Kleiton

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Kleiton ( Greek  Κλείτων ) was an ancient Greek sculptor in Athens in the late 5th century BC. He is known only from a conversation with Socrates , which Xenophon reproduces in his memoirs.

Since he is otherwise completely unknown, but with Xenophon as an important artist in the conversations after the painter Parrhasios , it was assumed that the name should be understood as an abbreviation of the name Polykleitos and that the artist behind the person can be identified with the large polyklet . Kleiton is shown as a sculptor of athletes' statues, who formed runners, wrestlers, pugilists and pankratiasts in the shape peculiar to them.

In the short dialogue, Socrates conducts the conversation, asks the questions and immediately gives the answers, which Kleiton can only confirm. Accordingly - like every artist of this time - Kleiton created his statues according to living patterns, to which he gave a more realistic representation of the various body positions through "the rising and falling, the contracted and stretching, the tense and relaxed muscles". In the visual arts, however, it is also important that the mental attitude of the portrayed is expressed in the portraits, and Socrates concludes with the statement that the artist must "also express the life of the soul in his figures."

The shortening of the name alone does not speak against the equation of Kleiton and Polykleitos, similarly Plato also shortens the name of the painter Zeuxippos , whom he mentions in the Protagoras in a long version, in the Gorgias zu Zeuxis. However, it is very unlikely that Polyklet ever stayed in Athens and was involved in a conversation with Socrates.

What is important is the short dialogue with regard to his statements on the rules of art, which are reflected in classical art in Greece. In the works of Polyklets in particular, the balancing of opposing movements, carrying and loads, lifting and lowering, tensing and relaxing, is one of the basic motifs with which the artist dealt. Expressing soul life in figures was the achievement of around 450 BC. High Classics beginning in BC and a natural requirement already in dialogue with Socrates. The work of a few years older Myron held Pliny contrary, he lacked even the emotional expressiveness.

Remarks

  1. ↑ Xenophon, Memorabilia 3, 10.
  2. ↑ Plato, Protagoras 318 B.
  3. ^ Plato, Gorgias 453 C.
  4. ↑ Pliny, Naturalis historia 34, 57-58.

literature

personal data
SURNAME Kleiton
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Sculptor of ancient Greece
DATE OF BIRTH 5th century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH 5th century BC BC or 4th century BC Chr.