Ancient Greece
Athens, Acropolis, Mythology,
Olympics, Democracy, Socrates,
Aristotle, Peloponnesian
Evolution of Greek Civilization
• Greece is the birthplace of Western
civilization.
– Approximately 2,000 B.C.
– 1st tribes took up residence on the peninsula
– The 1st culture group to develop was the
Mycenaean.
– The were conquered by the Dorians, who
created the city-state form of government.
• City-state: the city & the national government
are one.
– Vatican City & Singapore
• None of the city-states grew strong enough to
conquer any of the others.
• Local pride & jealousy kept them from uniting
under one ruler.
• Fear of invasion from the Persians finally united
the city states.
• Delian League: military alliance formed to
defend the peninsula.
• Delian League
– Athens was made the permanent head
– Pericles was the Athenian leader
– He used the treasury for beautification of Athens
(after the Persian threat declined.)
– This made other members of the league very
angry; Athens became the most beautiful city in
Greece.
– Other members waited for their chance to attack
Athens.
– After the threat of invasions passed, members of
the alliance fought among themselves.
– Macedonians conquered the peninsula.
Architecture
• Not much change in Grecian architecture
over the centuries.
– Different building materials but the same
basic design.
• Simple rectangular buildings on a 3-step
platform.
– Post & lintel construction
– Gabled (sloping ) roof
– Colonnade
The Parthenon
• The Parthenon was temple dedicated to
the goddess Athena.
• Athena was the patron goddess of the city
of Athens.
• Only a few people were allowed inside, so
the interior was not highly decorated.
• The outside of the building was decorated
with carvings & bright vivid paint.
• The building was used for various purposes
over the centuries.
– Christian church
– Mosque
• Its present condition is the result of an
explosion that occurred in the 17th century.
– Battle between the Venetians & the Ottoman
Turks.
– The Turks were using the building to store
explosives.
– They thought the Venetians would not shell the
building but they were wrong.
• The Parthenon occupies the central part of
the Acropolis.
– The Acropolis is a mass of rock that rises
above the city of Athens.
– It was the hub of city life in Athens.
– Sacred temples were built there.
– Processions were held up to the Acropolis
where the crowd would stand outside the
Parthenon.
– The sacred rites were held in private inside
the building.
Grecian Art
3 main periods
–Archaic
–Classical
–Hellenistic
• Archaic
–Artworks were not very realistic
–Stiff; undeveloped in technique
–Not very detailed, but more
refined than some Egyptian
sculpture
–Good example of beginning
sculpture in a civilization.
Kouros = youth
Probably a young
athlete or a
representation of one
of the gods.
Static
Kore = singular
Korai = plural for
maiden
Detail of head--Kouros
• Hera of Samos
–Wife of Zeus
–Very simple in details
****Common characteristics: little
detail; no suggestion of action
or movement
Notice there is no open space
between the parts of the body.
This is characteristic of early
sculpture.
Male &
female
forms
from the
Archaic
period
Archaic pottery
Pitcher with
primitive &
geometric
designs
Classical Period
• Emphasis on movement &
realistic features, especially the
beauty of the human form.
• Combination of materials (ivory,
gold, precious stones)
• Most Greek sculptures were lost
or destroyed in the many conflicts
on the Peloponnesian.
• The statues in existence are Roman
copies (done in marble or bronze.)
• Human figures were posed using
contrapposto pose.
–Contrapposto: weight of the body is
balanced on one leg, while the other is
free & relaxed.
–Used by Myron & Polyclitus
• Around the Parthenon were relief
sculptures decorating the building.
–The sculpture was in the form of a
procession or parade for Athena.
–It was fashioned by Phidias.
–Contained 350 people & 125 horses.
–The frieze was over 3ft. high
• A frieze is a decorative band along
the upper part of a wall.
• The decorative band ran along the
outside walls of the Parthenon.
• Parts of the sculpture are in London,
Paris, & Athens.
• The ones housed in the British
Museum are known as the Elgin
Marbles.
• Phidias also had sculptures placed in
the pediment of the Parthenon.
• Many figures from these sculptures
are in the British Museum.
• Notice the emphasis on movement,
balance, & realism.
Nike Fastening her Sandal
• Shows a figure frozen in action.
