Ancient Greek Art
Greek art
• Considered the classic art• Three types of artforms dominated this
time period: Sculpture, temples/architecture and painted vessels
• Sculptures idealized Greek values of strength and youth
• Temples/Architecture celebrated the gods • Painted vases depicted athletic
competitions and battles
Sculpture
• 3 time periods in Greek sculpture
• Archaic, Classical and Hellenistic
• Greeks had a large supply of marble for sculptures
Archaic
• 600 to 480 BC
• “Stiff and ridged” appearance
• Influenced by Egyptian sculpture
Classical
• Sculptures were more “realistic”
• Portrayed the human body with draped cloth and robes
• Sculptures had a sense of movement
• Idealistic concept of human figure…almost formulaic in approach to creating the “ideal human figure”
Hellenistic
• Approx. 300 BC
• Sculptures sought to portray strength, youth and courage
• Greek gods were portrayed in the same manner as the humans…same size, not larger
• Greek stories of the gods possessed human characteristics,
Vase Paintings
• Paintings done in black on red or red on black….
• Process of scratching into surface of paint to reveal under color
Temples & Architecture
• 3 major forms of architecture: Doric, Ionic and Corinthian
• Identified via columns• Doric: ring under square platform,
square/rectangular structure of building• Ionic: two scrolls on either side,
square/rectangular structure of building square/rectangular structure of building
• Corinthian: elaborate detailing on upper column, round structure of building
Resources
• http://www.historylink101.com/lessons/art_history_lessons/greek_art.htm
• http://www.google.com/images?rlz=1T4ADSA_enUS375US377&q=greek+vase+painting&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ved=0CCcQsAQwAA&imgtype=i_similar&sa=X&ei=aViOTN-QDYH_8Abt16GlCg&ct=img-sim-l&oi=image_sil&resnum=4&tbnid=7f0wwUtNnRcKZM:
• http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/parthenon-and-the-acropolis-landmark-1.jpg
critique• Describe the art: shapes? Lines? Any negative space?
Subject? Color? Material?• Analyze: How did the artist use the info above?• Interpret: what is the artwork about and what function
does it serve?• Judgement: how successful is it?