Greek Art and
Architecture
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Architecture of Ancient Greece
Greek life was dominated by religion and so it is not surprising that the temples of
ancient Greece built to honor their gods were the biggest and most beautiful. They
also had a political purpose as they were often built to celebrate civic power and pride,
or to offer thanksgiving to the patron deity of a city for success in war.
Greek Orders
The Greeks developed three architectural systems, called orders,
each with their own distinctive proportions and detailing. The Greek
orders are: Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian.
The Doric style is rather
sturdy and its top (the
capital), is plain. This style
was used in mainland
Greece and the colonies in
southern Italy and Sicily.
The Ionic style is thinner
and more elegant. Its capital
is decorated with a scrolllike design (a volute). This
style was found in eastern
Greece and the islands.
The Corinthian style is
seldom used in the Greek
world, but often seen on
Roman temples. Its capital is
very elaborate and decorated
with acanthus leaves.
Greek Orders
The Acropolis
• Acropolis is a Greek word meaning 'high city'.
• The Athenian Acropolis rises from the plain of Attica to 500 feet above sea level.
• In times of attack the Acropolis became the last fort of defense.
• The Acropolis hill, so called the "Sacred Rock" of Athens, is the most important
site of the city.
• The Acropolis contains some of the world's most famous structures built in the
classical architectural style.
The Parthenon
Built as a temple of Athena
Parthenos ("Virgin") in the Doric
Style, the Greek goddess of
wisdom on the Acropolis in Athens.
The Parthenon was built in the 5th
century BC, and despite the
enormous damage it has sustained
over the centuries, it still
communicates the ideals of order
and harmony for which Greek
architecture is known.
How does the
Lincoln Memorial
compare to the
Parthenon?
Greek Amphitheatre
How does the
Jones Beach
Theater compare
to the Greek
Amphitheater?
Greek tragedies and comedies were always performed in outdoor
theaters. Early Greek theaters were probably little more than open areas
in city centers or next to hillsides where the audience, standing or sitting,
could watch and listen to the chorus singing about the exploits of a god
or hero. From the late 6th century BC to the 4th and 3rd centuries BC
there was a gradual evolution towards more elaborate theater structures,
but the basic layout of the Greek theater remained the same.
Greek Pottery
Beginning in Corinth, and then
spreading to Athens, it also led to
including more than one animal or plant
and eventually made way for human
figures. Some of these figures included
scenes of warfare. Soon after, potters
and painters began to put mythological
narration on the pottery, including
scenes from the Iliad and other famous
legends or myths. These narratives
began as mainly violent in nature, but
as they progressed they became
calmer and involved other scenarios
besides warfare.
How do we tell our stories about myths, legends, and historical events?
Sculpture of Ancient Greece
Greeks portrayed the gods in very similar
fashion as they did the regular humans. There
were no distinctions of size or body make up in
their sculpture which would suggest that the
gods were greater or more powerful then the
humans. This is also similar in Greek stories,
where the gods are shown to have very human
characteristics, both good and bad.
How does this cartoon reflect the influence ofNike,
the Greeks
on our culture?
Greek Goddess
of Victory
The Greeks were blessed with a large supply of marble, which was what they used
most in their sculptures. Bronze was also used in their artistic work of humans.
There are three main periods of Greek Sculpture; Archaic, Classical and Hellenistic.
Sculpture of Ancient Greece
The Archaic period was the earliest period in Greek Sculpture which started around 600
B.C. and lasted until 480 B.C. These works have a stiff and ridged appearance similar to
that of the Egyptian sculpture.
The second period, the Classical period, was between the Archaic and Hellenistic
times. The Classical period shows a very large shift from the stiff Archaic to a more
realistic and sometimes idealistic portrayal of the human figure. Females, after the
5th century B.C., were depicted nude, often with flowing robes. The robes gave the
sculpture the idea of movement and realism in an effort by the artist to show humans more
naturally and realistically.
The third period, the Hellenistic period, started a little before 300 B.C. To the average
person, it is more difficult to see the distinctions between the Classical and Hellenistic
period. Both periods did the majority of their sculpture as nudes. The Greeks portrayed a
young, vigorous, and athletic person in their works. These works idealized the individual
and in a way, attempted to capture the idea of youth and strength in their design. The
works reflect the commonly held views of youth, strength, courage, and beauty which were
encouraged in the Greek City states.
Art of Ancient Greece
Discobolos
c. 450 BC
Roman marble copy after the bronze
original by Myron
height 155 cm (61 in)
Museo Nazionale Romano, Rome
Compare the statue of Discobolos with the statue of Michael Jordan. How
does each civilization portray its athletes? Why?
Art of Ancient Greece
Venus de Milo
Parian marble, h 2.02 m (6 1/2 ft)
Found at Milo
130-120 BC
Musee du Louvre, Paris
Compare the statue of Venus de Milo with the magazine covers. How has
the Greek portrayal of women influenced our culture’s view of women?