Torso, 1950

Nikos Perantinos remained faithful to an anthropocentrically conceived depiction, in agreement with the classicist perception, during a period in Greece when quite a number of artists had begun to turn to non-figurative or even completely abstract shapes. Busts and full-bodied statues, whether from free inspiration or commissions, made up the largest part of his artistic work.

“Torso”, which is based on his wife, Olympia, is part of a series of works, starting in 1938 with “Olympia”, where the torso is shown with the head. In 1939 the plaster model was made of the work at the National Glyptotheque. In subsequent versions, the main theme is sometimes retained untouched and other times becomes part of a statue, full-bodied or not, with or without a head and limbs and with small variations in the manner of moulding, arriving at the final full rendition in 1960.

The vigorous female body, imposed on space with her dynamic presence, the clear contours and the harmonious moulding, refers back to a sculptural perception of form as it is expressed in the works of Aristide Maillol and reveals the idealistic outlook that more generally distinguishes Perantinos’ sculpture.