Classical Art: Greece and Rome Introduction to Classical Art Greek Art Etruscan Art Roman Art No other culture has had as far-reaching or lasting an influence on art and civilization as that of ancient Rome. Periods in Greek Art 1. Geometric 900 – 700 BCE 2. Archaic 700 – 500 BCE 3. Classical 500 – 250 BCE 4. Hellenistic 250 – 150 BCE No other culture has had as far-reaching or lasting an influence on art and civilization as that of ancient Rome. GREEK ART Styles and Terms: • Classical Art - the artistic legacy of Greece and Rome with has influences almost all of Western Art. • Naturalism - truth to reality in art based on an observation of nature. • Idealism - the representation of forms according to an accepted standard of beauty. Dipylon Krater with funerary scene (Greek, Geometric 750-700 BCE). terra-cotta. H: 42 5⁄8”. Geometric Period • From c. 900–700 BCE • named because of the prevalence of geometric designs and patterns in the works of art. • Conceptual (stylized) representation of human figures. • Krater – ancient Greek bowl-like vessel used for mixing wine and water. • Amphora – a large two-handled pot used to hold water, wine, or oil – also, used as a grave marker Archaic Period • From c. 660–440 BCE • Gradual change from Geometric style to the Archaic style. • There was a growing emphasis on the human figure. Vase Painting • Eastern patterns and forms gradually disappeared • Larger human forms became the preferred subject for art. • Figures were more natural with an attempt to show more natural gestures being made. Black-figure painting - combination of black figures with incised detail on the red background common to pottery of this period. – Slip - liquid sifted clay with mineral oxides added for color used to paint figures on pottery – Krater – a wide bowl used for mixing wine with water. Attributed to the Amasis Painter, Attic Lekythos. Women Working Wool on a Loom (Greek, c. 540 BCE). Terra-cotta. H: 6 3⁄4”. Said to have been found in Attica. “A Closer Look” Women Working Wool on a Loom •Women weavers of Ancient Greece •The black-figure vase is attributed to an Amasis painter •This is an extremely important image because it shows an early image of the loom being used in weaving. •Leythos vase - this small, slim type of vessel was used for storing fine oils and perfume and often dedicated in burials. Classical Vase Painting • Vase painting in this period sees an interest in anatomy with movement and a shift in weight. • The introduction of red-figure vase painting. • Decorative bands are now eliminated. • The creation of three-dimensional space in the arts. • Classical Greek mural painting that has not survived. NIOBID PAINTER. Argonaut Krater, Attic red-figure krater (Greek, c. 460 BCE). Ceramic. H: 24 1⁄4”. Euphronios. Herakles wrestling with Antaeus, red-figure krater (Greek, c. 460 BCE). Ceramic. H: 24 1⁄4” Sculpture • In the Archaic Period, sculpture emerged as a principal art form. • Sculptural artworks appeared on buildings. • Life-size figural sculpture emerged, perhaps inspired by the Egyptians. • Nonstructural parts of a building were often adorned with sculpture. • Most sculpture was painted with subtle color. • Architectural sculpture was embellished with red, blue, yellow, green, black, and sometimes gold pigments. Kouros figure (Greek, Archaic, c. 600 BCE). Marble. H: 6’4”. Kouros and Kore Figures kouros and kore (masculine and feminine) - – Earliest figures of the Greek Archaic Period – Function is unknown, but because they may have been found among the ruins of temples they are thought to be devotional or funerary statues. – They were stylized and followed artistic conventions. – For example, they might have had a slight smile which is now referred to as the “Archaic Smile”. – The men were depicted as ideal nude athletes. Peplos Kore (Greek, Archaic, c. 530 BCE). Marble. H: 48”. GREEK ART Styles and Terms: • Hellenism - a body of humanistic and classical ideals associated with ancient Greece; a style of work prevalent in the Roman Empire; the study or imitation of ancient Greek culture • Humanism - The concept that human beings are the center of the universe and the “measure of all things.” • Rationalism - a philosophy in which knowledge is assumed to come from reason alone, without input from the senses or emotions. • Stoicism - a philosophy, dating from around 300 bc, that held the principles of logical thought to reflect a cosmic reason instantiated in nature; repression of emotion and indifference to pleasure or pain. Early Classical Art • The change from Archaic art coincides with the Greek victory over the Persians. • This period becomes the Greek “Golden Age”. • There was a revival in the arts • The style of the Early Classical was marked by power and austerity. • The Early Classical style is therefore sometimes referred to as the Severe Style. Contrapposto – weight-shift pose KRITIOS. Kritios Boy (c. 450 BCE). Marble, Life-size. Charioteer, from the Sanctuary of Apollo, Delpi (c. 470 BCE). bronze, silver hand, copper lips and lashes, onyx eyes, life-size. Warrior, (c. 460 BCE). bronze, silver