KatyKim

5/4/15
TheForeverBeautyMark

ThelastinglegacyoftheancientGreekcultureremainstoday,continuingtoshapeour
societyandpervadeourcultureinitsadvancementsanddistinctcontributionstophilosophy,art,
architecture,science,andmath.FightingandseparationamongsttheGreekcitystateswas
prevalentandthiswidediscordallowedPhilipofMacedoniatoconquertheGreeksandpass
MacedonianthronetohissonAlexander.Theseeventswouldsetthestageforthelater
HellenisticperiodunderAlexandersreign,wheretheGreekcivilizationandthoughtsdiffusedas
farasIndia.AlexandertheGreatsdeathbeginstherich,diffusiveHellenisticperiodofancient
Greecefrom32330B.C.E.AttheMetropolitanMuseumofArtinNewYorkCity,artwork,text,
sculpturepiecesfromtheHellenisticperiodarewidelyrecognizedbyvisitorsfromalloverthe
world.The
BronzestatuetteofAphroditewithsilvereyes
reflectstheHellenisticzeitgeistof
culturalrevivalanddemonstratestheeternaltruththatbeautyandastandardofwhatisperceived
tobebeautiful,willalwaysbereveredandpresentinanysociety.
The
BronzestatuetteofAphroditewithsilvereyes
depictstheGreekgoddessoflove,
romance,andbeauty,AphroditeorVenusascalledinRomanculture.Thisdepictionof
Aphroditeis8inchesinheightandwasproducedinGreecebyanunknownartistinaround
the3rdto1stcenturyB.C.1Here,AphroditeholdsuptheinfamousgoldenapplefromtheGreek
mythwhereParisoffersitasaprizeforthemostbeautifulgoddess.Inthemyth,Aphrodite
offersHelenandherlovetoParis,themostbeautifulhumanwomanandwifeoftheKingof

"BronzeStatuetteofAphroditewithSilverEyes|Greek|Hellenistic."BronzeStatuetteofAphroditewithSilverEyes.2015.Accessed
May5,2015.
http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/thecollectiononline/search/255409?rpp=30&pg=1&ft=aphrodite&pos=6&imgno=0&tabname=label.

Spartafortheapple,inadvertentlyinitiatingtheTrojanWar2.TheappleAphroditegraspsand
examines,presentin
BronzestatuetteofAphroditewithsilvereyes
wasnotdepictedinthe
ClassicalperiodandonlybeginstoberepresentedartisticallyintheHellenisticperiod3.This
sculpturefigurinewascraftedoutofbronzeandcanbefoundattheMetropolitanMuseumofArt
atNewYorkCity.Itsaccessionnumberis
1972.118.96anditisonviewtodayinGallery164of
theMetropolitanMuseumofArt4.
TheHellenisticperiodwasinitiatedby
discordandconflictamongsttheGreekcitystates
whichallowedPhilipofMacedoniatoconquertheGreeksandpassMacedonianthronetohis
sonAlexander.WithAlexandertheGreatsreign,theGreekcivilizationandthoughtdiffusedas
farasIndia.WithAlexandertheGreatsdeathinitiatestheHellenisticperiodfrom32330B.C.E.
withsignificantadvancementsintheartsdemonstratedinthe
BronzestatuetteofAphroditewith
silvereyes.
AmajorfactoroftheHellenisticperiodthatproducednotableartpieceswasthe
movefromsmallerGreekcitystatestoanvastempirestretching5.InHellenisticperiod,
sculpture,anextremelypopularartformofthetimebecamefarlessidealizedthansculptureof
theClassicalperiod,focusingonamorelifelike,howeverstillidealizedportrayalofpeople.
AccordingtoBoundless,
Hellenistic

sculpture
takesthe
naturalism
ofthebody's
form
and
expressiontolevelofhyperrealismwheretheexpressionofthesculpture'sfaceandbodyelicit
anemotionalresponse.Thesculpturesarefullof
pathos
anddramaandnolonger
focus
onthe

