The Kritios Boy is dated to approximately 480 BC.
This marble youth marks a major transition from the rigid conventions of Archaic Greek art toward the naturalism of the Classical period. Its relaxed stance uses contrapposto: the weight rests on one leg while the hips, spine, and shoulders respond in a subtle chain of movement. The result is far more lifelike than the stiff, frontal kouroi that came before it.
The statue was found on the Acropolis of Athens among the Perserschutt, a burial deposit containing sculptures and architectural fragments destroyed during the Persian sack of Athens. The torso was discovered in 1865, while the head was found in 1888. Their location in debris associated with the destruction of 480 BC strongly supports the approximate date.
“Kritios Boy” refers to the sculptor Kritios, but that attribution is not certain; the work may have come from his workshop or circle. It is about 117 cm high as preserved and is exhibited at the Acropolis Museum.