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Art of Ancient Greece
With the bodies of the fallen at Chaeronea the freedom of Ancient Greece was buried, but its culture survived.
The Macedonians spread Greek ideas and artistic traditions all over the ancient world. Even today, the
influence of the great civilization can be clearly seen in various aspects of a modern life. Michael Wood calls
the Greek culture a fountainhead of the western tradition. “These people (the Greeks) established the
disciplines of history, philosophy, astronomy, mathematics, poetry, drama, and music” (Wood M., Art of the
Western world from ancient Greece to post-modernism, p.3). More importantly, the Greeks “established” a
modern mindset. The survived works of art and literature show us that unlike the Egyptians, the Greeks were
not possessed with the idea of an afterlife. For them the domain of Hades was nothing but a gloomy and boring
place; the Greeks were more interested in the world of the living. They admired human intelligence, courage,
and physical strength and beauty. It was an era when “the man had become the measure of all things”. Not
surprisingly that these ideals found their expression in the Ancient Greek art.
Most scholars divide history of Ancient Greece into three periods: Doric, classical, and Hellenistic. The Doric
period was preceded by dark ages, a period of a cultural stagnation that followed the collapse of the
Mycenaean civilization. It lasted from c. 1100 B.C. to c. 800 B.C. Janson & Janson call that time a “formative
phase of Greek civilization” (Janson H. W. & A. F. Janson, History of art: the Western tradition, p. 107). The
oldest Greek artistic style, geometric, was formed during that period.
The style was represented by pottery paintings and “small scale sculpture”. “The two forms [were] closely
related. The pottery was often adorned with the same kinds of figures found in sculpture” (Janson & Janson,
107). Large stone statues and buildings probably were not created at that time.
The style gained its name from the pottery ‘s ornament; most of the vessels were decorated with geometric
figures. However, “toward the 800 B.C. human and animal figures began to appear within a geometric
framework” (Janson & Janson, 108).
The Dypilon Vase from the Athenian Dypilon cemetery is a fine example of the Geometric style. The vase
was made in the eighth century B.C. Its height is forty and a half inches (102.9 cm). The pictures decorating
the vase are situated into several registers and show the funeral. The illustration tells us that funerals were an
important and elaborated ritual in Ancient Greece.
The deceased, probably a noble man, is lying on some sort of a high stand and is about to be cremated.
The funeral site is surrounded by figures of mourning people. One of the mourners stays much closer to the
dead body than the rest of the group; he (or she) might be a relative. Another figure is sitting on the chair by
the opposite side of the cremation site. This personage is holding a long rod in his hand; this man could be a
priest. By the feet of the dead man we can see two very small strange human figures. Also, there are bodies of
dead animals under the funeral stand.
A picture in the middle register shows warriors: foot soldiers and charioteers. People and animals are
pictured very symbolically; they are barely a part of the ornament. “The [picture] on the vase does not refer to
an afterlife. Its [only] purpose is to commemorate the dead” (Jnson & Janson, 108).
The next step in the developing of the Greek pottery painting was the orientalazing style, which was wide
spread in the country between c.725 B.C. and 650 B. C. The style was created under a strong “influence from
Egypt and Middle East” (Janson & Janson, 109). Its main characteristic was a wide use of animal motifs. The
artists decorated their works with pictures of both real animal and mythological beasts.
There were two branches of the style: proto-Attic and proto-Corinthian. The proto-Attic style was
characterized by an extensive use of mythological scenes. A lot of attention was, also, paid to a representation
of human figures.
The Eleusis Amphora is a very nice example of the style. In the top register of the vase we can see Odisseus
and his men blinding a Cyclope. In the middle register the artist pictured Gorgons chasing Perseus who had
just slain their sister. The amphora was damaged, and the figure of the hero cannot be seen. By that time, the
illustrations had become much more important than an ornament. As we can see the geometric decoration is
still present, but it occupies just a small percentage of the vase surface.
