Kairos as a Figuration of Time

This publication examines how archaeological objects concretise notions of time, giving them tangible form. The focus is on a particular statue, depicting the opportune moment or Kairos, created by the Greek sculptor Lysippos and dating from the era of Alexander the Great. It will be shown how this statue absorbed earlier notions of the opportune moment, combined them into a new form, and thus imbued this form with lasting potency. The statue was interpreted and re-interpreted in art and literature since Classical times, and, in changing from one medium to another, emphasis was put on new aspects. Because of this, the long-lost statue has made a potent and lasting impact on people's notions of time.