Polykleitos and the Canon: Sculpture in the High Classical Period (c. 450–420 BCE)

1. Early contrapposto appears in the Kritios Boy

   Jan 1, 480 BCELabels: Kritios Boy, Athens

   • Kritios Boy

2. Myron’s Discobolus defines controlled athletic motion

   Jan 1, 460 BCELabels: Myron, Discobolus

   • Discobolus

3. Riace Bronzes show mastery of life-size bronze bodies

   Jan 1, 460 BCELabels: Riace Bronzes, Bronze Sculpture

   • Smarthistory
   • Riace bronzes

4. Polykleitos creates the Doryphoros as a ‘Canon’ figure

   Jan 1, 450 BCELabels: Polykleitos, Doryphoros

   • Britannica
   • Annenberg

5. Pericles begins building program on the Athenian Acropolis

   Jan 1, 447 BCELabels: Pericles, Athenian Acropolis

   • Britannica
   • Parthenon

6. Parthenon construction and major sculptural program underway

   Jan 1, 447 BCELabels: Parthenon, Acropolis Sculpture

   • History com
   • Parthenon Frieze

7. Polykleitos formulates the ‘Kanon’ on bodily proportions

   Jan 1, 440 BCELabels: Polykleitos, Kanon

   • Polykleitos

8. Wounded Amazon type linked to mid-5th-century contest

   Jan 1, 435 BCELabels: Wounded Amazon, Ephesos

   • Met Museum

9. Diadoumenos adapts the Canon for a victorious athlete

   Jan 1, 420 BCELabels: Diadoumenos, Polykleitos

   • Walters
   • Diadumenos

10. Cult statue of Hera at Argos reflects Polykleitos’ authority

    Jan 1, 420 BCELabels: Hera Statue, Argos

    • UMich

11. High Classical style becomes a widely recognized ‘peak’

    Jan 1, 400 BCELabels: High Classical, Polykleitos

    • Britannica

12. Roman copies spread Polykleitos’ Canon across the empire

    Jan 1, 100Labels: Roman Copies, Polykleitos

    • Britannica
    • Annenberg