Greek Art of the Golden Age Pg.1


In 400 B.C. Greece
entered a new era of
cultural progress
called the Golden Age
of Greek culture.
Teacher and artists
came from around
Greece to make
Athens a center of
learning and artistic
achievement.
Quic kT ime™ and a
T IFF (Uncompress ed) decompress or
are needed to s ee this pi cture.
Architecture




Athens showed their pride through their
temples, gymnasiums, and theatres.
Artists normally decorated these structures
with their finest sculptures.
In Athens a high hill called an Acropolis
was the center of the original city-state
with a bronze statue of the goddess
Athena nearby.
Pg. 2
At the top of the Acropolis stood the
Parthenon which was built in honor of
Athena.
 The Parthenon had doors but very few
windows because they were built as
shrines to honor gods, not as meeting
places for worshippers.
 Inside the Parthenon stands a large statue
of Athena made of ivory and gold that
stands about 38 ft high.
Pg. 3

Painting
Painting was an important form of art in
ancient Greece, however, most original
artwork has been lost or badly damaged.
 The best preserved Greek paintings are
found on vases.
 Greek artists painted scenes from
everyday life as well as mythological
events.
Pg. 4

Sculpture
Original works of Greek sculpture, like
paintings, are rare today.
 We know most about Greek sculpture from
studying copies made during Roman
times.
 Greek sculpture shows Egyptian influence.
 Early Greek sculptures were highly
structured, showing stiff unnatural poses
with arms straight and down by their sides
Pg. 5




During the Golden Age of Greece in the
400’s B.C. Greek sculptors were creating
figures that were more lifelike.
Myron and Phidias were two of history’s
greatest sculptors.
Myron sculpted the famous Discus
Thrower.
Phidias created the statues of Athena and
the statue of Zeus at the Temple of
Olympia standing near 40 ft high.
Pg. 6

Quic kTime™ a nd a
TIFF (Un co mp res sed ) d eco mp re sso r
ar e n eed ed to see thi s p ictu re.
Quic kT ime™ and a
T IFF (Uncompress ed) decompress or
are needed to s ee this pi cture.
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Quic kT ime™ and a
T IFF (Uncompress ed) decompress or
are needed to s ee this pi cture.
• Praxiteles lived about 100 years after
Phidias and sculpted figures that were more
lifelike and natural in form and size.

Nature of Greek Art

Artistic styles expressed Greek ideals in four
ways during the Golden Age of Greece.
1)
2)
3)
4)
Greek art glorified human beings
Art of the Golden Age symbolizes Greeks’ pride in
their city-states.
Art expressed Greek beliefs in harmony, balance,
order, and moderation.
Art expressed Greek belief in combining beauty
and usefulness.