Thesis Statement: Humanism over the span of the Mediterranean culture had varied and changed with every new empire that rose. The first to create this display were the Sumerians although unnatural at first provided the steps into the sculptures later to be used by the Greeks and Romans and later in the Renaissance.

Artworks:

 

Title: Perseus with the Head of Medusa

Artist: Antonio Canova

Date: 1804–1806

Location: Metropolitan Museum

 

Title: Marble statue of the Diadoumenos

Artist: Attributed to Polykleitos

Date: 69–96 AD

Location: Metropolitan Museum

 

Title: Bronze statue of the emperor Trebonianus Gallus

Artist: Unknown

Date: 251–253 A.D

Location: Metropolitan Museum

Title: Marble statue of a Kouros (youth)

Artist: Unknown

Date: 590–580 B.C.

Location Metropolitan Museum

Title: Standing Statue of Merti with flaring wig

Artist: Unknown

Date: 2381–2323 B.C

Location: Metropolitan Museum

The statues above can help describe the progression of the concept of humanism in art. From a unrefined figure that represents a human, towards a more realistic depiction and detailed appearance on how a person would normally look like.