Essay On Ancient Greek Architecture

Ancient Greek architecture can be divided into three major periods: the Archaic period (700-480 BC), the Classical period (480-323 BC), and the Hellenistic Period (323-146 BC). All three periods reflect the culture of that time in Ancient Greece and follow the advancements in Greek society. For example, sculptures from different periods have different aesthetics. This means that the idea of what is beautiful changed in Greek culture over time. Art and architecture of Ancient Greece also reflects the beliefs, thoughts, and advancements of their culture. Ancient Greek Culture, as seen in their art, is different from our own Western culture in various regards. First of all, the idea of what is considered beautiful in Ancient Greece is very different from what is considered beautiful in our own Western culture. Also, Ancient Greek religion, as represented in their art and architecture differs from our own, predominately Christian, Western culture. During the Archaic period of Greek culture, sculptures took on an Egyptian influence. This can be seen in their stylized hair and rigid, frontal stance with one foot forward and hands clenched at their side. The idea of beauty during the Archaic period is clearly illustrated by the various Kouroi. The Kouroi are nude and are oftentimes monumental in order to make them more god-like. They have idealized bodies, though they lack immense detail in the body’s structure. The skin is smooth and muscular, but not highly defined. The chest appears to be full of air, this is known as the “breath of God”. The face is smooth, free of any wrinkles or blemishes and the mouth is shut into a slight smile called an “Archaic smile”; which can be seen as a small advancement towards realism. As Greek culture progressed from the Archaic period to the Classical period, so did the style of sculpture. Sculpture during this period became less rigid and more relaxed; a lot more naturalistic in appearance than Archaic sculptures. This movement towards naturalism is thought to be inspired by the Greek’s new sense of self that developed during this time as a result of their victory against the Persians at Marathon. A clear example of the shift towards naturalism during the Classical period can be seen in the Kritios Boy sculpture. Kritios Boy is significant to this period because it is the first of its kind to depart from strict symmetry, frontality, and rigidity. Unlike Archaic Kouroi, the Kritios Boy’s body is not symmetrical in its stance; his weight is being shifted to one leg, causing the linearity in the hips and shoulders to be lost; this is known as “contrapposto”. His head is also tilted slightly and his mouth is relaxed and calm; a departure from the Archaic smile. Another way Classical Greek sculpture departs from the Archaic period was the desire for the body’s limbs to be more separated than simply held close to the body; almost as if movement is about to take place. The Hellenistic period of Greek art and architecture was an era of intense and emotional sculptures. Sculptures during the Hellenistic period, such as Laocoön and His Sons, abandoned control and depicted motion more successfully than any Ancient Greek period before. Laocoön and His Sons is a perfect example of Hellenistic sculpture. It illustrates a story from Greek mythology depicting Laocoön wrapped in the coils of sea serpents along with his two sons. Laocoön’s body movement is highly emotional; his face is overcome with anguish as his body wriggles to free himself from the snake’s grasp. Laocoön is depicted as being an older man; he has a beard and his face has more wrinkles than earlier periods’ sculptures. However, his body is still young in appearance. The use of an idealized nude body suggests that the …show more content…
So, it is no surprise that the idea of what it means to be beautiful is one of the biggest differences between Ancient Greek culture and our own Western culture. The Greek ideal for god-like, athletic, and fertile bodies can be contrasted by the ideals of the fashion industry of Western culture that prizes tall and thin models. Though the definition of beauty has changed, the preoccupation with the idealized body still