No discussion of Greek history would be complete without mention of the art of ancient Greece. Its classical Greek art and architecture has left its mark throughout the ages and across the world.
Greek art is categorized under three headings; the archaic period, the Classical period, and the Hellenistic period. Some experts would also add a fourth heading: the geometric period, which preceded the archaic style. It is beneficial to understand how classical Greek style evolved and exactly what made it so impressive; it is helpful to know what was happening in Greece culturally and politically during the Golden Age of art in Greece. This also the same era when the great philosophers Socrates, Plato and Aristotle began teaching and when Greek …show more content…
Around 450 BC Athenian general Pericles began an advertising campaign of sorts to win the favor of the populace. He commissioned several temples and buildings in Athens, all on a magnificent scale, hoping that this would drum up tourism to the city and make him in the Athenian way of life more popular than ever. As part of Pericles’ campaign, he commissioned the Parthenon, which housed the legendary Athena Parthenon a statue said to be made of gold and ivory. Other prime examples of classical Greek art and sculptures were created in the Parthenon as well. The birth of Athena and a battle between Poseidon and Athena were both prominent sculptures here, which were probably painted with bright colors, although no, trace of the paint remains today in the ruins of the Parthenon. In the early geometric period, ceramic vessels were primarily used as funerary items. Repetitive geometric shapes and stick figures were common features on these vessels. Later pottery became more utilitarian and decorative. During the archaic period, vase painting was an important art form, which involves scratching incisions to reveal black silhouette designs and backgrounds of …show more content…
Frieze sculptures featured mythological and historical scenes and sometimes animals. The Parthenon’s frieze included illustrations of gods, musicians, soldiers, weavers, elders, heroes and other scenes. The sculpture of the Parthenon heavily influenced art in the fifth century BC and continues to influence art today. During the last period of ancient Greek, art of the Hellenistic age unflattering features were incorporated into sculptures, though they retained their idealized proportions and symmetry. Hellenistic art was increasingly used for propaganda purposes, it was at this time when two of the most famous Greek sculptures in history came to be; The Venus de Milo and the Winged Victory of Samothrace. The Venus de Milo now missing arms exemplifies the Greek idealized style and the Winged Victory of Samothrace shows the goddess Nike in a dynamic pose about to take off in flight. Although decades of battles eventually took their toll on the city and Athens had lost its Sheen as a political capital, its artistic supremacy remained unshaken until fourth century BC. Greek artists eventually develop new techniques and styles despite the constant threat of war. This was at the time when Greek artists traveled long distances in the name of work and
Greek art is categorized under three headings; the archaic period, the Classical period, and the Hellenistic period. Some experts would also add a fourth heading: the geometric period, which preceded the archaic style. It is beneficial to understand how classical Greek style evolved and exactly what made it so impressive; it is helpful to know what was happening in Greece culturally and politically during the Golden Age of art in Greece. This also the same era when the great philosophers Socrates, Plato and Aristotle began teaching and when Greek …show more content…
Around 450 BC Athenian general Pericles began an advertising campaign of sorts to win the favor of the populace. He commissioned several temples and buildings in Athens, all on a magnificent scale, hoping that this would drum up tourism to the city and make him in the Athenian way of life more popular than ever. As part of Pericles’ campaign, he commissioned the Parthenon, which housed the legendary Athena Parthenon a statue said to be made of gold and ivory. Other prime examples of classical Greek art and sculptures were created in the Parthenon as well. The birth of Athena and a battle between Poseidon and Athena were both prominent sculptures here, which were probably painted with bright colors, although no, trace of the paint remains today in the ruins of the Parthenon. In the early geometric period, ceramic vessels were primarily used as funerary items. Repetitive geometric shapes and stick figures were common features on these vessels. Later pottery became more utilitarian and decorative. During the archaic period, vase painting was an important art form, which involves scratching incisions to reveal black silhouette designs and backgrounds of …show more content…
Frieze sculptures featured mythological and historical scenes and sometimes animals. The Parthenon’s frieze included illustrations of gods, musicians, soldiers, weavers, elders, heroes and other scenes. The sculpture of the Parthenon heavily influenced art in the fifth century BC and continues to influence art today. During the last period of ancient Greek, art of the Hellenistic age unflattering features were incorporated into sculptures, though they retained their idealized proportions and symmetry. Hellenistic art was increasingly used for propaganda purposes, it was at this time when two of the most famous Greek sculptures in history came to be; The Venus de Milo and the Winged Victory of Samothrace. The Venus de Milo now missing arms exemplifies the Greek idealized style and the Winged Victory of Samothrace shows the goddess Nike in a dynamic pose about to take off in flight. Although decades of battles eventually took their toll on the city and Athens had lost its Sheen as a political capital, its artistic supremacy remained unshaken until fourth century BC. Greek artists eventually develop new techniques and styles despite the constant threat of war. This was at the time when Greek artists traveled long distances in the name of work and