For over 2,000 years, the ancient Greek civilization has been able to retain its prominent title as being one of the most important and impactful societies. Most of what we know today comes from ancient Greek ideas and customs, thus branding Greece as the “cradle of western civilization”. One key aspect of this civilization is the artwork which has enticed viewers for centuries. When viewing classic Greek art, you will oftentimes stumble upon marble, nude sculptures. This then makes you wonder, “What is with all this nudity?” Well, that is the question that I will answer for you. So, why did ancient Greek artwork focus heavily on the human body?
Nowadays, when art falls under the category of “nude”, it is oftentimes frowned upon and censored, rather than accepted and valued. Understandably, this is due to the fact that our culture contains a great deal of content that demeans the human body. However, unlike in our current society, many artists during the ancient Greek civilization instead opted to showcase the beauty, dignity, and strength of the stripped human form. The nude artform first began to gain its significance within ancient Greece through athletic competitions at religious festivals. Since the athletes (which were particularly male) competed naked, it resulted in Greeks associating the undressed male form with values such as success and grandeur which are immanent in nude Greek sculptures. At first glance, the sculptures appear to be life-like; however, upon …show more content…
Admittedly, they oftentimes catch our eyes due to the unobscured nudity which, as we now know, is done to showcase the human body’s beauty. While they may be idealized and appealing to the eye, they also work to stir the mind and passion. It is for this reason that Greek art will continue to fascinate and interest the public for generations to
Nowadays, when art falls under the category of “nude”, it is oftentimes frowned upon and censored, rather than accepted and valued. Understandably, this is due to the fact that our culture contains a great deal of content that demeans the human body. However, unlike in our current society, many artists during the ancient Greek civilization instead opted to showcase the beauty, dignity, and strength of the stripped human form. The nude artform first began to gain its significance within ancient Greece through athletic competitions at religious festivals. Since the athletes (which were particularly male) competed naked, it resulted in Greeks associating the undressed male form with values such as success and grandeur which are immanent in nude Greek sculptures. At first glance, the sculptures appear to be life-like; however, upon …show more content…
Admittedly, they oftentimes catch our eyes due to the unobscured nudity which, as we now know, is done to showcase the human body’s beauty. While they may be idealized and appealing to the eye, they also work to stir the mind and passion. It is for this reason that Greek art will continue to fascinate and interest the public for generations to