Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
Olympia Master
References
Britannica AI Icon

Olympia Master

ancient Greek sculptor
Written by
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of  Encyclopædia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them.
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Last updated

Quick Summary

The Olympia Master was an unidentified ancient Greek sculptor active around the early Classical period (c. 500–450 BCE). This artist is credited with decorating the pediments and frieze of the Temple of Zeus at Olympia.1

The Olympia Master's work is characterized by the sobriety and calm typical of the early Classical period. In the east pediment, depicting figures preparing for a chariot race, the sculptor showcased the new relaxed pose where weight is primarily on one leg. The west pediment, featuring a scene of struggling men and centaurs, displays a keen observation of human anatomy and emotion, a novel element in Greek sculpture at the time.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
6 Britannica Sources
  1. Western sculpture - Early Classical (c. 500–450 bce )
  2. Statue of Zeus
  3. Apollonius The Athenian
  4. Olympia
  5. Polyclitus
  6. Western sculpture - High Classical period (c. 450–400 bce )

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.