Man as God and God as Manthe rise of Greek and Roman cultures
Apollo Belverdere, (original, c. 320 BCE, currently at the Vatican), as he was first found in the 15th century. Fig leaf and arms added in the 18th century. Michelangelo would have seen this sculpture---does it bear a resemblance to any of his works?
Greek Art---where gods and humans meet700-30 BCE
• Focus on the human body (mostly male)—a kouros is a statue of a young man, both human and godlike
• Idealized view of perfection
• Beauty and calm
• Developed proportions of human figure
• Rising status of the artist (first names)
• Strong artistic influence for many cultures
• Pantheon of deities, with mythology mixing human and god-like traits
What makes this statue appear to be so lifelike?
Discus ThrowerMyron, c. 485 BCE,Roman copy of Greek bronze; Marble statue atBritish Museum
Ancient Greece3 historical artistic
periods: Archaic (700-480 BCE) to the
conquering of Persia Classical (480-323 BCE) to the
death of Alexander the Great Hellenistic (323-31 BCE) to the
death of Cleopatra
• Athens seat of power• Democratic society (for men with
property)• Polytheistic (but no organized
priesthood or church)• Rise of humanism-man is the
measure of all things• Studied the world around them--
astronomy and other sciences, philosophy, mathematics
Greek Temples– Do they resemble any buildings in our area?
Were they places of worship?
Temple to Athena Nike,
Goddess of victory
427 BCE
Parthenon in Athens, 447-432 BCE
Classical Period
Kritios, c. 500 BCE
Roman copy in marble of Greek original -- was it an offering to the gods?
Archaic Period
Spear Bearer, c. 440 BCE Polyklettos, bronze original, Roman copy in marble
Do you see differences in
these idealized
men?
Praxiteles and the S-curve
Hermes with baby Dionysus, 340 BCE, Roman copy of bronze original
The Greek Idealwomen finally get some recognition
Praxiteles,
Aphrodite, 340 BCE
His courtesan was
his real-life goddess
of love, Phyme
Caryatids hold up the structureParthenon in Athens, 438 BCE
Athena was 38 feet tall and made of gold, stone, bronze and ivory
Hellenistic Art 323 – 31 BCE
• Rationalism and calm gave way to emotional expression
• Scenes of misfortune and suffering
• Cosmopolitan empire of many cultures emerges
• Alexander the Great (Macedonia, whose father has conquered Greece), conquers Persia, the Holy Lands and Asia Minor (Turkey)
• Spread Greek ideas; vigor, action and pragmatism replace idealism
• Period lasts from death of Alexander the Great to the death of Cleopatra
Bust of Alexander the Great, Pella Museum, Greece
Winged Victory, Pythokritos, marble, 8’, c 200-190 BCE (Louvre, Paris)
Athens
Asia Minor
“Beware of Greeks bearing gifts….”
What makes this statue active? Emotional?Laocoon Grouporiginal, c. 160 BCE marble—perhaps copy of an earlier bronze statue--- now at the VaticanDepicts priest who has warned his countrymen of the Trojan horse, but they did not believe him; he and his sons are getting swallowed by an angry sea god, favored by Athena
Arm replacement was a
wrong guess…fixed in
1950s
How do these statues represent the themes of pathos and action of Hellenistic art?
Dying Gaul, now found in Rome
Old Market Woman, now at the Met in NYC
• Greek statues of idealized men fit Roman ideas of democracy• Greek bronzes made into Roman marble copies; need to be reinforced with
supports• valuable metal from ancient Greek statues is melted down• Same gods---new names:
GREEK ROMAN
Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty= Venus
Zeus, god of the sky = Jupiter
Ares, god of war = Mars
Dionysus, god of wine = Bacchus
Poseidon, god of the sea = Neptune
Athena, goddess of agriculture = Minerva
Eros, god of love = Cupid
Hades, god of the underworld = Pluto
Apollo, god of light and truth = Apollo
Hermes, god of messengers = Mercury
Nike, goddess of victory = Victoria
Original Greek bronze of
Poseidon, 5th century BCE,
salvaged from a sea
wreck, now in the National
Museum of Greece
Roman statue of Mercury in marble, 1st century CE, now at the Vatican; copy of Greek bronze of Hermes, 4th century BCE
Greek culture is copied by the Romans
Romans (753 BCE-476 CE)• Hellenistic rule ended by Romans who defeat last empress,
Cleopatra in 30 BCE.• Rome under rule of Augustus Caesar in 30 BCE--great
conqueror who admired Alexander the Great• Ruled during a time of Pax Romana (Roman Peace)• Roman Empire ruled by emperors • Worshipped pantheon of gods• Women gained some rights--could manage family investments
and become artisans• 1st century CE--Rome became the western center of Christianity• Rome fell to the Goths in 476 CE
Etruscan Art—the peoples of Northern Italy, prior to the dominance of the
Roman Empire
Sarcophagus lid from Vulci, Italy. 4th century, BCE, volcanic stoneDescribe the line, mass and expressions of these figures. What might the choices made in crafting this sculpture be saying about their lives? The values of the Etruscan society?
Roman Art• Great temples and
secular building projects initiated by the emperors--show of power
• Art depicted people--emperors, statesmen, family portraits
• Sculpture was prized; many copies made of Greek statues
• Julius Caesar Augustus (the revered one) was the first ruler of the Roman Empire,
63 BCE – 14 CE
also known as Octavius,
declared a god upon his death by Roman senate
Augustus of Prima Porta, 15 CE., marble, perhaps a copy of a bronze original from 20 BCE, Vatican, polychromeThe Roman general is the embodiment of god Apollo, in contrapposto stance. What idealistic values are implied? Cupid, son of Venus, is at his feet. Why, do you think?
Pantheon, 120 CEOculus acts as a sundial; perfect proportions
of a sphere inside a cube
Colosseum, 72-80 CEThree levels of seating… doric, ionic and corinthian columnsUsed as: gladiator stadium, killing 8,000 wild animals; a church and cemetery; a wool factory for prostitutes; a political monument to protect the death penalty
Roman architectural advancements columns, arches, vaults and cement
Greek/Roman Columns and Capitals---
orders to know
DoricIonic
Corinthian
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