The Art of Ancient GreeceHonors Humanities
The Acropolis
A Timeline of Culture & Art
Alexander the Great dies. 323 BCE
Archaic Period
Athenian Golden Age
Classical Age
Hellenis-tic Era
Persian Defeat, 479 BCE
Let’s apply this timeline to art!Cycladic culture
Minoan culture flourishes
Early Minoan Late MinoanMiddle Minoan
c.1000 BCE
Knossos destroyed by Greeks, c.1400 BCE
Stauette of woman 3rd millenium BCE
c.3000 BCEc.2800 BCE
Trojan War, c1250 BCE
The Acropolis
theoretical reconstruction
Evolution of the Male Form in Greek Sculpture
c.600
c.575- 550
c.560
c.530- 520
c.515- 500
c.485
c.320
Evolution of the Female Form in Greek Sculpture
c.650
c.630
c.550
c.530
c.490
c.320
Archaic Greek Sculpture
Kouros. Archaic period, from island of Samos
Archaic Greek Sculpture
Kore. Young female, Archaic, c.530 BCE
Note the Egyptian influence.
Archaic Greek Sculpture
Kouros (male youth) c.600 BCE
This is exceptionally forward-looking for the Archaic period.
Archaic Greek SculptureComposition – posture and gesture. Look at vertical axis – even distribution of weight, providing symmetry in balance
Archaic
Anavysos kouros
c.530 BCE
Archaic Greek Sculpture
“Kritios Boy” 480 BCE Acropolis
Archaic Greek Sculpture
Peplos kore, Archaic c.530, Acropolis, Athens
Bright, painted colors would adorn the surface of this marble kore, while standing at the Acropolis.
Archaic Greek Sculpture
“Archaic smile” Apollo, terra-cotta, c.500 BCE
Close-up of the “Archaic smile”
Archaic Greek Sculpture
“Dying Warrior” – Archaic Period. c.490 BCE
Archaic Greek Sculpture
“Hera Unveiling Herself to Zeus” - Archaic 470-460 BCE
Relief Sculpture:
Sculpture in which form projects from a background.
Three degrees:
High relief forms stand far out from the background
Low relief (bas-relief) forms are shallow
Sunken relief (intaglio) backgrounds are not cut back and the points in highest relief are level with the original surface
Archaic Greek Art
Concentric circles with vertical wavy lines
Neck-handled, protogeometric, 1050-1000 BCE.
Archaic Greek Art
Attic black figure, panel amphora, c.540 High Archaic
Athena springing from head of Zeus
Archaic Greek Art
Herakles wrestling the Nemean Lion, Attic black figure, 520-500 BCE Archaic
Transitional or Early Classical
Herakles and Atlas. Temple of Zeus, Olympia, c.460 BCE
Transitional or Early Classical“Charioteer of Delphi” Sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi, c.470 BCE, bronze, height 5'11"
Transitional or Early Classical
Riace Warrior c.460-450 BCE bronze w/bone and glass eyes, silver teeth, height 6'8"
Note the contraposto form.
Transitional or Early ClassicalFrom the sea off Cape Artemision. Bronze, c.460 BCE. Zeus apparently hurling trident, or thunderbolt, with right hand. One of few bronze votive statues from 5th century BCE still extant. H. 2.09 m. National Museum, Athens.
Classical Period of Greek Art
Phidias and assistants, Acropolis: Parthenon Horsemen, north frieze, c.447-432 BCE
Classical Period of Greek Art
Polykleitos – “Doryphoros” (Spearbearer), Roman marble copy, c.450 BCE
Contraposto pose: by standing on one leg, the body shifts throughout, avoiding too much symmetry and implying motion.
reconstructed copy
Classical Period of Greek Art
Dionysos with maenads and satyrs, Attic Red figure, 440-430 BCE, Classical
Herakles killing an Amazon.
Classical Period of Greek Art
Wounded Amazon, 440 BCE.
Polykleitos took 1st prize in a competition at Ephesos with this sculpture of an Amazonian woman.
Classical Period of Greek Art
Once again, remember ancient Greek sculpture and reliefs featured brightly painted colors.
Classical Period of Greek Art
Classical Period of Greek Art
“Discobolus” (Discus Thrower) – Myron, marble, c.420-410 BCE
Etruscan wall painting
Late Classical Period
Lysippos – Apoxyomenos (The Scraper) Roman marble copy,c.330 BCE
Late Classical Period
Praxiteles – Hermes and the infant Dionysus – Roman marble copy, c.325 BCE
The content for much of Greek art, including sculpture, focused on heroes, warriors, and the Olympian gods and goddesses. This subject is typical of ancient Greek art.
Late Classical Period
After Praxiteles, “Aphrodite of Knidos” - Roman marble copyc.340 BCE
Did the Greeks believe in the same aesthetic principle for the female form as the West does today? What can the aesthetic principle of a culture tell us?
Late Classical Period
Herakles carrying Palaimon – Attic red figure, c.350 BCE
Late Classical
Hellenistic Period
Nike (Athena) of Samothrace“Winged Victory” marble, c.200-190 BCE
Yes, this is the source for naming the shoe.
Hellenistic Period
Hellenistic Period
Hellenistic Period
“The Dying Gaul” marble, c.230-220 BCE
Look at the facial structure. Does it look “Greek”?
From Pergamon in modern Turkey, this sculpture may be a Roman copy of a 3rd century BCE bronze statue that was part of a group commem- orating a Hellenistic victory over the Galatians, Celtic settlers in Asia Minor. It may also be the original.
Hellenistic Period
Hellenistic Period
Aphrodite (Venus de Milo) 130-120 BCE
Hellenistic Period
Hagesandros, Polydoros, and Athanadoros – “Laocoon and His Sons” - c.80 BCE, marble, height of 8 feet.
All good and great things come to an end, including this PowerPoint and Ancient Greece. Rome is rising on the horizon, a new sun lighting civilization. And Rome will shine brightly.
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