Reply To: Progression or regression?

[Jessi Willeto]

I can see how people would view the Hellenistic art as a regression of greek humanist values– although the bodies depicted are more organic and varied than the periods before, they are still idealized and portrayed to show the beauty the human body. I think it is a progression myself, because of that variation of depicting babies as well as elders. It shows different aspects of humanity, young age to old age, fear/agony and solitude. I think it is more realistic, even if the bodies that are not children/old are idealized. Humanism focuses on the rationality of humans instead of likening themselves as perfect deities, and in a way the Hellenistic period supports this ideals, lowering the likeness of the gods to human forms. The complexity of it is the most engaging part.