teeth, copper lips, bone and glass eyes, 6’9”. Classical Sculpture • Implied movement was the greatest advancement in the arts of the Early Classical period. • Also, artists were more keenly aware of nature. • The most copied subject was of The Discuss Thrower. – The original does not exist, the Roman’s copied it. • Myron was one of the favored sculptors of the period MYRON. Discobolus (Discus Thrower) (c. 450 BCE). Roman marble copy after bronze original. Life-size. MYRON, Discus-thrower (The Townley Discobolus), Roman copy of a bronze original of the 5th century B.C.E., from Hadrian’s Villa in Tivoli, Italy © Trustees of the British Museum Architecture Some of the greatest accomplishments of the Greeks are their architecture. During the Archaic period an architectural format was developed. The architectural forms from the Archaic period are derived from the Mycenaean megaron. Cella - the center room which housed the statue of the god or goddess of the temple and was often surrounded by a single or double row o columns. Doric Ionic Corinthian Greek Column Orders Three Styles or orders: 1. Doric 1. Originated on the Greece mainland. 2. Earliest / Simplest 3. Most common 2. Ionic 1. Introduced by architects from Asia Minor 2. Used for smaller temples 3. Corinthian 1. Not widely used in Greece 2. But was favorite of Roman architects Classical Art • Classical Art is the peek of Greek arts. • During this brief period of peace, Greek attention was on perfecting all of its artistic traditions. • Pericles was the main force in rebuilding Athen’s monuments and advancing art, drama, and music. Classical Architecture • After the Persians destroyed the Acropolis, the Greeks mounted a massive building campaign under Pericles to rebuild it. (But they didn’t want to use the same stone as it had been defiled.) • The first major work that was rebuilt was a temple, The Parthenon, to the goddess Athena – protector of Athens. – Designed by architects Ictinos and Callicrates – Best example of the Doric order. – Most refined, perfected work in architectural history • Entasis - the swell of each column in the middle. – The reasons for this are unknown. – Some think it was for function. – Others think it was to correct for perceptual distortions. ICTINOS & CALLICRATES. Parthenon, Acropolis, Athens, Greece Plan Acropolis, Athens, Greece Plan Acropolis, Athens, Greece ICTINOS & CALLICRATES. Parthenon, Acropolis, Athens, Greece with Golden Rectangle ICTINOS & CALLICRATES. Parthenon Plan, Acropolis, Athens, Greece Golden Rectangle Golden Curve 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89 . The east facade of the Parthenon, superimposed with a root five rectangle. When we do not consider the gable (which is absent in this photograph), the facade of the Parthenon is a root five rectangle. Root Five Rectangle length is 2.236 (the square root of five) times its width Classical Sculpture • Pericles commissioned the sculptor, Phidias to oversee all of the sculptures in the Parthenon. • His style, the Phidian style, is characterized by a lightness of touch, attention to realistic detail, contrast of textures, and fluidity and spontaneity of line and movement. • The artistic subjects were of battles and the gods. • The detailing of the folds of cloth on sculptures such as The Three Goddesses had not been seen in art up until this point. PHEDIAS. The Three Goddesses, from east pediment of the Parthenon (c. 438–431 BCE). Marble. Height of center figure: 4’7”. PHEDIAS. Lapith and Centaur, from Parthenon (c. 438–431 BCE). Marble PHEDIAS. Elgin Marbles from Parthenon (c. 438–431 BCE). Marble Classical Sculpture • The greatest freestanding sculpture of the Classical period was created by a rival of Phidias, Polykleitos. • Polykleitos: – Worked in bronze – Liked to sculpt ideal athletes and warriors – Sculptures were based on reason and intellect. – Developed a canon of proportions. – Further developed the weight-shift principle POLYKLEITOS. Doryphoros (Spear Bearer) (c. 450–440 BCE). Marble. Roman copy after Greek original. H: 6’6”. What similarities/differences do you observe between the two pieces? Do a quick five-minute free write comparing the two objects and practicing the formal vocabulary you’ve learned (naturalism, idealization, contrapposto, canon of proportions, and so on). POLYKLEITOS. Doryphoros (Spear KRITIOS. Kritios Boy Bearer) (c. 450–440 BCE). Marble. (c. 480 BCE). Marble, Roman copy of Greek bronze original. Life-size H: 6’6”. Classical Sculpture • The greatest freestanding sculpture of the Classical period was created by a rival of Phidias, Polykleitos. • Polykleitos: – Worked in bronze – Liked to sculpt athletes – Sculptures were based on reason and intellect. – Developed a canon of proportions. – Further developed the weight-shift principle Late Classical: Sculpture • More humanistic and naturalistic • An emphasis on emotion • Bodies became more sensual and graceful with a pronounced shift in weight • Praxiteles was a major proponent • His works were more lively and fluid than in previous periods with variations in texture.