Occupations
Praxiteles (flourished 370–330 BCE) stands as one of the most original and influential sculptors of ancient Greece, whose revolutionary approach to the human form profoundly altered the course of Western sculpture. Active during the fourth century BCE in Athens, Praxiteles transformed the detached, majestic style of earlier Greek sculpture into one of gentle grace and sensuous charm, introducing a new aesthetic that emphasized beauty, elegance, and emotional accessibility. Praxiteles's most celebrated achievement was the Aphrodite of Knidos (circa 360 BCE), which the Roman author Pliny the Elder considered not only the finest statue by Praxiteles but the best sculpture in the entire world. This work marked a watershed moment in art history as the first monumental female nude in Greek sculpture, establishing conventions for representing the female form that would influence Western art for millennia. Though almost all of Praxiteles's original works have been lost, his innovations survived through Roman copies and profoundly influenced Hellenistic and Roman sculpture.
Praxiteles flourished during the period 370–330 BCE, working primarily in Athens during the Late Classical period of Greek art. He was apparently the son of the sculptor Cephisodotus the Elder, suggesting he was born into an established artistic family.
He had two sons, Cephisodotus the Younger and Timarchus, who also became sculptors, establishing a multi-generational workshop tradition. However, beyond these family connections, virtually nothing is known of his life.
Despite this biographical obscurity, ancient sources consistently praised Praxiteles as one of the greatest sculptors of antiquity, and his works were collected, copied, and celebrated throughout the Greek and Roman world.
Artheon Research Team
Last updated: 2025-11-09
Biography length: ~489 words
Wikidata (CC0); Getty ULAN (ODC-By)
