DocTardy Posted June 17, 2022 · Member Share Posted June 17, 2022 The trend seems to have continued into the Roman republic era before giving way to more realistic facial proportions by the mid-empire era. Any explanation why they portraits tend to have really pronounced eye sizes? Is it a statement about the gods abilities to see better than ordinary humans? The Greeks are famous for playing around with proportions, columns of temples were designed using forced-perspective to make the columns appear taller when a person viewed them up close. Could the oversized eyes on portraits be another such trick? Just curious if theres any accepted explanation. I didn’t really notice it until I started trying to draw a profile portrait in a similar style. None of the typical ‘artistic tricks’ worked, the eyes are typically about 15-30% larger than they should be. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor robinjojo Posted June 21, 2022 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted June 21, 2022 Are you referring to the almond-shaped profile eye style of the classical Athenian owls of the 5th century BC? That's a style that has its roots in archaic art of a century or so prior. Eye proportions, in relationship to the face might vary based on the skill of the engraver. I am sure there was some artistic license involved as well, but having collected Greek ancients for a few decades, I have not seen any trend in Greek coinage to exaggerate or oversize the eyes to any great extent, if at all. Do you have example? I would be interested in seeing them. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Etcherdude Posted June 21, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted June 21, 2022 (edited) @DocTardy Many Greek coins of the 5th and 4th centuries BCE, Hellenistic coins and early imperial Roman coins through the mid-second century are, in general, remarkably naturalistic representations of human form. Proportions are often idealized in the in the coins prior to the mid-4th century, becoming realistic in the Hellenistic and Roman examples. As @robinjojo says, the Athenian coinage of the period art historians call High Classical are stylized in a way that recalls the Archaic period. To me this is curious considering they are contemporary with the great works of High Classicism (see the Elgin marbles). If you want abstraction, look at Roman coins beginning with those of the mid-2nd century and notice how they become increasingly caricature-like until their representations of human form dematerialize in the abstraction of the Byzantine empire. Like @robinjojo, I’d be curious to see examples illustrating your statement. Late Classical period c. 400 BCE. Not my coin but I wish it was. Early 4th century, Roman. Not my coin. Edited June 22, 2022 by Etcherdude 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Kowsky Posted June 21, 2022 · Member Share Posted June 21, 2022 They certainly are on the Owls 😜! 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DANTE Posted June 23, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted June 23, 2022 An oversized almond-eye from Phokaia might illustrate the OP's point: 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor robinjojo Posted June 23, 2022 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted June 23, 2022 (edited) The style or rendering of the eye is certainly a key aspect of a coin's appeal, taking into account stylistic variations depending on the period of the coin's creation. The classical, and skillfully rendered portraits of Syracusan coinage, notably of the Second Democracy (5th century BC), as well as much of the coinage of the 4th-2nd centuries BC represents a high water mark in portraiture, I believe. Here is a tetradrachm of the Second Democracy, 460-406 BC. 17.3 grams And a tetradrachm of Agathokles, 317-310 BC. 17.0 grams How do the faces' proportions look to you? Edited June 23, 2022 by robinjojo 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alegandron Posted June 23, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted June 23, 2022 Syracuse over 200 year span Syracuse Gelon 485-478 BCE AR Tet 24mm 16.7g Slow Biga Victory Arethusa 4 dolphins Sear-Greek S 914 Ex Charles Reeve Sicily Syracuse Hieron II 275-269 BCE Persephone Core Left - Bull Left AE22 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapphnwn Posted June 24, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted June 24, 2022 (edited) Talk about Big Eyes. I realize that this coin is somewhat off topic and I do apologies but it is rather interesting to see. THIS IS NO LONGER MY COIN. Contantine I Ae Follis Alexandria 325-6 AD Obv Laureate head right. Rv Camp gate RIC 34 3,20 grms 20 mm This coin has a rather interesting retro look. Not only does the image feature a very large eye but it is full face and not a profile eye which would be expected on a coin minted at this time. It rather looks a bit like some of the very archaic images found on coins minted during the fifth century BC. It is unclear as to why the die cutters from this mint would adopt this rather novel approach. As the image of the emperors moved from the veristic to the ideal the thought of having the emperor look upon the viewer may have seemed to be a good idea. Edited June 24, 2022 by kapphnwn 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewStyleKing Posted June 24, 2022 · Member Share Posted June 24, 2022 You have only to look at that giant famous head of constantine the great to see that the rot had set in. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor robinjojo Posted June 24, 2022 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted June 24, 2022 I'm not sure I'd call it rot. I view it more as a stylistic feature typical of 4th century AD roman coinage. I feel the same way about Byzantine coins, especially the folles, with their crude portraits. The coins, as I have said, reflect the times they are produced. To be sure, the coinage of Syracuse and other Greek mints produced some absolutely beautiful portraits. But, I take a contextual view when assessing coins from other periods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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