Oğuzhan Parasayan ARHA221 The Art of Mediterranean and European Civilizations: Ancient to Pre-Modern Inge Uytterhoeven Representations of Male Beauty in Ancient Greek Art The ancient Greek civilization presented the creation of specific artworks in the context of Classical Antiquity besides scientific, philosophical and literary productions. The Greek culture became influential on the artistic production of the Middle Ages and especially the Renaissance, and also in modern times as is visible through visual references to Classical art. From 900 BC to until about the 1 st century BC a great quantity of works of art was produced in a variety of media and distinctive ideals of human beauty were developed by Greek artists throughout the centuries. Artistic conventions were not stable and therefore, these stylistic trends were changed and improved over the course of the centuries. For instance, standards for the ideal male proportions were mainly fixed in the 5 th century; however, during these evolutions these standards were challenged and modified in the following centuries. It can be assumed that each period in the ancient Greek history produced a variety of works with its own recognizable elements. A chronological order is required for the interpretation of these various art productions. The chronology in this context includes the Archaic period (700-480 BC) with its free-standing sculptures, such as kouroi, and painted potteries, the Early Classical period (480-450 BC), including the famous Kritios Boy and bronze sculptures, the High Classical Period (450-400 BC) with the Doryphoros by Polykleitos, the Late Classical period (400-323 BC) and the Hellenistic period 323-31/30 BC, including life-size sculptures with intense emotions. 1 In terms of beauty, the best defined figure in the ancient Greek art is the young male nude. The male nude mostly became a representation of the phallic power without the intention of eroticism. 2 Nudity was the idealized way of beauty representation and also the dress of gods and heroes. 3 The masculinity was at the center of the religion, philosophy and also the aesthetics. Therefore, the beauty and wholeness were symbolized with this approach of the male nudity in the artistic production. 4 Male Beauty in Ancient Greece In the Ancient Greek society males had the privilege over females, which made the culture male-centered. The patriarchal society creating the male supremacy in Greek culture is also visible in the art production. The education of boys was considered a highly important issue with the concern of the future of the poleis, city-states. The paideia, the education and rearing system, had the purpose of raising the Greek youth to reach the male perfection by imposing the ideas for development of the male body, mind, and soul. 5 In the Greek cult of beauty a pharase was used to express the balance between soul and body in terms of beauty; kalos kai agathos meaning the beautiful 1 Stokstad 2014, 102-47. 2 Still 2001, 10. 3 Hurwit 2007, 46. 4 Still 2001, 11-12. 5 Smalls 2012, 21.