Skidmore,Joel."GreekMythology:Aphrodite."GreekMythology:Aphrodite.2015.AccessedMay14,2015.
http://www.mythweb.com/encyc/entries/aphrodite.html.
3

"BronzeStatuetteofAphroditewithSilverEyes|Greek|Hellenistic."BronzeStatuetteofAphroditewithSilverEyes.2015.AccessedMay
5,2015.
http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/thecollectiononline/search/255409?rpp=30&pg=1&ft=aphrodite&pos=6&imgno=0&tabname=label.
4
"BronzeStatuetteofAphroditewithSilverEyes|Greek|Hellenistic."BronzeStatuetteofAphroditewithSilverEyes.2015.AccessedMay
5,2015.
http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/thecollectiononline/search/255409?rpp=30&pg=1&ft=aphrodite&pos=6&imgno=0&tabname=label.
5

Ibid

ideal6.Thefemalenudeform,especiallysparkedanemotionalresponsefromitsaudience,
reveredandregardedasasymbolofsensuality,beauty,andlust.AnotherdepictionofAphrodite,
theAphroditeofKnidosbyPraxiteles,wasspokenaboutbyMelissaBerz,Proportionedparts
(unlikethemoderndaywomenwhoobtainsurgicalenhancement),allowtheviewertofinda
differentkindofbeautywithinthestatue.AnancientGrecianwouldhavefoundthisbeauty
appealingbecauseitresemblancesthemselvesinform,makingthemfeelmoreakintothe
Goddess,yetthefactthatsheispicturednakedsetsherapartfrommeremortals7.So,theThe
BronzestatuetteofAphroditewithsilvereyes
exactlyreflectstheHellenisticzeitgeistofcultural
revivalanddemonstratestheeternaltruththatbeautyandastandardofwhatisperceivedtobe
beautiful,willalwaysbereveredandpresentinanysociety.
HomerwasareclusiveGreekpoetandscholarthatwascreditedwiththefamedepicsof
the
Iliad
andthe
Odyssey.
The
Iliad
andThe
Odyssey
wereextremelyvaluable,monumental,
textsinGreektimes,accordingtohistorianFiero,The
Iliad
andthe
Odyssey
becamethe
nationalpoemsofancientGreece,unitingGreekspeakingpeoplebygivingliteraryauthority
totheircommonheritage8
TheIliad
followsthevaliantTrojanwarheroAchillesinthelastdays
oftheTrojanWarwhoavengesthedeathofPatrocluswhosacrificedhislifeforAchilles.The
sequelofsortsorcompanionepicto
TheIliad
is

the
TheOdyssey,
whichfollowsOdysseus,a
seafaringTrojanwarherowhodesirestoreturnhome.Odysseushasmanyadventuresand
converselymisadventuresonthetheseawheninthelongprocessoftryingtomakethejourney

Boundless.Sculpture.BoundlessArtHistory.Boundless,03Jul.2014.Retrieved14May.2015from
https://www.boundless.com/arthistory/textbooks/boundlessarthistorytextbook/ancientgreece6/thehellenisticperio
d67/sculpture35210992/
7
Berz,Melissa."AphroditeofKnidos."AphroditeofKnidos.AccessedMay14,2015.
http://www1.union.edu/wareht/gkcultur/guide/19/mel.html.
8
Fiero,GloriaK.
TheHumanisticTradition,MedievalEuropeandtheWorldBeyond.
5thed.Boston:McGrawHill,
2006

