Hellenistic Sculptures and Workshops of Knidos

Résumé En Fr

Literary sources mention a number of famous Attic sculptors of the fourth century B. C. who worked in Knidos, like Praxiteles, Skopas and also Bryaxis. The sculpture finds confirm this information. Athenian sculptors continue to work at Knidos during the third century B. C. as can be attested both by the stylistic analysis of sculptures and by signatures of well-known Attic sculptors on (independent) statue bases. From the end of the third century B. C. onwards a change can be observed : sculptors of different origins signing with their own particular ethnic are working in Knidos. Some of them obviously settle in the town, and the following generation adopts the Knidian ethnic and receives the citizenship. In the second century B. C., a great number of international artists were commissioned from the Knidian community. They also worked on Rhodes and probably on Kos. These strong relations between the mentioned places can also be observed by comparing the style of the sculptures.

Les sources littéraires mentionnent les oeuvres d'un certain nombre de sculpteurs attiques du IVe siècle à Cnide, tels que Praxitèle, Scopas, mais aussi Bryaxis. Les découvertes statuaires confirment cette information. Les sculpteurs athéniens continuent à travailler à Cnide durant le IIIe siècle comme le montrent les analyses stylistiques des pièces, mais aussi les signatures de sculpteurs célèbres conservés sur des bases. À partir de la fin du IIIe siècle, on observe un changement : des sculpteurs de différentes origines s’installent en ville, et la génération suivante adopte l’ethnique « cnidien » et reçoit la citoyenneté. Au IIe siècle, un grand nombre d’artistes internationaux recevaient des commandes des Cnidiens. Ils travaillaient également à Rhodes et probablement à Cos. Les relations étroites entre ces différents lieux peuvent se lire en étudiant les productions sculptées et leur style.