British Museum-Defining beauty the body in ancient Greek art

Experience the brilliance and diversity of ancient Greek art in this major exhibition focusing on the human body.

For centuries the ancient Greeks experimented with ways of representing the human body, both as an object of beauty and a bearer of meaning.

The remarkable works of art in the exhibition range from abstract simplicity of prehistoric figurines to breathtaking realism in the age of Alexander the Great. These works continued to inspire artists for hundreds of years, giving form to thought and shaping our own perceptions of ourselves.

'The chief forms of beauty are order, symmetry and clear delineation’ – Aristotle 

'In portraying ideal types of beauty... you bring together from many models the most beautiful features of each' – Socrates

 

Image captions:

Marble statue of a discus-thrower (discobolus) by Myron. Roman copy of a bronze Greek original of the 5th century BC.
Marble statue of a naked Aphrodite crouching at her bath, also known as Lely’s Venus. Roman copy of a Greek original, 2nd century AD. Royal Collection Trust/Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2015.

Opening times

Monday–Thursday 10.00–17.30
Friday 10.00–20.30
Saturday–Sunday 09.00–17.30
Last entry 90 minutes before closing.

Getting here

Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery (Room 30), British Museum, Great Russell Street, London, WC1B 3DG

Group visits

Special group rates available
Bookings +44 (0)20 7323 8181 tickets@britishmuseum.org