🏺Greek Art and Architecture – 500 to 320 BC Unit 1 – Classical Greek Art: An Introduction

Key Concepts and Terminology

• Contrapposto a sculptural technique where the figure stands with weight shifted to one leg, creating a more natural, asymmetrical pose
• Kouros archaic Greek statue of a standing nude youth with a formulaic pose, often used as a grave marker or votive offering
• Kore the female equivalent of a kouros, depicting a young woman in a standing pose, usually clothed and sometimes bearing offerings
• Peplos a simple, long, woolen garment worn by women in ancient Greece, often depicted in sculptures and vase paintings
• Chiton a lightweight, linen tunic worn by both men and women in ancient Greece, typically draped and pinned at the shoulders
  • Doric chiton a simple, woolen garment worn by women, featuring a fold over the top and pinned at the shoulders
  • Ionic chiton a more elaborate, linen garment worn by women, characterized by a wider fold over the top and a belted waist
• Himation a large, rectangular cloak worn over the peplos or chiton, often used to convey social status or used as a veil
• Caryatid a sculpted female figure serving as an architectural support, often used in place of columns or pillars

Historical Context and Timeline

• Archaic Period (c. 700-480 BCE) marked by the development of monumental sculpture, including kouroi and korai, and the emergence of red-figure and black-figure pottery styles
• Persian Wars (499-449 BCE) a series of conflicts between the Greek city-states and the Persian Empire, which had a significant impact on Greek art and culture
  • Battle of Marathon (490 BCE) a pivotal victory for the Greeks over the Persians, commemorated in art and literature
  • Battle of Salamis (480 BCE) a decisive naval battle in which the Greeks defeated the Persians, leading to a resurgence of Greek confidence and artistic expression
• Early Classical Period (c. 480-450 BCE) a transitional phase characterized by a shift towards more naturalistic and idealized representations of the human form
• High Classical Period (c. 450-400 BCE) the pinnacle of classical Greek art, marked by the works of renowned sculptors such as Phidias and Polykleitos, and the construction of the Parthenon
• Late Classical Period (c. 400-323 BCE) a time of increased experimentation and individuality in Greek art, exemplified by the works of Praxiteles and Lysippos

Major Artistic Periods

• Geometric Period (c. 900-700 BCE) characterized by abstract, geometric designs on pottery and the emergence of small-scale bronze and terracotta figurines
• Orientalizing Period (c. 700-600 BCE) marked by the influence of Near Eastern and Egyptian motifs, such as lions, sphinxes, and palmettes, on Greek art
• Archaic Period (c. 600-480 BCE) a time of significant development in monumental sculpture, including the creation of life-size, freestanding kouroi and korai
  • Early Archaic (c. 600-580 BCE) the beginning of the Archaic style, characterized by stiff, frontal poses and stylized features
  • High Archaic (c. 580-525 BCE) a phase of increased naturalism and the development of the "Archaic smile" in sculpture
  • Late Archaic (c. 525-480 BCE) a period of refinement and experimentation, leading to the emergence of the Classical style
• Classical Period (c. 480-323 BCE) the height of Greek artistic achievement, characterized by idealized, naturalistic representations of the human form and a focus on balance, harmony, and proportion
  • Early Classical (c. 480-450 BCE) a transitional phase marked by a shift towards more naturalistic and expressive sculptures
  • High Classical (c. 450-400 BCE) the pinnacle of the Classical style, exemplified by the works of Phidias and the sculptures of the Parthenon
  • Late Classical (c. 400-323 BCE) a period of increased individuality and experimentation in sculpture, as seen in the works of Praxiteles and Lysippos

Influential Artists and Sculptors

• Phidias (c. 480-430 BCE) the most renowned sculptor of the High Classical period, known for his monumental chryselephantine statues of Zeus at Olympia and Athena Parthenos, as well as his work on the Parthenon sculptures
  • Athena Parthenos a colossal gold and ivory statue of Athena, which once stood inside the Parthenon but is now lost, known through ancient descriptions and small-scale replicas
  • Zeus at Olympia a massive chryselephantine statue of Zeus, considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, also lost but known through descriptions and coins
• Polykleitos (c. 450-420 BCE) a sculptor and theorist known for his development of the canon of proportions, exemplified by his Doryphoros (Spear-Bearer)
  • Canon of Polykleitos a treatise on the ideal proportions of the human body, which had a lasting influence on Greek and Roman sculpture
  • Doryphoros a bronze sculpture depicting a young male athlete, considered the embodiment of Polykleitos' canon of proportions
• Myron (c. 480-440 BCE) a bronze sculptor known for his dynamic, naturalistic figures, such as the Discobolus (Discus Thrower) and the Athena and Marsyas group
• Praxiteles (c. 395-330 BCE) a sculptor of the Late Classical period, known for his graceful, sensual figures and the introduction of the S-curve pose, as seen in his Aphrodite of Knidos and Hermes and the Infant Dionysus
• Lysippos (c. 370-300 BCE) a bronze sculptor who introduced a new canon of proportions, with smaller heads and more slender, elongated limbs, as exemplified by his Apoxyomenos (Scraper)

