To Androgyny

The inspiration for the title of my blog. The pose is known as ‘anasyromenos’, shown here by the figurine of Aphroditus, lifting up her dress to reveal the presence of male genitalia. The Greeks felt that the pose held apotropaic powers.

The impression of androgyny seems to be here enhanced by the ‘contrapposto’ stance of the figure, a more extreme form of which is the S-curve. Such a stance, with the greater part of a figure’s weight steadied by one foot, has been used in the representation of both genders in sculpture and painting. Many claim that the use of contrapposto marked the first use by Western art of the human body in the representation of a psychological disposition, with the informally balanced pose being taken as an indicator of a relaxed and mild manner. This artistic treatment seems to provide an early example of the recognition of similitude between the sexes, and their potential for combination.