The Riace Warriors(Riace Bronzes)

Basic Information

• They are thought to have been sculpted around 460-430 BC which places them in the early to middle classical period.

• Two statues: ‘A’ and ‘B’.• ‘A’ thought to be the younger and ‘B’ the

older.• They were discovered off the coast of Riace by

a scuba-diving chemist on August 16 1972.

Basic Information

• Currently in the Museo Nazionale della Magna Grecia in Reggio Calabria, Italy.

• One of the only original bronze statues that survived the dark ages, most bronze statues only survive in Roman marble copies.

• It is widely believed that there would have been other ‘warriors’ in this set.

The Statues: A

• Warrior A looks younger and appears Athenian.

• Head tilted to the side gives the statue an increased sense of realism.

• Mouth open seems to show capturing of a moment rather than a pose, as if the statue is frozen mid-speech.

The Statues: B

• Made of Bronze and other materials.

• Eyes made of bone and glass.

• Lips and nipples made of copper.

• Right: Statue B.• Very detailed, realistic beard

and is wearing a cap shows he’s possibly Corinthian.

The Statues

• They are both in contrapossto poses.

• Adds realism. • It has been suggested

that their torso’s were made from the same mould and slightly altered.

• Would have been carrying shields.

Development

• Presented the move into ‘perfect’ statues, with a pose that was so life like Woodford writes “The figure may be still, but it is alive with potential energy”.

• These statues are perfect example of the contrapossto technique, its development and arguably, its perfection.

Technique

• Whilst statue A hair at the top of his head is etched into the bronze, the ringlets below the headband are carved separately and attached afterwards.

• Made in the typical bronze fashion of wax moulding.

Quotes

• “His upper body is largely unresponsive to the different degrees of tension in the two arms. The alert turn of the head, however, counteracts any impression of static immobility.”

• “The rejection of the symmetry of the kouros is no longer haphazard but calculated.”