Minos and the Heros of Homer

MINOS AND THE HEROS OF HOMER THE ART OF THE PREHISTORIC AEGEAN

TEXT PAGES 84-103

Define or identify and briefly state the importance of each of the following for understanding the art of the ancient Agean: Arthur Evans.

Heinrich Schliemann

CYCLADIC ART

1. List three stylistic characteristics of the Bronze Age statuettes from the Cyclades.

a. b. c. 2. The authors note that Cycladic figures resemble some 20th century sculpture. If you have a copy of the text that contains the chapter on 20th century art, look through it and write down two sculptures that you think most resemble them.

MINOAN ART 1. Be sure you can identify each of the following:

Labyrinth

Minotaur

Wet or true fresco

40 40 2. List four architectural characteristics of the Palace At Knossos: a. b. c. d.

3. In what way did the shape of a Minoan column differ from that of other columns? Draw a small sketch of a Minoan column below. You may need to refer to Chapter 5 for more information on Greek columns.

Name three works of art that represent the Minoan love of nature.

c. 5. In Minoan painting, human beings were most often represented in profile pose with a full-view eye, similar to conventions observed in Egypt and Mesopotamia, but they can be identified as Minoan because:

6. What might explain the paintings using Minoan style and techniques that were found in Egypt?

7. What is particularly significant about the depiction of human anatomy in general, and the human faces in particular on The Harvester Vase (FIG. 4-13)?

8. List three characteristics of Minoan sculpture as seen in the Snake Goddess (FIG. 4- 14). a.

41 41 MYCENAEAN ART

1. Describe the structure of the following and/or draw a sketch of each. corbeled arch post and lintel

2. Describe the structure of a tholos tomb like the one shown on FIGS. 4-21 and 4-22:

3. Describe the technique used to create the mask shown on FIG. 4-23?

What was its function?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS Please choose two from the following. 1. Why do you think the authors refer to the Minoan culture as “the first great Western civilization”?

2. Compare the styles of the Cycladic figurine of a woman (FIG. 4-1) with the Paleolithic Venus of Willendorf (Fig. 1-4). How are they similar and how do they differ? What do we know about their origiinal purposes? 3. In what ways does the palace at Knossos (FIGS. 4-3 to 4-5) differ from the palace of Sargon II at Khorsabad (FIG. 2- 20 ) and the palace of Darius at Persepolis (Fig. 2-26 ) What do these differences seem to reflect about the major concerns of each civilization. What explanation can you give for the fact that the palaces at Knossos and Persepolis are not fortified? 4. What explanation can you give for the obvious difference in style between inlaid dagger blade shown in FIG. 4-24 and The Warrior Vase (FIG. 4-26), which were both found in Mycenaean graves?

5. Compare the depiction of animals seen in Mycenaen (FIGS. 4-20 & 4-24) with those found in Minoan art (FIGS. 4-7, 4-10 and 4-11) and in Mesopotamian examples.(FIGS. 2- 21 & 2-24 ) Which culture seems to be closest in spirit? Explain your answer.

42 42 LOOKING CAREFULLY, DESCRIBING AND ANALYZING Select a Minoan fresco and an example of an Egyptian wall painting and compare them. First describe the subject, then analyze each of the images using the following terms: form and composition; material and technique; space, mass and volume; line and color. What differences do you see in the artists' approaches to composition and form, particularly in the depiction of motion and vitality? Which has the greatest sense of movement? Which elements contribute to that sense?