Iconic Works and Their Significance

• Peplos Kore (c. 530 BCE) an Archaic marble statue of a young woman wearing a peplos, notable for its elaborate drapery and the traces of original polychromy
• Kritios Boy (c. 480 BCE) an Early Classical bronze sculpture depicting a nude youth, marking the transition from the Archaic to the Classical style with its naturalistic pose and proportions
• Riace Warriors (c. 460-450 BCE) a pair of bronze statues depicting nude warriors, discovered off the coast of Riace, Italy, and exemplifying the High Classical style in their idealized, muscular physiques and naturalistic poses
• Parthenon Sculptures (c. 447-432 BCE) the iconic marble reliefs and pediment sculptures adorning the Parthenon, created under the supervision of Phidias and depicting scenes from Greek mythology and the Panathenaic procession
  • Pediment Sculptures the monumental figures occupying the triangular spaces (pediments) at the front and back of the Parthenon, depicting the birth of Athena and the contest between Athena and Poseidon for the patronage of Athens
  • Metopes the 92 square panels above the outer colonnade of the Parthenon, featuring high-relief sculptures of mythological battles, including the Centauromachy and the Amazonomachy
  • Frieze the continuous low-relief sculpture running along the top of the Parthenon's inner chamber (cella), depicting the Panathenaic procession and the assembly of the gods
• Aphrodite of Knidos (c. 350 BCE) a revolutionary marble sculpture by Praxiteles, depicting the goddess Aphrodite in a nude, contrapposto pose, and considered the first monumental female nude in Greek art

Materials and Techniques

• Marble the primary material for monumental Greek sculpture, with different types used depending on the region and period
  • Parian marble a fine-grained, white marble from the island of Paros, prized for its translucency and used in many iconic sculptures, such as the Nike of Samothrace
  • Pentelic marble a white, slightly translucent marble from Mount Pentelicus near Athens, used extensively in the sculptures of the Parthenon and other Athenian buildings
• Bronze widely used for freestanding sculptures, often cast using the lost-wax technique and featuring intricate details and naturalistic poses
  • Lost-wax casting a technique involving the creation of a wax model, which is then covered in clay, fired, and filled with molten bronze, resulting in a hollow bronze sculpture
  • Patination the process of applying chemicals to the surface of a bronze sculpture to create a desired color or finish, such as the greenish patina often associated with ancient bronzes
• Chryselephantine sculpture a technique combining gold and ivory to create luxurious, monumental statues, such as Phidias' Athena Parthenos and Zeus at Olympia
• Polychromy the use of color in ancient Greek sculpture, often achieved through the application of paint, gilding, or inlaid materials
  • Encaustic painting a technique involving the use of heated, pigmented wax to create vibrant, durable colors on marble sculptures
  • Gilding the application of thin sheets of gold to highlight certain features or details in marble or bronze sculptures

Themes and Symbolism

• Mythology Greek art often depicted scenes and characters from mythological stories, serving as a means of visual storytelling and religious expression
  • Twelve Olympians the major deities of the Greek pantheon, frequently represented in sculpture and other art forms (Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Aphrodite, Ares, Hermes, Hephaestus, Demeter, and Dionysus)
  • Heroic myths stories of legendary heroes, such as Heracles, Theseus, and Perseus, often depicted in sculpture and vase painting as exemplars of courage, strength, and virtue
• Idealization the representation of human figures in an idealized, perfected form, emphasizing beauty, symmetry, and proportion over individual characteristics
• Athleticism the celebration of the athletic, male physique in Greek art, often depicted through nude, muscular figures in contrapposto poses
• Drapery the skillful rendering of clothing and fabric in sculpture, used to convey movement, grace, and social status
  • Wet drapery a technique in which fabric is depicted as clinging to the body, revealing the underlying form and creating a sense of movement and sensuality
• Architectural sculpture the integration of sculptural elements into the design of buildings and temples, such as the pediment sculptures, metopes, and friezes of the Parthenon

Cultural Impact and Legacy

• Roman art heavily influenced by Greek art, with many Roman sculptures being copies or adaptations of famous Greek originals
  • Pasiteles (c. 100-50 BCE) a Greek sculptor working in Rome, known for his copies and adaptations of Classical Greek sculptures, which helped to preserve and disseminate Greek artistic traditions
• Renaissance artists, such as Michelangelo and Raphael, drew inspiration from ancient Greek sculptures, particularly in their treatment of the human form and drapery
  • Michelangelo's David (1501-1504) a marble sculpture heavily influenced by the contrapposto pose and idealized proportions of Classical Greek sculpture
• Neoclassicism an artistic movement in the 18th and 19th centuries that sought to revive the principles and aesthetics of Classical Greek and Roman art
  • Antonio Canova (1757-1822) an Italian Neoclassical sculptor known for his elegant, idealized figures, such as Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss and The Three Graces
  • Bertel Thorvaldsen (1770-1844) a Danish Neoclassical sculptor who drew inspiration from ancient Greek art, as seen in his works such as Jason with the Golden Fleece and Ganymede with Zeus' Eagle
• Modern art while often departing from the ideals of Classical Greek art, many modern artists have still found inspiration in its forms, themes, and techniques
  • Pablo Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (1907) a painting that references African and Iberian sculpture, as well as ancient Greek art, in its fragmented, geometric treatment of the female form
  • Henry Moore (1898-1986) a British sculptor known for his abstract, biomorphic forms, which often evoke the sense of volume and mass found in ancient Greek sculpture