backtohisfamily9.IntheOdysseybook4,line14Homerwrites,shehadatthefirstborneher
lovelychild,Hermione,whohadthebeautyofgoldenAphrodite10.Asthe
Odyssey
andthe
Iliad
representedancientGreeksociety,HomeriscomparingabeautifulwomanofancientGreek
societytotheidealGreekstandardofbeauty,Aphroditeinthispassage,whichsupportsmy
thesisperfectlythatthe
BronzestatuetteofAphroditewithsilvereyes
reflectstheHellenistic
zeitgeistofculturalrevivalanddemonstratestheeternaltruththatbeautyandastandardofwhat
isperceivedtobebeautiful,willalwaysbereveredandpresentinanysociety.
Todayinoursocietyand21stcentury,theeternaltruthofbeautyandastandardofwhat
isperceivedtobebeautiful,willalwaysbereveredandpresentinanysociety,isverytruetoday.
ABarbiedollbyMattelisaverytypicalandcommongiftforayounggirlandthatBarbiedoll
immediatelyplantsthesocietystandardofwhatisbeautifulinalittlegirl11.However,theBarbie
dollsbodyactuallysetsupancompletelyunrealistic,falseguidelineoftheperfectfemalebody.
AUniversityofSussex2006studyonBarbieandnegativeeffectsongirlsconcludedthat,
earlyexposuretodollsepitomizinganunrealisticallythinbodyidealmaydamagegirlsbody
image,whichwouldcontributetoanincreasedriskofdisorderedeatingandweightcycling12.
Thissupportsmyeternaltruththatastandardofbeauty,nomatterunrealistic,isverypresentand

Mastin,Luke."TheOdysseyHomerAncientGreeceClassicalLiterature."TheOdysseyHomerAncient
GreeceClassicalLiterature.2009.AccessedMay14,2015.
http://www.ancientliterature.com/greece_homer_odyssey.html.
10

"BOOK4OFTHEODYSSEY,TRANS.BYA.T.MURRAY."ClassicalEText:HOMER,ODYSSEY4.2011.
AccessedMay8,2015.
11

Reporter,Daily."'Barbie'sBodyWasNeverDesignedtoBeRealistic':Mattel'sLeadDesignerDefendstheDoll's
UnrealisticBodyProportions."DailyMailOnline.February3,2014.AccessedMay15,2015.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article2551049/BarbiesbodyneverdesignedrealisticMattelsleaddesignerdefen
dsdollsunrealisticbodyproportions.html.
12
Dittmar,Helga,EmmaHalliwell,andSuzanneIve."DoesBarbieMakeGirlsWantToBeThin?TheEffectOf
ExperimentalExposureToImagesOfDollsOnTheBodyImageOf5To8yearoldGirls."Developmental
Psychology,2006,28392.AccessedMay15,2015.
http://www.willettsurvey.org/TMSTN/Gender/DoesBarbieMakeGirlsWantToBeThin.pdf.

pervasiveintodayssocietyandhasgreatinfluenceoverpeopleforbetterorforworse.The
song,PrettyHurtsbyBeyonce,oneofthemostinfluentialfemalesingersoftodayscentury
alsoexpressessomerestrictivestandardsofbeautyintodayssociety,Blonderhair,flatchest,
TVsays,"Biggerisbetter.Southbeach,sugarfree,Voguesays,"Thinnerisbetter"13.Vogueisa
popularfashionmagazinereadbymanywomenwhichhasmanystandardsofwhattowearand
howtodress.Thesenumerousexamplesinmagazines,songs,andproductsofthetodays21st
centuryandsocietyrepresentthatmyeternaltruth,thatbeautyandastandardofwhatis
perceivedtobebeautiful,willalwaysbereveredandpresentinanysociety,isveryalivetoday.
Inconclusion,the
BronzestatuetteofAphroditewithsilvereyes
morethanaptlydepicts
theGreekgoddessofloveandbeauty,Aphrodite,whoholdsthegoldenapplecontemplatively
fromParissmyth,thatonlyappearsintheHellenisticperiodwhichpromptedtheTrojanWar.
AlexandertheGreatsdeathbeginstheHellenisticperiodfrom32330B.C.E.withsignificant,
majoradvancementsinthevisualartsreflectstheHellenisticzeitgeistofculturalrenewalthrough
diffusion14.The
Iliad
and
Odyssey,
usingacomparisontoAphrodite,demonstratestheeternal
truththatbeautyandastandardofwhatisperceivedtobebeautiful,willalwaysbereveredand
presentinanysociety15.Thiseternaltruthissoapplicable,pervasive,andpresenttotodays
societyinthestudyhowtheBarbiedollrepresentsastandardofbeauty,neverthelessimpossible,
andnegativelyimpactedgirlswhoplayedwiththem,loweringselfesteem16.Humanswill

