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Peter Fitts
Art of Ancient Greece
11/24/2012
The Art of Ancient Greece may be the most applicable and important to our
modern day. Ancient Greece, was the birthplace of Democracy and its art, has since
become a symbol for liberty and government ruled by the people for the people.
When you look at the Landmarks of American Government you see ancient Greece’s
influence stamped all over it. When you look at American popular culture you also
see ancient Greece’s influence. Weather it is the Greek colonnades found on capital
hill, or the way we as Americans depict our-selves it is hard to deny the influence,
which Ancient Greece has had on America in our day and time. Therefore I submit
that the Art of Ancient Greece should be included in this series of documentaries.
Of the many works of ancient Greek art, which have endured the test of time,
few have inspired awe as the Parthenon. The Parthenon was a temple built by the
Athenians to commemorate their patron Goddess Athena. The jewel of the Athenian
Empire, the Parthenon is regarded as the enduring symbol of ancient democracy.1
With grand colonnades, in the classic Athenian Doric Order, the size and scale of this
Ancient building inspires the deepest sense of wonder and awe. As equally,
impressive as the scale, is its symmetry, the Parthenon is as aesthetically pleasing as
can be found in architecture both ancient and modern. The design of this grand
building, is such that when viewed at any angle it looks perfectly proportionate. In
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Mary Beard, The Parthenon (Great Brittan: Profile Books Ltd, 2002), p. 118.
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fact, there are no right angles found on the entire building, which helps create the
“veneer” of these perfect proportions. This grand work of art has since inspired
other great works of architecture. One such example can be found in our very own
country. The Treasury building in Washington D.C. is an example of the influence,
which the Parthenon and Greek architectural styling has had on modern
architecture. The use of this architectural styling is clearly not by mistake. The
designers of the Treasury building were no doubt trying to capture the democratic
spirit, which the Parthenon embodies as the jewel of Ancient Democracy.
Another Ancient Greek work of art, which one must highlight when
documenting Greek art is Achilles and Ajax Playing a Game. Achilles and Ajax Playing
a Game happens to be my favorite example of Black-figure Amphora (a vase with
handles on either side) painting. Painted by Exekias, who is considered to be the
finest and most original of the black-figure artists of his time, and one of the major
figures in the history of Art, this amphora is one of the more beautiful and valued on
display today.2 On this amphora we see Achilles a famous warrior in Greek
mythology, playing a relaxing game with his equally famous counterpart Ajax. This
is a particularly interesting depiction since these warriors were usually depicted in
battle. However it is quite refreshing to view these two in their down time, as it
seems to bring some fun into the piece, which helps to lighten the mood. Achilles and
Ajax Playing a Game is a must see piece of Ancient Greek art.
Chelsey Parrott-Sheffer and Michael Ray, “Britannica” Britannica Encyclopedia,
Last Modified April 14, 2009,
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/197950/Exekias
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The next piece, which must be highlighted, is the famous sculpture by
Polykleitos, Spear Bearer (Doryphoros in Greek). The Spear Bearer is important to
Ancient Greek Art for many reasons, the first reason dealing with the sculptor who
created it. Originally cast into bronze the sculpture only exists today in marble as
Roman recreation, however what we do have shows us something very important
called, “The Canon.” (Kanon in Greek) “The Canon,” was developed by Polykleitos as
a set of rules for sculpting the ideal male figure. He implemented these rules in the
sculpting of the Spear Bearer. In a Book by Kenneth Clark, one of the premier arthistorians of our modern day, called Polykleitos, “one of the great puritans of art”
due largely impart for his creation of “The Canon.”3 The Spear Bearer, is a great
insight into these ancient peoples culture. What the Ancient Greeks idealized was a
man who was fit and stoic with and incredible sense of self-confidence, and that is
what I see in this sculpture. Is this not also what we value today in our modern day?
I feel that from the creation of our democracy till now the ideal male form as
presented by Polykleitos is what we search for physically in our men of value. This
Sculpture and Sculptor helped define Greek Art, and also set a large precedence for
upcoming artist to follow, as well as impact our perceptions today.
The final piece, which I believe should be highlighted, is likely the most iconic
of all the Greek sculptures. Aphrodite of Melos, housed in the famous Parisian
museum the Louvre, it is the quintessential Greek sculpture. This piece shows a
beautiful depiction of what many believe to be Aphrodite the Greek goddess of
beauty. The most striking feature of this sculpture is the form. She is presented in a
Kenneth Clark, The Nude: A Study in Ideal Form (United States of America:
Doubleday Anchor Books, 1959), p. 63.
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very provocative pose, which was unlike anything in art until that time. It showed a
large shift in the depiction of women. As in our modern day there has been a large
shift in the expression of women as individuals. Aphrodite of Melo is a symbol of
progression for women in the ancient world. Until that point women were very
much second-class citizens in the ancient world. Much like the Women’s rights
movements of the 60’s and 70’s the “Aphrodite” showed a similar progression in the
ancient world.
In conclusion, I submit that when profiling Art of the Ancient world one must
include the art of ancient Greece. The art of ancient Greece can be seen through out
our American culture on a daily basis. Whether it is our perceptions of the perfect
male, our progressive view of females, the way we view heroes and warriors, or the
architectural symbols of our American democracy ancient Greece has influenced our
world as we know it even hundreds and thousands of years latter.
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Bibliography
1. Mary Beard, The Parthenon (Great Brittan: Profile Books Ltd, 2002), p. 118.
2. Kenneth Clark, The Nude: A Study in Ideal Form (United States of America:
Doubleday Anchor Books, 1959), p. 63
3. Chelsey Parrott-Sheffer and Michael Ray, “Britannica” Britannica
Encyclopedia, Last Modified April 14, 2009,
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/197950/Exekias
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Figure 1 The Parthenon, Athens, Greece
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Figure 2 Achilles and Ajax Playing a Game, by Exekias, Vatican Museums, Rome
Figure 3 Spear Bearer (Doryphoros), by Polykleitos, National Archeological Museum, Naples
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Figure 4 Aphrodite of Melo, Musee du Louvre, Paris