The followers of the proto-Corinthian style were famous for the production such small vessels as oinochoai
(vine vessels), aryballoi (parfume flasks), and vine cups. These artists continued using Geometric patterns in
their works. The animal motifs were extremely popular, and in fact, aryballoi were often shaped like animals
(Janson & Janson, 110).
An era of red and black figure styles (c. 700 B.C.- 480B. C.) became the apogee of the vase painting. The
black figure style, in which figures were painted in black upon a red or cream background, was developed In
Corinth, in the six century B. C. Interestingly, at that time Greek artists began to sign their creations.
The Exekias’ kylix (a vine cup), an example of the style, was painted by master Exekias in c. 540 B. C. In the
picture we can see the god of vine Dionysus resting on a deck of the ship, which is accompanied by seven
dolphins. According to a legend, the god was abducted by pirates, and turned them into the animals. The
drawing is very detailed and elegant.
Yet, the black figure method had its limitations. For example, “the technique made foreshortening unduly
difficult” (Janson & Janson, 114). Thus, “the black figure style was rapidly replaced toward 500 B.C., by its
negative: red figures set against a black ground, giving the artist a chance to paint the faces, bodies, and
drapery with a brush… (Wood, 11). This style allowed the artists to express emotions of their characters. These
paintings are full of feelings. For example, we can’t help feeling sorry for goddess Eos pictured by artist named
Douris in c. 490 – 480 B.C. The Eos’ son has been killed in a battle, and the poor woman is holding his dead
body as gently, as if the boy was only wounded.
Sculpture
Archaic period (8th to early 5th century B.C.)
Then, monumental sculpture “took the form of kouros (nude male youth) and kore (dressed maiden) (Wood,
11). Those statues are very similar to the works of the ancient Egyptians. The kouros stands very erect, and
his body is strictly symmetrical. He looks forward, and the statue’s left foot is placed before the right one. It is
completely satisfied the rules of Egyptian canon of art. Like their Egyptian counterparts, Greek kuroi were not
portraits of real people. They rather were symbols of youth and beauty. The kuroi, however, are carved much
rougher than Egyptian statues, and most of them look very rigid and unnatural. Another significant difference
between kouroi and Egyptian sculpture is that the Greek statues are freestanding.
The kore is a female equivalent of the kouros. Their figures are very schematic. The main difference
between kuroi and korai is that the korai are always dressed. It looks like the artists were much more interested
in showing details of the dress than in depicting the shape of a female body.
The Kritios Boy created about 480 B.C. by master Kritios, perhaps, could be called the last kouros. The artist
managed to “introduce anatomical realism within the framework of the kouros” (Wood, 13). “Called the first
beautiful nude in art, the Kritios Boy, inaugurated the Greek classical age of sculpture” (Wood, 13).
Classical period (5th to 4th century BC)
The most significant achievement of this period came in the form of contrapposto. The term refers to a
representation of a natural human standing position when the weight of the body is concentrated on one foot.
One of the best examples of a contraposto position is Polykletos’ Doryphoros. The sculpture represents an
ideally built young man. There is a perfect counterbalance between tense and relaxed muscles of the body.
Like the figures of kouroi this statue is not a portrait of a particular individual but a demonstration of an ideal
figure: “a perfect citizen-warrior” (Janson & Janson, 94).
Then, the female nude statues joined the male nudes. “In about 340 B.C., Praxiteles carved a nude
Aphrodite for a sanctuary at Cnidus” (Wood, 15). This masterpiece “helped spawn a whole host of sensual
goddesses during Hellenistic times”.
Hellenistic period (323 B.C. – 31 B.C.)
After the Alexander the Grate’s conquest, the Greek art was introduced to different parts of the world. The
main distinguished characteristic of a new Hellenistic style was a shift from idealism of the classical period to
dramatic expression of human emotions. At that time such fabulous statues as the Boxer and the Dying Gaul
were created.
The Dying Gaul (or Trumpeter) by Epigomos of Pergamon (?), was created at c 220 B.C. The sculpture
represents a fatally wounded young warrior. Despite that the dying soldier is an enemy, his posture is full “of
dignity and pathos” (Jabson & Janson, 100).
