Throughout antiquity, there have been countless influential contributions made to Greek art and culture. Whether made by artists, writers, philosophers or sculptors, each one had an impact on Greek history. The famous Athenian sculptor, Pheidias (ca. 480-430 B.C.), was one of the most significant artists of his time. Best known for his work on the Parthenon and the chryselephantine cult statues of Athena and Zeus, Pheidias was a renowned public figure. It was difficult to become a successful sculptor, but everyone praised a great one. Children were not encouraged to become sculptors, however, as stated by Spivey, “...if one were to become a Pheidias...and produced many great works, everyone may have praised one’s skill.” Pheidias’ greatest achievement was the establishment of the perception of Athena and Zeus, which he conceived from his own visions of the gods. …show more content…
Pheidias was the general manager and overseer of public works under Pericles. He was deeply involved in the design and decoration of the Parthenon. The colossal statue of Athena Parthenos was made out of gold and ivory and was almost forty feet tall. She stood tall, holding a goddess of victory in her right hand and a spear in the other. Pheidias portrayed the goddess of wisdom and military victory as a powerful figure; the magnificence of this statue was highly praised. In a bold move, Pheidias chose to decorate the temple with figures of the Athenians, in addition to the gods. This gave the assumption that the Olympians lived among mortals and raised the criticism of many Greeks. Not only was Pheidias an unparalleled sculptor, but he was not afraid to make political statements through his