Greek Art 2:
Transitional, Classical, and
Hellenistic
How is sculpture evolving
once again?
Kroisos Boy
Kritios Boy
Kritios Boy
Delphi Charioteer
Looks calm and in
control. No smile.
Straight folds
resemble a column.
Bronze.
Idealized, yet
especially hands
and feet very
realistic.
Riace
Warrior
Fairly recently
discovered off the
coast of Greece.
Thrown into ocean
to keep it from the
Romans. Pearl
divers thought it was
a murdered body.
Young idealized youth meets older, experienced man.
Discus Thrower
by Myron
Snapshot of a moment.
The climax of the action.
Body tensed and ready to
spring, yet the face is
completely calm.
Unrealistic pose.
Needs supports for the
marble. Originally done in
bronze.
Classical Architecture
The Acropolis, Athens
The Acropolis
Brief History
Persians came and conquered Athens. Destroyed the previous
temple to Athena. So Pericles commissioned it to be rebuilt.
Architects were Ictinus and Kallikrates. Sculptor was Phidias.
Symbolized glory of Athens. 22,000 tons of marble were
shipped from quarries 10 miles away.
Third century A.D. it fell into disrepair. Later, the Erectheion
became a Christian church, then a Turkish harem. Parthenon
became a Christian church, then a mosque.
In 1687, the Ottomons were using it to store gunpowder. A
shell struck and the gunpowder exploded, destroying the cella
and many columns as well as sculptures. It lay in ruins for
years and years until it was restored.
Love of Nature
Sites are placed on top of a mountain. Not only was
this smart defensively, but it emphasized their love of
nature.
All the way up, you only see pieces. Gardens and
paths leading up. View nature on the way to the top.
Once on the top, great view of nature all around.
Parthenon
The Parthenon
Work started around 490 B.C. and was completed in
438 B.C. Sculptures finished in 432 B.C.
All of the sculpture was designed and administered,
and much of it was done, by Phidias. Despite many
artists contributing, Phidias’s vision unifies it.
Has 46 columns. 8 on each end and 17 on the
sides.
Optical Illusions
Golden Mean
Entasis
Architrave and
Stylobate raised
two inches.
Supposed to be
viewed as a
monument, not a
great stone box.
Pedimental Sculpture
Three Goddesses
Sculpture was completely in
the round and then attached
by metal pins. That is one
of the only ways we know
where remaining sculptures
fit into the pediment.
Metope of the Parthenon
Doric frieze on the
exterior of the
Parthenon was
decorated with 92
metope reliefs, 14 on
each end and 32 on
the sides.
Lapith Fighting a Centaur
Depict legendary
battles, to
commemorate
Athenians victory
over Persians.
The Processional
Located on the frieze of the inner building. Wraps all the
way around, 525 feet of sculpture. Shows the
Panathenaic procession that occurred every year.
Depicts Athenians, rather than gods. Some feared this
arrogance would incur the wrath of the gods.
Parthenon
Athena
Made of wooden core.
Face and hands are ivory.
Clothing and headdress
are gold. 2500 pounds of
gold in this statue. Gold
was ripped off by a general
in 250 B.C. to pay his
troops. Possibly lost to
fire.
Nike is shown (wings) with
her.
This is from the replica of
the Parthenon in Nashville,
Tennessee.
Propylaea
Entrance into the
Acropolis. Massive Doric
gateway. Not so much its
own building, more of a
grand entrance.
Erectheum/Erectheion
Housed many shrines.
Asymmetrical design.
Different functions and
uneven terrain.
Porch of the Maidens.
Beautifully and
gracefully support the
building as columns.
Temple of Athena Nike
Nike is the Goddess of
Victory. Athena was
worshipped in this form,
as the Goddess of victory.
First Ionic temple on the
Acropolis. Athenians
would worship there,
especially when they were
about to go into battle,
hoping for a victory.
Classical Sculpture
Nike
Fastening Her
Sandle
Found in the temple
of Athena Nike. Very
revealing drapery.
Masterful carving.
Hermes
and
Dionysus
by Praxiteles
Spear
Bearer/
Doryphoros
by Polykleitos
Perfectly calm. Classic calm.
Polykleitos developed a human
canon. He made this sculpture
to exemplify this canon.
The
Scraper
by Lysippos
Aphrodite
of Knidos
by Praxiteles
Hellenistic Sculpture
Alexander the
Great
Quite remarkable young man that
took over the whole world. He
defeated the Persians, the
Egyptians, the Lydians. He
conquered from Macedonia into
the reaches of India. When he
died, his generals wanted the
spoils. Three generals rose:
Ptolemy (Egypt), Antigonus
(Macedonia and Greece), and
Seleucus (Mesopotamia, Asia
Minor, and Persia.) They spread
Greek art throughout the world.
Also, the world is incorporated into
Greek art.
Winged
Victory
Nike of Samothrace
What about this sculpture is
different than Classical
sculpture? What is the
evolution coming to now?
Venus de Milo
Not all Hellenistic artists liked
the new changes. This artist
has returned to Classical
sculpture. It looks almost like
Praxiteles’ Aphrodite.
What differences do you see
between Classical and
Hellenistic?
Dying Gaul
Old Market Woman
Laocoon
From the Altar of Zeus
Altar of Zeus Frieze
Hellenistic Architecture
Altar of Zeus
What is different about this and other temples?
Theater of Epidaurus
More personal. Stage and Orchestra.