Architecture.
The Greek architecture was based on mathematical principals of symmetry and proportions. Historically,
there were three orders (styles) of the Ancient Greek architecture: Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. Actually, the
Corinthian order is considered to be a variation of the Ionic style.
Most of the survived structures in the main land Greece were built in the Doric order. The columns consisted
only of two parts (shaft and capital) were the main distinguish characteristic of the style. In the Doric order “the
entire structure was built of cut stone blocks fitted together without mortar” (Janson $ Janson, 125). Limestone
was a preferred material. “The roof was made of terracotta tiles supported by wooden rafters, and wooden
beams were used for the ceiling” (Janson & Janson, 125).
The evolution of the style can be seen on an example of the temples of Hera in Paestum, Italy. There is a
hundred year interval between the times of their construction. The temple of Hera II (built later) is higher, and
its structure looks lighter and more elegant. The effect was partly achieved by “the outline of the columns”.
“Those in Temple of Hera I are more strongly curved and are tapered to a relatively narrow top. … This
effect…makes one think that the columns bulge with the strain. …In the Temple of Hera II the exaggerated
curvatures had been modified, the columns are taller, and the capitals more compact (Janson & Janson, 127).
The most famous architectural monument of Ancient Greece is Parthenon. The temple is situated on the
Athenian Acropolis and devoted to goddess Athena. The construction was started in 448 B.C. and finished in
438 B.C. The Athenian leader Pericles wanted the new temple to be the most beautiful structure in the world to
celebrate the victory over the Persians and show the strength of the Athenian state. The main architectures of
the project were Iktinos, Kalikrates, and Karpion. The temple was decorated by works of a legendary artist
Pheidias.
“Built of gleaming white marble on the most prominent site of… the Akropolis, [the Parthenon] dominates the
entire city and surrounding countryside” (Janson & Janson, 128). Despite its great size, the building “creates an
impression of festive [and] balanced grace” (Janson & Janson, 128). “This effect was achieved by using shining
white marble throughout, and readjusting the proportions. … The columns themselves were slender,… and
their capitals were smaller; yet the column spacing was wider” (Janson & Janson, 128).
The construction of the Propylaea , the “monumental entry gate at the western end of the Acropolis”, was
started in 437 B.C., under a supervision of the architect Mnesikles; the main part of the work was finished in
five years. “The entire structure was built of marble and featured proportions … similar to those of the
Parthenon” (Janson & Janson, 129). Unfortunately, the construction was abandoned because of the beginning
of the Peloponnesian War.
Ionic Order
A small and elegant temple of Athena Nike was built in the Ionic order(c. 427 B.C. – 424 B.C.). The most
“striking feature of the Ionic Style is the Ionic Column, which differ fundamentally from the Doric” (Janson &
Janson, 129). Its “shaft is more slender, and there is … little or no apparent swelling of the column. … The
capital includes a large double scroll, or volute, that projects strongly beyond the width of the shaft (Janson &
Janson, 133). The column consists of three parts: base, shaft, and capital.
Another Acropolis’ structure built in Ionic order is Erection. A part of the building is the famous Porch of the
Maidens. Instead of columns, “its roof is held by six female caryatids on a high parapet” (134).
Conclusion
Thousands of years have past since the Parthenon, Doryphoros, and Knidian Aphrodite were created. But
when you look at those masterpieces, you do not feel this tremendous gap in time. The art of Ancient Greek is
unique. It does not just reflect the ideals of the single nation; it reflects the ideals of the whole humanity. The
Greek masterpieces make people forget about their nationalities and religious believes. The ancient statues
and pictures constantly remind us that there only one race on the earth: the humankind. Looking at those
works of art, you slowly begin to understand what an ingenious Russian writer meant when he said that the
beauty would save the world.
References
Janson H. W., & A. F. Jamson. (2004). History of art: the western tradition, 6th Ed. Pearson education, Inc.
Wood M., (1989). Art of the western world: from Ancient Greece to post modernism. Levavi & Levavi, Inc.