Color in Antique Statuary

After reading the article, True Colors, please consider the following questions in your response:

1. If you were asked to describe a classical statue prior to reading this article – what might come to mind? What
   formal qualities would you have emphasized?
2. The article stresses the current archaeological and art historical position that our modern understanding of
   classical statuary must be re-evaluated – and that our traditional appreciation of certain formal qualities of
   classical art is – at least in part – a culturally conditioned response. In what way is this so? Why might we prefer
   to understand classical statuary in a particular way?
3. What evidence do we have – both textual/anecdotal and physical/scientific that classical statuary was not
   only colored but that the color was an essential component of its realism?

Sample Solution