• Bas-relief sculpture
• Graceful movement suggested by the
thin drapery which clings to & defines
the body of the goddess.
• Notice the oval lines that unify the
work.
• Now, compare the sculptures of the
Archaic female form & Nike Fastening
her Sandal to see the skills Greek
carvers had perfected in
approximately 150 years.
Doryphoros
•
•
•
•
AKA “Spear Bearer”
Sculpted by Polyclitus
Uses the contrapposto pose
Notice the emphasis on movement &
realism.
Discobulus
• Myron
• AKA “Discus Thrower”
• The athlete is frozen for a split second at the
furthest point of the backswing.
• Notice the face is calm & relaxed, so the figure
is more idealistic than realistic.
• Myron probably had some knowledge of
anatomy & spent time studying athletes in
action.
Hellenistic Period
• Combination of Greek & non-Greek
influences.
• Art after the peninsula was conquered
by Alexander the Great (Macedonia.)
• This period lasted for approximately
200 years.
• Same characteristics as Classical.
• More emphasis on the EMOTIONAL
context of the artwork.
• The face was the most important to
these artists because it was the mirror
of the inner emotions.
• Works lacked the precise balance &
harmony of the Classical period.
Dying Gaul
• Life size sculpture
• Once part of a large monument
erected at Pergamon
• Celebrated a victory over the
Gauls, fierce warriors from the
North
• The warrior was fatally wounded
in battle.
• Notice the pain & certain
knowledge that he is dying distort
the features of his face.
• Drama of the dying warrior
• Share in his pain & loneliness
• Quiet dignity at the moment of
death.
Nike of Samothrace
• This sculpture celebrates some
naval victory.
• The goddess of victory stood on a
pedestal made to look like the
prow of a war ship.
• This sculpture was found at the
Greek city of Samothrace.
• Clearly the vessel is underway,
speeding to meet & defeat some
enemy.
• A brisk ocean breeze whips Nike’s
garments into ripples & folds.
• The body twists in space creating an
overall sense of movement.
• The statue was found in 1875 and
was in 118 pieces with no head or
arms.
Seated Boxer
• A mature professional boxer seen
resting after what must have been a
brutal match.
• Swollen ears, scratches &
perspiration are signs of the fight.
• Profile reveals his broken nose &
battered cheeks.
• Joyless expression
• An old boxer, well past his prime, has
just suffered another bitter defeat.
• The question is what is he looking at
over his shoulder.
Summary
of Greek
Sculpture Styles
Archaic: solid & stiff
Classical: balance, proportion,
movement
Hellenistic: emotional
appeal to involve the
viewer. The face is the
mirror of the inner
emotions.
Painting
• The Greeks loved color.
• They painted their statues & their
buildings.
• None of the great paintings have
survived the ages.
• Realism was a major concern.
• Pliny the Elder: Roman historian that
chronicled Greek history & civilization.
• His writings support the color &
realism ideas.
• Greek painting can be seen in vases
that were found throughout the
peninsula.
• They are the main type of artifact
found in museums. (AKA “urns”)
• Used as grave markers/tombstones.
• Holes in the bottom allowed offerings
to seep into the ground.
• Earliest known vases were decorated
with bands of geometric patterns
covering most of the vessel.
• This period was known as the
Geometric Period.
• Later vases/urns were decorated with
simple human-like figures & scenes,
usually of the deceased.
• These simple stick figures often
represented the mourning family &
friends of the deceased.
• Their hands were raised upward
pulling out their hair in a gesture of
grief & despair.
• Much later, the urns were decorated
with “stories” from Greek mythology,
history, or folklore.
• Exekias was the chief artist of this
type.
Mycenaean
vase
(probably a
pitcher.)
Notice the very
simple animal
figures & the
geometric
design around
the top of the
urn.
Late period
with realistic
figures.
Conclusion
• Greek art evolved over a number of
years (3 periods.)
• Architecture inspired many of world’s
greatest buildings.
• Greek Revival architecture was
popular in the U.S. between 1820 &
1865.
• Greek culture is the basis for Western
civilization.
• Greek culture has provided material
for artists, writers, musicians, &
playwrights for centuries.
• Next, Greek mythology