this period, two types of freestanding, large-scale sculptures dominate: the male kouros, a standing nude youth, and the female kore, a standing draped maiden. Erected in sanctuaries and cemeteries outside city walls, these large stone statues serve as dedications to gods or grave markers. Athenian aristocrats frequently erect expensive funerary monuments within the city and its surroundings, especially for family members who die young. Such monuments take the form of stelai, often decorated in relief. This fragment originates from the sanctuary of Ptoan Apollo in Boeotia.