The British Museum in London has just announced an upcoming exhibition that’s right down our alley: Defining beauty – the body in ancient Greek art. The exhibition is on from 26 March to 5 July 2015. Tickets are priced rather heftily at £16.50 (children and museum members go free, discounted tickets are available). Pre-booking is already available, as these types of exhibitions often fill up quickly.

Here’s the description straight from the museum website:

Experience the brilliance and diversity of ancient Greek art in this major exhibition focusing on the human body.

For centuries the ancient Greeks experimented with ways of representing the human body, both as an object of beauty and a bearer of meaning.

The remarkable works of art in the exhibition range from abstract simplicity of prehistoric figurines to breathtaking realism in the age of Alexander the Great. These works continued to inspire artists for hundreds of years, giving form to thought and shaping our own perceptions of ourselves.

‘The chief forms of beauty are order, symmetry and clear delineation’ – Aristole

‘In portraying ideal types of beauty… you bring together from many models the most beautiful features of each’ – Socrates

Preview Photos

Here are a few preview photos. All photos are copyright by the Trustees of the British Museum, and have been uploaded by the museum on the web to promote the exhibition.

Cheeky sneak peek posted on The British Museum’s Google+ page.

Discus thrower statue.