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Cleobis and Biton: Visual Analysis:
The statues of the twins, Cleobis and Biton, from the end of the 7th century B.C. are interesting examples of early Archaic Greek sculpture. The twins are neither Orientalizing nor true Archaic works, but instead incorporate several elements of both styles. Like earlier Orientalizing statues they incorporate Egyptian proportions and postures, but, unlike the earlier pieces, they have been separated from their stone blocks and are more anatomically accurate.
The twins’ rigid pose: left leg forward, fists clenched at their sides, hips, chest, and face pointed straight forward, is reminiscent Old Kingdom sculpture in Egypt, such as the statue of Menkaure and Khamerernebty (c. 2490-2472 B.C.). The twins are static, their feet are connected to their bases, their legs are connected to each other above the knees, and their fists, clenched in the traditional Egyptian pose, are connected to their hips. The twins are more freestanding than Menkaure, who is completely connected to the block from which he was carved, with a wall of stone connecting him to his wife as a support. Another important difference between the twins and Menkaure is that the twins are nude, their perfect bodies uncovered for all to see while Menkaure wears a knee-length kilt. There is Egyptian influence in the composition of Cleobis and Biton, but their style is distinctly Greek.
Though the Orientalizing period is ending by the end of the 7th century the statues of the twins still have several Orientalizing characteristics. They are very similar to a contemporary work, the New York Kouros (c. 600 B.C.), which also shares several traits with Orientalizing works such as the Lady of Auxerre and the Mantiklos Apollo. The twins have a less severe but distinguishable pinched wasp-waist of earlier Orientalizing statues such as the Lady of Auxerre (c. 650-625 B.C.). Their knees are stylized: a regular pentagon for the kneecap under a chevron for the muscles above the knee. But the most dramatic departure from reality is in their hair and faces. Their hair is pulled back and arranged in even, symmetrical braids, which are so stylized that they seem almost geometric: congruent little balls hanging evenly on either side of their faces, almost like the locks of the Mantiklos Apollo (c. 700-680 B.C.). The faces are almost flat with very definition of the cheekbones or eyebrow ridges. Their eyes are large with stylized lids. Their noses seem to be the only truly three-dimensional feature on their faces. Their faces seem typical of the transition between the Orientalizing and Archaic periods: more realistic than Orientalizing pieces yet less so than Archaic ones.
Though the twins are not perfect examples of Archaic works, they are nevertheless Archaic sculptures. The symmetrical diamond shape made by the arch of the ribcage and the ridge of the hips with the bellybutton centered between them is similar to the marble kouros from Athens (c. 590 B.C.) and the Kroisos from Anavysos (c. 530 B.C.), suggesting, but not accurately representing the muscles of the human body. Like Kroisos from Anavysos, Cleobis and Biton have traits that indicate they were probably sculpted from life: they have defined muscles in their arms, legs, chests and abdomens, but they lack life, standing in a stiff, unchanging, upright posture. They have not completely “broken out” of the Orientalizing style: they are still made of stone, not “alive” like later sculptures.