One of the most famous and greatest sculptors of ancient Greece, Praxiteles’ career bridged the Late Classical Period and the Hellenistic Period of Greek art. One of his main concerns as an artist was to introduce as much realism as possible into his work, and this approach helped to determine the direction of Greek sculpture. He is best known for his smaller scale works of female subjects, including the famous Hermes with the Infant Kionysos (Olympia Archaeological Museum) and his Aphrodite of Cnidus (Knidos).
greatest of the Attic sculptors of the 4th century bce and one of the most original of Greek artists. By transforming the detached and majestic style of his immediate predecessors into one of gentle grace and sensuous charm, he profoundly influenced the subsequent course of Greek sculpture.