This work is predicted to
be the original version of Laocoon and His Sons from the second century BCE, although some argue that
it is a brilliant copy commissioned by an well known Roman patron in the first
century CE. This intricate sculptural composition depicts a scene from the
Trojan War when the priest, Laocoon, warned the Trojans not to bring the giant wooden horse left behind by the Greeks within their
walls. The gods who supported
the Greeks retaliated by sending serpents from the sea to destroy Laocoon and
his sons as they walked along the sea shore. The struggling figures, anguished
faces, intricate diagonal movements, and skillful unification of diverse forces
in a complex composition all suggest a strong relationship between Rhodian and
Pergamene sculptors. Although, sculpted in the round, the Laocoon was composed
to be seen frontally and from close range, and the three figures resemble the
relief sculpture on the altar of Zeus from Pergamon. This work epitomizes the classical structure of Hellenistic era. The intensity of emotion, showing pain and suffering, open composition, realism, torsion, and deep crevices (especially in the muscles) are all characteristics that define this figure.
Welcome to the GJCL Classical Art website! To prepare for the Classical Art test at State Convention 4/12/2024, 1) study our blog posts, 2) review old tests with their accompanying images (available for download below), and 3) read the books about Greek and Roman art recommended for the NJCL test (Susan Woodford, The Art of Greece and Rome [1982] and especially John Boardman, ed., The Oxford History of Classical Art [1997]).
KEY to CAE 2013:
2013 State Convention Test 2013 Fall Forum Tests
2014 State Convention Test IMAGES
2015 State Convention Test KEYS CAE 2013-2017
2016 State Convention Test KEY CAE 2018
2017 State Convention Test KEY CAE 2019
2018 State Convention Test
2019 State Convention Test
2021 State Convention Test
2022 State Convention Test
2023 State Convention Test
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