Argument56 第一次发习作，谢谢！

只爱小不点UID: 2189745

56. Collectors prize the ancient life-size clay statues of human figures made on Kali Island but have long wondered how the Kalinese artists were able to depict bodies with such realistic precision. Since archeologists have recently discovered molds of human heads and hands on Kali, we can now conclude that the ancient Kalinese artists used molds of actual bodies, not sculpting tools and techniques, to create these statues. This discovery explains why Kalinese miniature statues were abstract and entirely different in style: molds could only be used for life-size sculptures. It also explains why few ancient Kalinese sculpting tools have been found. In light of this development, collectors should expect the life-size sculptures to decrease in value and the miniatures to increase in value.


With the discovery of molds of some parts of the ancient Kalinese, the argument tries to explain why life-size clay statues were made so precisely by Kalinese, and predicts that the value of such statues will decrease. However, after careful examination, we may find that the argument is not as convincing as it stands.

The argument assumes that molds which are found of actual Kalinese bodies are used to create particular life-size clay statues of human figures. Unfortunately, it is not necessarily the case. There is no evidence on the relationship between statues and the discovered molds, let alone to indicate that statues are made from such molds. It is quite possible that molds have some other purpose but no to make statues. Even if the molds are in the use of making statues, that it is mold rather than sculpting tools and techniques to create the statues is also open to doubt. Since molds discovered are only some parts --specifically, heads and hands--of the Kalinese. Even the citation that few ancient Kalinese sculpting tools have been found lends little support to the sole role played by molds in processing statutes. Perhaps these tools were destroyed because of various reasons in the long time. Perhaps they only have not been found by archeologists, etc. Hence, we cannot ignore the possibility that other parts of the body were made out through certain sculpting tools or techniques. Or Kalinese artists made the whole sculpture by using molds , sculpting tools and techniques as well.

Besides, the explanation on abstract and different style of Kalinese miniatures is unpersuasive. The argument considers that it is because of using molds which lead to the vividness on the life-size statutes. Nonetheless, it may be probably not. Maybe authors of miniatures had their own style compared with that of statues. Maybe these two kinds of works had totally different use in purpose. Both of them may contribute to the difference between two artistic works.

Finally, the argument unfairly presumes that value on life-size sculptures would decrease while value on miniature would increase. The basis on which this conclusion carried out is not stated. Whether the process of statutes which is exposed make statutes no longer attractive, or whether miniatures are more valuable to collectors. There is no evidence that collectors would not be interested in how molds be used to make statutes and that in statutes themselves anymore. Thus, we cannot infer that statutes will decrease in value and miniatures will increase in value.

In conclusion, lacking detailed information on how the molds are discovered and how they related to making statutes, the argument cannot convince us that the mystery on the process of such highly appreciated ancient work is unveiled. In order to substantiate the assumption, the argument should provide more data on the attitude of the collectors, especially when they find the molds are really important to making statutes.