archaic smile

American  

noun

Fine Arts.

1. a conventional representation of the mouth characterized by slightly upturned corners of the lips, found especially on Greek sculpture produced prior to the 5th century b.c.

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Etymology

Origin of archaic smile

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

And he is at his more extended best in 1978 with “The Archaic Smile,” which features nothing but the entire poem in black letters on a slab of irregular plywood, painted gray.

From New York Times

Even his slightly stupefied "archaic smile," a sculptural convention contrived to animate the face, appears to mark the general awakening.

From Time Magazine Archive

"The Archaic Smile," a show assembled by Museum Director Richard Howard, features dozens of works as controlled and haunting as the examples opposite.

From Time Magazine Archive

In its variations over thousands of years and places, what single thing, if any, did the archaic smile stand for?

From Time Magazine Archive

We may very likely find also in a similar notion the explanation of a peculiarity often found in early statues of the gods—the well-known archaic smile.

From Project Gutenberg