13

"PrettyHurts"Lyrics."BEYONCEKNOWLESLYRICS.2015.AccessedMay15,2015.
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/beyonceknowles/prettyhurts.html.
14

"BronzeStatuetteofAphroditewithSilverEyes|Greek|Hellenistic."BronzeStatuetteofAphroditewithSilverEyes.2015.Accessed
May5,2015.
15

"BOOK4OFTHEODYSSEY,TRANS.BYA.T.MURRAY."ClassicalEText:HOMER,ODYSSEY4.2011.
AccessedMay8,2015.
16

Dittmar,Helga,EmmaHalliwell,andSuzanneIve."DoesBarbieMakeGirlsWantToBeThin?TheEffectOf
ExperimentalExposureToImagesOfDollsOnTheBodyImageOf5To8yearoldGirls."Developmental
Psychology,2006,28392.AccessedMay15,2015.

alwaysbeinfluencedbythesocietalbeautystandardstheydevelopwhichcaneitherinfluence
theindividualorsocietynegativelyorpositively.

Bibliography:

Berz,Melissa."AphroditeofKnidos."AphroditeofKnidos.AccessedMay14,2015.
http://www1.union.edu/wareht/gkcultur/guide/19/mel.html.

"BOOK4OFTHEODYSSEY,TRANS.BYA.T.MURRAY."ClassicalEText:HOMER,ODYSSEY4.2011.
AccessedMay8,2015.

Boundless.Sculpture.BoundlessArtHistory.Boundless,03Jul.2014.Retrieved14May.2015from
https://www.boundless.com/arthistory/textbooks/boundlessarthistorytextbook/ancientgreece6/thehellenisticperio
d67/sculpture35210992/

"BronzeStatuetteofAphroditewithSilverEyes|Greek|Hellenistic."BronzeStatuetteofAphroditewithSilverEyes.
2015.AccessedMay5,2015.
http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/thecollectiononline/search/255409?rpp=30&pg=1&ft=aphrodite&pos=6&img
no=0&tabname=label.

Dittmar,Helga,EmmaHalliwell,andSuzanneIve."DoesBarbieMakeGirlsWantToBeThin?TheEffectOf
ExperimentalExposureToImagesOfDollsOnTheBodyImageOf5To8yearoldGirls."Developmental
Psychology,2006,28392.AccessedMay15,2015.

Fiero,GloriaK.
TheHumanisticTradition,MedievalEuropeandtheWorldBeyond.
5thed.Boston:McGrawHill,
2006

Mastin,Luke."TheOdysseyHomerAncientGreeceClassicalLiterature."TheOdysseyHomerAncientGreece
ClassicalLiterature.2009.AccessedMay14,2015.http://www.ancientliterature.com/greece_homer_odyssey.html.

"PrettyHurts"Lyrics."BEYONCEKNOWLESLYRICS.2015.AccessedMay15,2015.
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/beyonceknowles/prettyhurts.html.

Reporter,Daily."'Barbie'sBodyWasNeverDesignedtoBeRealistic':Mattel'sLeadDesignerDefendstheDoll's
UnrealisticBodyProportions."DailyMailOnline.February3,2014.AccessedMay15,2015.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article2551049/BarbiesbodyneverdesignedrealisticMattelsleaddesignerdefen
dsdollsunrealisticbodyproportions.html.

Skidmore,Joel."GreekMythology:Aphrodite."GreekMythology:Aphrodite.2015.AccessedMay14,2015.
http://www.mythweb.com/encyc/entries/aphrodite.html.