Humanism is a system of thought and beliefs that emphasized the value of humans and what they can do. Humanism in Art of Ancient Greece and Rome emphasized epistemology and created a central focus on human experience. Through various Greek and Roman art, you are able to see the aesthetics and natural beauty shown through sculptures of humans. In contrast, humanism in Mesopotamian art and Egyptian art can be a little different. Although you may see similar features in humanlike sculptures, the subject matter of Mesopotamian and Egyptian art was centralized around an appreciation for kings and gods. Art in Ancient Greece and Rome would depict ideal figures of men and glorify athleticism and sports whereas in Mesopotamian art and Egyptian art, the focus was more around the church and kingship.

In the sculpture of Doryphoros, you are able to see an emphasis on a natural standing pose called contrapposto. This naturalistic representation of the human body shows the focus on human experience and appreciation of the human body. The sculpture being nude also reveals a cultural pride whereas in Mesopotamian and Egyptian art, nudity is rarely seen as a sign of strength. The tilt in the Doryphoros’ arm is supposed to be holding a spear which can symbolize the strength in military and war. In contrast to art of Ancient Greece and Rome, the Assyrian Palace Reliefs show many differences when compared to the sculpture of Doryphoros. The Relief of King Ashur-nasir-pal ll and a Winged Genie reveals the king and a winged genie performed some sort of ritual. Although they are shown as muscular, both the king and the genie are clothed from head to toe in garments whereas the sculpture of Doryphoros is nude. Art of Ancient Greece and Rome clearly emphasizes the human experience whereas art in Mesopotamia and Egypt focused more on worshipping gods and kings.