CLAS 454 - Greek and Roman Sculpture: Symbols and Society in Antiquity

This course surveys Greek and Roman sculpture from Cycladic figurines of the 3rd millennium B.C. to Roman sculpture of ca. 300 A.D. Topics to be addressed are stylistic developments, uses of sculpture within historical settings, iconography and meaning, materials and manufacturing techniques, and sculptors and their social status. The course will also deal with modern misconceptions of the original appearance of the classical sculpture, problems of forgeries, and the impact of looting within larger discussions of cultural heritage and collecting.