Praxiteles, << prak SIHT uh leez, >> was one of the greatest Greek sculptors of the 300’s B.C. He was one of the first sculptors to humanize the Greek gods and goddesses, a departure from the stern, remote, awe-inspiring figures of previous Greek sculptors.
Praxiteles excelled in sculpting the beauty of the human form. Face and body features were delicately lifelike, and the marble surfaces had a lustrous finish. The eyes of his figures had a dreamy look. The hip was often thrust out, creating a graceful “S” curve, and giving the body a more relaxed appearance.
Although none of Praxiteles’ work has survived, Greek and Roman copies of his sculptures exist that are excellent representations of his style. One famous copy is a statue of Hermes and the infant Dionysus (see Hermes ). In antiquity, Praxiteles’ most famous statue was the Aphrodite of Knidos. The statue was the earliest to show the goddess of love standing nude, modest but alluring. Praxiteles’ Aphrodite was the inspiration for many later statues of the goddess. Praxiteles was born in Athens.
