contrapposto

Contrapposto is an Italian term describing a human figure standing with most of its weight on one leg, creating a counterbalance with the torso and limbs. The name derives from contrapposto, meaning placed opposite. In statuary, the pose places the weight-bearing leg straight while the other leg is relaxed, causing the hips to tilt and the shoulders to tilt in opposition. The torso may twist, producing an S-curve.

Origins and early development: The pose emerges in ancient Greek sculpture during the Classical period as a move away from the rigid, frontal Archaic pose. Early demonstrations appear in the Kritios Boy (ca. 480 BCE); by the mid-5th century BCE, Polykleitos’ Doryphoros (ca. 440 BCE) codified a systematic approach to proportion and stance, using contrapposto to express idealized humanity. Other examples include the Riace Warriors and the Charioteer of Delphi, which show shifts of weight and asymmetry within the torso.

Renaissance revival and beyond: Contrapposto was revived in Renaissance Italy as artists returned to classical models. Donatello’s David (ca. 1440s) and, more famously, Michelangelo’s David (1501–04) demonstrate controlled weight shift and a twisting torso that signals potential movement. In subsequent periods, artists refined the pose, expanding the range of twists and asymmetries, contributing to the sense of naturalism and psychological presence in sculpture.

Legacy: Contrapposto remains a foundational pose in Western sculpture and continues to influence contemporary art. It is valued for its ability to convey relaxation and readiness, balance and dynamism, and to suggest a figure is about to move rather than remain static.