Life size statues.

[Alexander the 8]

While on our recent touring, my partner asked a good question. "Of all our great men depicted in life size statue form, why do they all have a small penis?"

Of all of the statues we have seen on our travels, every nude one has had a "less than average" sized penis. This also goes for old paintings.

Now I can see the point in not giving a stone figure a bigger/longer cock, for fear of the delicate dangling dick breaking off.
But surely these skilled craftsmen could have managed to devise a way of showing the true size of their subjects. They surely weren't all below average size.
And as for the artist's, they have no excuse!!

So all you art/history lovers out there, any reasons?

 

[Aslaor]

as far as I was told by my history prof it is mainly due to two things, back in roman and greek times a large penis was believed to be "comical" or something a barbarian would have and in fact the ideal for society was to have a smaller one. Also most of the satutues were made in open air studios which are relitively cool so that attributed to some shrinkage in the models.

 

[lordcapulet]

That is so funny you are asking that! When I was in Art History in college at University of Texas, we were in our huge lecture hall with 100-200 students. This guy raised his hand and asked our older "school-marm"-ish professor, "why are the penises so small?" The above post is right. It was considered obscene and not part of the human beauty. Like the mythical Pan creature (half goat half man), had a HUGE member, because he was mischievous, etc. It was looked down upon.

 

[dad4you]

Well, to my thinking.. it is about time that sculptors really started to portray men with adult sized penises. I have quite a few art pictures of larger endowed men, but few sculptures. Here are a few of the sculptures. Anyone else have pics of normal to larger endowed sculptures?

 

[Alexander the 8]

Thanks to all above for their informative replies. I knew we'd have members on here with a wealth of knowledge. No matter the subject we have the people with the answers!!

Sorting the world crisises anyone?? Crisises - Is that actually a word, I'm sure someone will know?

 

[dpe01]

You reminded me of this drawing by Tom of Finland

http://www.tatbear.com/assets/art/tom%20statue%20of%20david.jpg

 

[D_Kay_Sarah_Sarah]

back in roman and Greek times a large penis was believed to be "comical" or something a barbarian would have and in fact the ideal for society was to have a smaller one.

Thank god for evolution and understanding. :wink: