40. Kore from the Cheramyes group,

known as the “Hera of Samos”, Temple of Hera,

Samos, Greek, Samian, Archaic style, c. 570-560 B.C.E.

Marble, height: 192 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris.

 

 

This kore is best understood through comparison to the earlier Auxerre Kore (see no. 33). It continues the tradition sculpting the standing female in stone, but shows the development in the art form. This kore, like the earlier example, is modestly draped in a long gown and a shawl, but the form of her body is more visible underneath, especially the curves of her shoulders, breasts, and belly. The sculptor has drawn attention to these forms by showing how the clothing gathers, pleats and falls as it drapes over the woman’s body. Instead of the heavy, patterned woollen peplos worn by the Auxerre Kore (see no. 33), this kore wears a chiton, a tightly pleated, lightweight garment made of linen. The pleats are shown in detail, creating a vertical pattern that contrasts with the diagonal drapery of the shawl. This attention to the patterns of drapery would continue to characterise female sculpture in Greece over the coming centuries.