Hellenistic PeriodThe Hellenistic period begins in 323 BC with the death of Alexander the Great and ends with the death of Actinus in 31 BC. During this period there was a major change in style artistic, especially in sculptures. Artists began to create more dramatic postures, more defined lines, high contrast of light, shadow and even emotion. The artist had the freedom to explore his subjects from different points of view. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay. Something I found interesting is how the sculptors were able to create well-detailed expressions on each sculpture; on each piece you can see pain, fear, pleasure, fun and death. This period was particularly interested in recreating heroic themes, but slowly began to shift towards more expression of the subjects. Two of the most representative pieces of Hellenistic art are Athena fighting Alkyoneos and Laocoön and his sons. You can clearly see how the techniques used on both of these pieces evoke that particular realism in their movements, gestures and expressions, and how both sculptures appear to interact with viewers. On the frieze of the gigantomachy of Athena, by Philoxenus of Eretia, we can see how the sculptors created that characteristic style, showing a lot of emotion in their characters, perfect shadows and a sense of depth, which adds more drama to the work. The sculpture is part of the Altar of Zeus, Pergamon, a “baroque” monument showing the battle between gods and giants. Instead we have the work Laocoon and his sons, by Atanadorus, Hagesandros and Polydorus of Rhodes. It shows Laocoön sacrificed by serpents on an altar, with his two sons. He was a Trojan priest who warned the Trojans not to accept the Greek wooden horse. He inserted the spear into the side of the Trojan horse to see if it was empty. To prevent Laocoon from discovering the Greeks inside the horse, Poseidon and Athena immediately sent two snakes that killed him and his children. His expression is a clear representation of pain and agony, which contrasts with the beauty of the sculpture, which seems prominent because of the main character's position and his imposing body. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay One of the main characteristics of the Hellenistic period is the similarity that we can observe on the sculptures of Athena fighting against Alkyoneos and Lacoon, as we see similarities in their expressions, body movements, shadows, as every detail has been considered for portray the human body realistically.