The development of the kouros figure is marked by the tendency to increase both the physical naturalism of the male figures-they look increasingly real-and a growing humanity. The Strangford Apollo (500-490) is more of a human than a god-it is not easy to tell with some of the earlier kouroi. The modeling of the anatomy is getting closer to the real thing, but the face remains impassive, except for that Archaic smile, and the hair remains finely patterned. He has in common with all his kouroi ancestors the frontal, hieratic pose that removes him from inhabiting the same space we do as we look at him. He never looks back.
