Artemisium Zeus

National Archeological Museum- Athens

This is a statue of the god Zeus from the Classical Era of Greek art. Standing 6 ft 8 in, this statue is typical of the classical period, because it is much more realistic than the statues of the Archaic period, but still very idealized. It is idealized in the since that it doesn't depict an average person, it depicts a god. The dynamic pose, such as the one displayed here, is typical of the Classical period. It is believed that the statue used to hold a lightening bolt and the dynamic pose is intended to show Zeus throwing a bolt. This statue also marks a technological advancement as it is made from bronze and not marble which allows the artist to show much more detail than before while keeping the realism of the human form. This is one of the most impressive statues, in my opinion, that we saw on the trip. The realism of Zeus' musculature is very impressive.