Greek Terms

Colossal

Colossal sculpture — from the lost Colossus of Rhodes to Bartholdi's Liberty — demands deliberate proportional distortion to survive its extreme scale and low viewing angle.

Crepidoma

The crepidoma — the Greek temple's stepped platform, rising from stereobate to stylobate — is the direct architectural ancestor of every classical statue base and pedestal.

Acanthus

A stylized leaf ornament derived from the acanthus plant and used extensively in classical architecture and sculpture.

Akroteria

Sculptural or architectural ornaments placed on the apex and outer corners of a classical pediment.

Brachycephalic

Anthropological term for a broad, short skull type — relevant to sculptors analyzing head proportion and figural typology.