Greek

Art
• this period in art history took place
from about 800 B.C to 50 B.C

• began in the Cycladic and Minoan

prehistorical civilization and gave birth
to Western classical art in the ancient
period
• The Greeks believed in living the perfect
life. They believed that a variety of
different gods (as in Greek Mythology)
controlled different aspects of every
persons destiny on earth. They believed
these gods acted in very human ways
and had great respect and fear for them.
• As a result, many buildings and works of
art were created to please the different
gods and give the Greek people places
to worship.
 The Acropolis

• A sacred hill in Athens, Greece that rises

some 500 feet above the surrounding city.
It is covered with buildings, temples, and
statues. It was intended to be a tribute to
the Gods and placed at high on the land
so they could be closer.
• It was also intended to symbolize the glory
and power of Athens to those that
approached.
 The Parthenon

• One of the Greeks greatest

contributions in architecture. An
example of this would be the
Parthenon. It took 10 years to
build this massive structure that sits
atop the Acropolis. Its purpose is
that of a temple.
• Its appearance today is much
different than how it originally looked.
Inside there was a giant statue of
Athena, a Greek goddess, along with
other statues and embellishments.
Centuries of war and environmental
factors have left it just a shell of what
it once was.
• Oddly enough, there is a full scale
replica in Nashville,TN.
 the three
Orders Of
Greek
decOrAtive
style
• Over time, the Greeks developed
three different styles of architecture.
For the most part you can tell the
difference in the decorative style
by looking at the type of column and
capital that is used in construction.
• These three decorative styles have
been used since being developed by
the ancient Greeks and are still very
popular today.
The Doric Style
• A simple, heavy
column without
a base, topped
by a plain
capital that has
no
ornamentation.
 The Ionic Style

• Used an
elaborate base
and capitol in the
form of scrolls.
• It was the
second of the
three styles
developed.
 The Corinthian
Style
• The most
elaborate of the
three orders. It is
elongated and
decorated with
leaves. It usually
sits atop a plain
column and has
heavy detail.
 Greek
sculpture
three
.
distinct
periOds
The Archaic
Period
Sculptors created
large, rigid,
freestanding
sculptures called
Kouros. Original
intention of these
sculptures is
unknown. Very
similar to Egyptian
sculpture.
 The Classical
Period
Greek sculptors
were interested in to
the human form
moving in space.
There was also
great care taken to
create the ideal
proportions of the
human form.
Anatomical
perfection was
important.
 The Hellenistic
Period
• Aesthetic beauty was
less important to the
sculptors of this time
period. They were
interested in showing
emotion on the face
and used realistic
proportions as
opposed to ideal
proportions of the
classical period.
 Greek Painting
• The ancient Greeks loved color…at one
time most of the sculptures were painted in
bright, vivid colors and layered in gold.
Over time this has worn away, but there
are some that are still found with traces of
faded color.

• Unfortunatly, most of the paintings and

wall murals have been destroyed over the
years.
Greek Vase Making
• The Greek vase
served the purpose
of grave markers for
the ancient Greeks.
Although not urns
for ashes, they
marked the burial
site. Early vases
were decorated with
simple, geometric
patterns.
Greek Vase Decoration

• Later vases used

realism to construct
a story on the
outside of the vase
about the deceased.
Similar to the way
the Egyptians before
them would use
hieroglyphs inside of
the tombs.
rOMAn
Art
This period lasted from approx.
100 B.C. to 300 A.D.
 Roman Architecture

• One of the Romans biggest

contributions was in
architecture. The span of their
empire was vast, and examples of
their architectural style can be
seen all over Eastern Europe.
 Basilicas
• Were large rectangular
buildings constructed to hold
large numbers of people. It was
often used as a public forum
and meeting place.
 The Pantheon

• Was a temple built for the Roman gods

but eventually became a Christian church.
Its main feature is a massive domed roof
with a hole in the middle to allow for light.
Of course, the rain gets in, but the
Romans designed it so that the floor
sloped down to the middle and they built a
drainage system for the water collected .
 The Colosseum

• It was built to house all sorts of

sporting events...chariot races and
gladiator fights among them. The
Colosseum is a great example of
the use of arches. It’s design
allowed it to fill up and empty out in
just minutes.
 A Triumphal Arch

• A heavily decorated
arch used by the
Romans to
celebrate a
successful military
campaign. Upon
return from battle
the victorious would
march thru the arch
in celebration.
 The Aqueduct System

• Was a system used by the Romans

to bring water down out of the
mountains to be used in the city.
Gravitational flow and the use of
arches in construction help make
this system work. This was a major
advancement for cities.
Roman Sculpture and Painting

• Romans were
very keen on
Greek Art and
followed their
classical forms.
Realism was
an important
factor in their
artwork.
 Portrait Sculptures

• The public often commissioned

portrait sculptures, and artists
strived to create what the person
actually looked like. This was in
contrast to the Greeks who were
more interested in the ideal forms.
 Mural Paintings

• Were used to decorate the

often-elaborate homes of the
Romans. These paintings were
not hung on the wall, but
painted on the wall for decor.
“The glory that was Greece, the Grandeur that was
Rome”

The traditional view of Roman artists is that they

often borrowed from, and copied Greek precedents
(much of the Greek sculpture known today is in the
form of Roman marble copies), more recent analysis
has indicated that Roman art is a highly creative
relying heavily on Greek models.
Pliny, Ancient Rome’s most important historian
concerning the arts, recorded that nearly all the
forms of art—sculpture, landscape, portrait painting,
even genre painting — were advanced in Greek
times, and in some cases, more advanced in Rome
THE END