Greek Art History

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Art and Architecture of Greece

Greek art is an art which was created by the ancient Greeks and is a popular subject of study. The ancient Greeks were famous for creating many masterpieces of art and architecture, some of the most famous being the Parthenon and the Temple of Poseidon at Sounion.

What is Ancient Greek Art?

To understand what Greek art is, we must first understand what encompasses it. Ancient Greek art refers to all works of visual art produced in Ancient Greece from the prehistoric period, beginning in the late Stone Age, until the 6th century BC—with some residual elements surviving much later—or the downfall of paganism with the adoption of Christianity as the official religion. This period roughly corresponds to the Archaic (c. 750–480 BC), Classical (c. 480–323 BC), and Hellenistic (c. 323–31 BC) periods of Ancient Greek culture, and was succeeded by the period referred to as Byzantine art which lasted until 1453 AD when Greece fell to Ottoman Turks who brought about a gradual decline in Greek arts

The term Greek art history refers to the study of objects of art which were produced in the geographical area of ancient Greece. This includes pottery, sculpture, architecture and metalwork from the Bronze Age to Late Antiquity.

The study of Greek art history includes not just Greek art but also its influence on Roman, Etruscan, and early Christian art.

Greek art is characterized by a tendency towards naturalism and realism. The human body is portrayed as accurately as possible in relation to anatomical knowledge at the time. The attention given to accurate detail was one of the strongest elements of the classical period. In some periods, especially in the Archaic period when most sculpture was votive or funerary sculpture, strict anatomical proportions were used, while later periods saw freer treatments as realism began to be sought after for its own sake.

In many areas there are also significant stylistic differences between archaic and classical Greek art. Grotesque figures were common in Archaic and Classical art but rare in earlier Greek art. Some forms of vase-painting were so realistic that it is sometimes hard to determine whether these were actual depictions of people or simply more abstract patterns.*(Source: Wikipedia)*

Greek art is a fascinating subject. It is also one that can increase one’s appreciation of the culture and history of ancient Greece. Most people are familiar with Greek mythology, but what many fail to realize is that Greek mythology was at the center of Greek art and culture.

The Ancient Greeks regarded their gods as extremely important, which is why the myths were so revered by the Greeks. The myths provided explanations for natural phenomena, like lightning or earthquakes, and for social phenomena like war and love. The stories also served as social guides for ancient peoples.

The Gods in Greek Mythology

Greek mythology consists of a large number of Gods and Goddesses who had different roles in the lives of the people who worshipped them. Perhaps one of the most important groups were the Olympians, who ruled over the sea and all its creatures, including humanity. There were twelve Olympian gods in total, each ruling over a certain aspect of life. Zeus was considered to be the king of all gods, and he ruled over lightning, thunderbolts and rain. His brother Poseidon ruled over oceans as well as horses; whereas his other brother Hades ruled over death and darkness. Aphrodite was known as the goddess of love, while Ares represented war and discord.

The stories involving these

The ancient Greeks were not only the first to devise a system of artistic education, they were also the first to do it on a large scale.

The Greeks had no technical reason to favor red-figure over black-figure vase painting; the two processes were equally capable of producing high-quality images. The difference was purely stylistic. Red-figure was invented in Athens during the last quarter of the 6th century BC and quickly became a popular technique for painting vases. It enabled artists to create compositions with a greater sense of depth because details could be defined by shading or contrasting colors.

Towards the end of the fifth century BC, Athens dominated an empire that included dozens of colonies, many of which took up Athenian artistic practices and styles. By the middle of the fourth century BC, red-figure pottery was being exported from Athens throughout the Mediterranean, and local potters in Italy began using it to make their own wares.

Red-figure vase painting can be divided into three periods: early (450–425 BC), middle (425–400 BC) and late (400–325 BC). The most common shapes are kraters (mixing bowls), lekythoi (oil flasks) and oinochoai

The Parthenon was famously built to house a massive sculpture by Phidias of the goddess Athena. The statue, with a shield and spear, stood some 40 feet high and was covered in ivory and sheets of gold. This statue was so large that it had to be housed within the building, rather than outside as was traditional for Greek statues. The entire structure would not have been out of place on a Mayan pyramid or an Aztec temple, but the Greeks were able to surpass these in size and splendor because of their superior engineering.

The Parthenon stands atop a relatively steep hill, with a flight of steps leading up to it from the east. The core of the building is made of a series of columns which support the roof but also form an open-air hallway around three sides of the structure. The final side is bounded by a solid wall. This wall used to be decorated with sculptures, but they were removed by Lord Elgin in the 1800s; now only traces remain.

In front of the Parthenon are two rows (or processions) of columns that mark the main entrance to the building. The outer row runs along what was once a street; this was removed when the Acropolis was converted into a fortress during medieval times

The most important figure in the history of Greek culture was Homer. He created the Iliad and the Odyssey, two of the greatest pieces of literature in existence. He had a profound influence on all artists that came after him.

Towards the end of his life, he was revered as a god. The ancient Greeks were not just content with this, though. They wanted to make sure that his work would survive. This was done by writing it down on scrolls and hiding them where they thought they would be safe (underground). Unfortunately, they were discovered by archaeologists some 2,000 years later.

The ancient Greeks believed that Homer had lived around 850 BC; however, modern scholars think that he lived closer to 700 BC. His stories were passed down orally for centuries before they were written down. In fact, some people think that Homer himself may not have written them at all; instead it may have been someone else who collected his stories together into one large epic poem.

It is believed that Homer died around 700 BC; however, there is no way to prove this for certain because he did not leave behind any writings about himself or his life and times.

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