Aegean Art
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AEGEAN ART
Term used to describe the Bronze Age that occurred in the
land in and around the Aegean Sea.
Three basic periods:
CYCLADIC (Cyclades Islands) 3000-1600 BCE
MINOAN (Crete) 3000-1400 BCE
MYCENEAN (Mainland Greece) 1400-1100 BCE
Prehistoric Aegean
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The tradition of Greece is often the
first in which Westerners feel they can
recognize themselves. Greeks were
the “first” to place human beings at
the center of the universe. However,
preceding the Greeks in the Aegean
Basin were the Minoan and
Mycenaean civilizations.
Cycladic, Minoan and Mycenaean
BASIC INFORMATION
•Early Greek Civilization is known through 3 sources:
a. Monuments themselves,
b. Roman copies
c. Literary sources- (these often conflict)
•Early Greek civilization started out as tribal groups - the
Dorians, who settled mostly on the mainland, and the
Ionians who inhabited the Aegean islands and Asia Minor
•Early Greeks remained divided into small city-states (the
polis) but united themselves for all-Greek festivals. Rivalry
between states stimulated the growth of ideas
• As with Egyptians, the Ageans were
organized into a complex caste system:
Nobles, Merchants, Artisans, Bureaucrats,
and Laborers
• Life for Ageans was unusually
peaceful…very few weapons found at
archeological sites
Cycladic Art
Most examples are from the NEOLITHIC
period and are usually female
Cycladic Islands rich in metal ores and marble
(Parian Marble from Paros considered some
of the best in the world)
Very abstracted, geometric figures found in
stone burial chambers
Title: Seated harp player
Date: ca. 2800–2700 B.C.
Medium: Marble
This marble figure is one of the earliest known
representations of musicians from the Early
Cycladic period. It shows a man playing a harp
while seated on a chair with an elaborate
backrest. The musician tilts back his head and
draws his lips forward as he sings. He holds the
front of the harp with both hands, resting the
weight of the instrument against his right leg
and shoulder. His right thumb is raised as he
sounds a note and listens with large hollowed
ears to the resonating string. The muscles of his
arms and his carefully articulated elbow joints,
fingers, and ears are modeled with uncommon
sensitivity.
The back of this musician's head was once
painted, perhaps indicating a close-fitting cap.
A belt, which may be understood as part of a
clothing sheath, encircles his waist.
Art at the Same Time: Compare and Contrast
Future influences
Minoan Art
Artwork found on the island of CRETE – called
Minoan because of the legend of King Minos
Very rich civilization with many references to bulls
and ocean themes
PALACE OF KNOSSOS – Huge palace about 6
acres in size! 1st excavated by Sir Arthur Evans in
1900
Amphora – two handled vase
used to carry wine, oil, olives,
etc.
Amphi ("on both sides") +
phoreus ("carrier")
The Mycenaean octopus vase is highly
stylized, unlike the more naturalistic Minoan
vase.
The Minoan octopus vase, known as the
Dendra Vase, is a famous example of the
naturalistic, fluid, style that characterizes
Minoan painting.
Title: Octopus jar
Date: 1500 BCE.
Medium: Clay
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Stairwell in the
residential quarter of
the palace at Knossos
(Crete), Greece, ca.
1700–1400 BCE.
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Figure 4-5 Plan of the palace
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Pictures taken
from the Palace of
Knossos – Note the
repeated bull and
marine themes
which indicate the
importance of
fishing and ritual
in their culture.
Minoan Fresco
Like their Egyptian contemporaries living 500
miles southeast of them, the Minoans illustrated
figures with legs standing in profile and eyes, in
profiled faces, staring at the viewer. So, the
Minoans were not entirely revolutionary painters.
Minoan artists did, however, figure out how to
show torsos in profile. They drew bodies as
working wholes, not as figures awkwardly twisted
in the middle. More importantly, the outlines of
their figures are rounded and lively. By
comparison, the figures in Egyptian scenes appear
stiff and uncomfortable.
“The Fisherboy” was excavated from a house
preserved beautifully by volcanic ash.
Bull-leaping, from the palace at Knossos (Crete), Greece, ca. 1450–1400 BCE. Fresco, 2’ 8” high, including
border. Archaeological Museum, Herakleion.
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See the influence
Prehistoric paintings had?
Religion
• Most Minoan life revealed through its
religious practices and art.
• 1. Matriarchal society
• 2. Center of worship was a mother
goddess
• 3. Earth goddesses portrayed in various
forms.
Snake Goddess, from the palace at
Knossos (Crete), Greece, ca. 1600 BCE.
Faience,
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Mother Goddesses
Mycenae
The Mycenaean's placed a pair
of 9.5 foot lions above the arch
a symbol of protection against
intruders.
Lion Gate, Mycenae, Greece, ca. 1300–1250 BCE. Limestone, relief panel, 9’ 6” high.
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Three methods of spanning a
passageway:
(a) post and lintel,
(b) corbeled arch,
(c) arch.
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Lion Gate of Mycenae
Guardian-like lions that guarded the entrance to the
Citadel… Heads are now gone.
Corbelled Arch
Post & Lintel
Mycenaeans = “Rich In Gold”
Thanks to tombs, graves excavated in Mycenae find many kings and their
families buried with gold, much like the Egyptians…Woman with jewelry, Men
with weapons and golden cups.
Mask of Agamemnon: The mask was
created by hammering gold into a thin leaf
over a wooden form.
Repousse: a technique whereby metal is
hammered from the back to make a relief
Early Figure Sculptures
• The primary forms began to show more details in the body
and muscle structure. These kinds of figures were called:
• kouros, freestanding statues of male youth
• kore, freestanding statues of young maidens