HISTORY OF GREEK ART

 

Art of ancient Greek

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Ancient Greece can feel strangely familiar. From the exploits of Achilles and Odysseus to the treatises of Aristotle ancient Greek culture has shaped our world. this civilization is embedded in our collective consciousness—prompting visions of epic battles, gleaming white temples, and limbless nudes. It is usually characterized into three periods- archaic period, classical period, and Hellenistic period

The Archaic Period

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In this period Greek artisans continued to develop their crafts and more realistic portrayals of human figures. large scale marble kouros and kore sculptures were made where we can see the influence of ancient Egyptian sculpture. In these sculptures kouros stand rigidly with both arms extended at the side and one leg advanced. The kore was never nude. Not only kore was draped in layers of fabric, but she was also ornamented with jewelry and adorned with a crown.

The Classical Period

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Through experimentation in realistic movement began before the end of the Archaic Period, it was not until the Classical Period that two- and three-dimensional forms achieved proportions and postures that were naturalistic. 

The Hellenistic Period and Beyond

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Following the death of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C.E., the Greeks and their influence stretched as far east as modern India. While some pieces intentionally mimicked the Classical style of the previous period such as Eutychides, other artists were more interested in capturing motion and emotion

Ancient Greek Sculpture

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Not many classical statues or sculptures of this period have survived to date. Stone statues broke easily, and metal ones were often melted for reuse. However, we know that Greek sculptors such as Phidias and Polykleitos in the 5th century and Praxiteles, Skopas, and Lysippos in the 4th century had figured out how to apply the rules of anatomy and perspective to the human form. Earlier statues of people had looked awkward and fake, but by the classical period, they looked natural, almost at ease. They even had realistic-looking facial expressions.

Ancient Greek Pottery

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Classical Greek pottery was perhaps the most utilitarian of the era’s art forms. People used to offer small terra cotta figurines as gifts to gods and goddesses, buried them with the dead, and gave them to their children as toys. clay pots, jars, and vases were used for almost everything. These were painted with religious or mythological scenes that grew more sophisticated and realistic over time. The themes we see in these works emphasize pattern and order, perspective, and proportion much of our knowledge of classical Greek art comes from objects made of stone and clay that have survived for thousands of years.

Ancient Greek Art and Architecture

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The art reflects the society that created them. Through their temples, sculpture, and pottery, the Greeks incorporated a fundamental principle of their culture: arete. To the Greeks, arete meant excellence and reaching one's full potential. Much artwork was government-sponsored and intended for public display. Therefore, their architecture was a tremendous source of pride for citizens and could be found in various parts of the city. like today, the people of ancient Greece did not worship inside their temples. Instead, a small interior room, housing just a statue of the deity was built to honor. Worshippers gathered outside, entering only to bring offerings to the statue.

The Parthenon was built in honor of the goddess Athena, who represented the human aspiration for knowledge and the ideal of wisdom

 

Greek and Roman art and culture have been very influential over the last 2000 years. Not only did they inspire the Renaissance in the 15th and 16th centuries, but they have also inspired other classical revivals.