Who's Who Ancient Greece: The Arts

Skopas (circa 375-325 BC)

Sculpture & Archetecture

This sculptor was from the island of Paros, son of the sculptor Aristandros. Little is known of his life, though there is some evidence that he lived and worked in Peloponnese and in Asia Minor.

He involved himself with architecture as well as sculpture. He sculpted mostly in marble, his greatest works including the statue of Athena Pronaos in the temple of Apollo Ismian in Thebes, the cult statue of Artemis Evkleia in Thebes, statues of Aphrodhiti (Aphrodite), Pothos (Longing), and Phaethon in the temple of Samothrace, the statue of Iraklis (Hercules) in the Sikyon Gymnasium, the group of Asklipios and Ygeia at Gortys in Arcadia, and the statues of Athena and Dhionysos at Knidos.

Perhaps his greatest work was the temple of Alea Athena at Tegea in Arcadia (Peloponnese), which was built on the site of an earlier temple that had been destroyed in a fire.

Both the sculpture and the general architectural ornamentation testify to his immense artistic capacities. His work is characterized by a passion and willingness to show both human suffering and joy not exhibited in the classical period of Athenian art.