Naturalism in Greek Art

This tendency toward greater naturalism inevitably led to the disappearance of the pre-conceived posture of the archaic kouros. The figure began to be conceived with greater freedom and more naturalistic observation of the body appeared. A Roman copy of an original Greek bronze The "Doryphoros" by Polykleitos ( the Spear Carrier) shows clearly this blend of observed naturalism and proportion.
That the work partly results from direct observation is indicated by the articulation of the body, suggesting an exact moment in action, in the detail of the hand grasping and muscles tensed or relaxed according to weight distrubution. That a proportional scheme is also present is indicated by the fact that altough of "heroic" size the figure retains a human proportion within itself.

Assuming it is a faithful copy, compared to figures of a later date, the planes of the body are simplified tending to stress individual parts with a resulting lack of sensousness in the surface.