Prehistoric art
Prehistoric cave art-Lascaux, France
Superimposed images may mean the “act” of
creating was more important than the final
image.
Prehistoric stone
sculpture
Venus of Willendorf
-fertility figure
Stone Henge, England
monolithic architecture
Egyptian Art
The great pyramids at Giza were both
tombs and monuments.
2500 BC
Egyptian Canopic jars hold the
internal organs removed during
mummification.
Egypt- Temple at Karnak shows stone
architecture (post and lintel)
Karnak – obelisk, temple and
guardian sphinx sculptures.
Egyptian sculpture
Mycerinus and His
Queen
Stone – rigid,
stylized, block -like
Mycerinus and his Queen - detail
Sculpture of an
Egyptian Pharaoh
Note the symmetry,
frontal pose and
simplified details.
Sarcophagus and
painted box from an
Egyptian tomb were
painted with
hieroglyphs and
scenes from the life of
the deceased.
Animal mummy case
Wall paintings in Egyptian tomb shows
Anubis (Jackal-headed god) with the
mummified Pharaoh.
Size shows status. Rigid rules for
figures, wildlife is more natural.
Men darker than women.
Tomb in Aswan shows hieroglyph
captions with image.
Daughters of Akenaten
Wall painting
Briefly, during
Akenaten’s reign
artists were
allowed to paint in
a more natural way
showing,
foreshortening,
perspective and
natural poses.
When he died the
rigid rules of art
making were again
imposed.
Lion’s
Gate
shows
Post
and Lintel
structure
Early (Archaic)
Greek sculpture – rigid,
stylized,
nude youth (Kouros)
was probably a funeral
marker.
Classical Greek
Sculpture
the Spear Bearer,
shows contraposto, a
natural “s” curve pose,
detailed anatomy but
a calm, god-like face.
Nike of
Samothrace
Greek
Sculpture
Note the fluid
drapery and
beauty of the
anatomy
Laocoon Group
Hellenistic (late)
sculpture showed
movement,
emotion &
violence,
great detail and
facial expression.
The Acropolis (high city)in Athens,
Greece.
Architectural Orders in Greece
Doric
Ionic
Corinthian
Temple from
the Acropolis
is of the Ionic
Order,
decorated
with a high
relief frieze
base.
The Parthenon in Athens, Greece. Temple
to Athena, goddess of war and wisdom.
Parthenon pediment sculpture
and low- relief frieze.
Parthenon – Doric order
Parthenon colonnade
The Dionysus Bowl –
glazed pottery shows
the legend of how the
god of wine (Dionysus)
caused the boat mast to
sprout into a grapevine,
frightening the pirates.
As they jumped into the
sea they turned
into dolphins.
Pottery design (red figure vase) shows a
mythical creature popular in ancient cultures.
Red Figure Greek
Vase (amphora)
showing a legend
about the gods and
their winged
horses. (Pegasus)
Roman Art
The Arch of Constantine – Rome, Italy
Aqueducts allowed Romans to
bring fresh water to their cities.
Roman sculpture
show personality
and unique,
realistic, features
“Busts” were of
head and
shoulders only.
Portrait bust of
Julius Caesar
Coliseum, Rome, Italy built as a
stadium for entertainment
It featured 3
tiers of
arches,
bleachers
and box
seats as well
as a canvas
awning for
shade
Rooms under
the stadium
floor held
animals, slaves
and gladiators.
It was even
flooded so
mock naval
battles could be
staged.
The Pantheon in Rome is a dome on a
drum, with a Greek style front porch.
The ceiling of
the Pantheon is
“coffered” to
lighten the
weight of the
stone. The
dome’s “oculus”
provides light
(and rain!)
The interior of the
Pantheon includes
Greek style
columns and
pediment
“window” niches.
Ruins in ancient Rome show how they
“borrowed” ideas from the Greeks.
Courtyard of a Roman villa
Wall paintings from Pompeii were
preserved when the city was
encased in volcanic ash
The Villa of Mysteries in Pompeii
shows great skill in painting