Unknown Maker, Ancient Greek

During the classical and Hellenistic periods in Greece, great advances were made in creating more realistic depictions of the human body. This torso of a young man, or kouros, is lost below the knees, yet it is clear that the figure was resting its weight on the right foot, with the left leg relaxed. This pose causes the entire body to twist in a sinuous curve and is known as contrapposto, or counterbalance. The twist of this piece seems extreme enough that the figure may have been leaning on an arm or a spear. The statuette was most likely dedicated as a votive offering to a deity.