AEGEAN ART

Aegean Art - Octopus Flask

2800-100 BC
Aegean art refers to art that was created in the Grecian lands
surrounding, and the islands within, the Aegean Sea before the
start of Ancient Greek art, which is normally dated around the
11th century BC.
The Aegean Art period encompasses works from the Grecian
area, most notably the Mycenaeans, the art of the Cyclades,
and Minoan art. Aegean art encompasses these local arts that
were located in or around the Aegean Sea. The importance of
art and its types of art included in this category are
architecture, painted murals, sculpture, and other art forms.
Some critics claim that putting arts from very different
civilizations together in this way merely because they were
located near each other and were created around the same
way is forced.
Aegean Art Key Highlights:
 The Aegean peoples were of seafaring cultures from
agriculture islands that valued aquatic life and nature.
 These three cultures, however, differed greatly in how
they expressed their values in art forms: the Clycladics
were minimalist, the Minoans were influenced by beauty,
and the Mycenaeans were influenced by war and
hunting.
 Each of these cultures produced smaller scale sculptures,
primarily figurines. The Cycladic culture produced figures
that were very similar to our modern day Oscar, and the
Minoans went the opposite direction with intricately
carved or cast figures. The Mycenaeans focused heavily
on metal working in their sculpture.
 Homer is said to be from this area which is why it plays
prominently in his works. He spoke of some of the major
art works of these islands that would not be seen for
 many years until they were rediscovered in the late 19th
century.
Aegean Art Top Works:
 Mycenae:

 The Mask of Agamemnon


 Chariot krater
 Stirrup jar with octopus

 Lions Gate
 
 Minoan:
 Fisherman Fresco, Akrotiri

 Rhyton in the form of a bull’s head
 Queens Fresco

 Stone seals
 Bees of Malia
 
 Cyclades:

 Seated Harp Player



 Spouted Bowl

 Kernos (Vase)


  Standing Female Figure

Art of the Cyclades

Early Cycladic Art

Cycladic Art, from the Mediterranean islands known as the
Cyclades, is shown in the archeological record to have begun
around 2600 BC. Since archaeology and tourism began in the
late 1880s on what were previously lonely farming
communities, much of what is left of the art and culture has
disappeared or been destroyed.
From Cycladic artists we have the first known Greek sculpture,
characterized by nearly featureless faces on simplistic oval
heads, and often Venus type figurines. The simplicity of Cycladic
cultures is often compared to modern sculptors such as Henry
Moore. Many of the sculptures feature only a nose, or
sometimes the outlines of eyes.
Unfortunately, few settlements from the Early Cycladic period
have been found, and much of the evidence for the culture
comes from assemblages of objects, mostly marble vessels and
figurines, that the islanders buried with their dead. Varying
qualities and quantities of grave goods point to disparities in
wealth, suggesting that some form of social ranking was
emerging in the Cyclades at this time.

Art of the Minoans

The Minoan culture was named so by the British archaeologist
that discovered it while excavating in Knossos on the island of
Crete. Crete was the home of the legendary King Minos and of
the Minotaur.
The Minoans were lovers of nature, beauty, sport, and luxury
and all of these things are represented in their brightly painted
frescoes, intricate gold jewellery, ivory carvings, sculptures
influenced by nature, and beautifully rendered images on
pottery.

The architecture of the Minoan culture was decorative and very

advanced, including indoor plumbing. Like the Egyptians, the
Minoans celebrated their culture by painting frescoes and
murals on their walls depicting courtly processions, acrobatics,
and images of daily life. Additionally, they also painted scenes
and patterns of aquatic life.

“Anthropologists believe women were among the skilled boxers

of the ancient, sport-loving Minoan culture that flourished on
Crete until 1100 B.C. The boxing booths at English fairs featured
women in the 19th and early 20th centuries.” – Katherine
Dunn
The Minoans are credit with being the first European culture
and also of creating the first European art.
Art of the Mycenaean
Mycenaean is the term applied to the art and culture of Greece
from ca. 1600 to 1100 B.C. The name derives from the site of
Mycenae in the Peloponnesos, where once stood a
great Mycenaean fortified palace. Mycenae is celebrated by
Homer as the seat of King Agamemnon, who led the Greeks in
the Trojan War.

Dagger blade with decoration showing a lion hunt, Mycenae, 

c. 1550bc
National Museum, Athens
 Links:

http://www.all-art.org/history42.html

https://www.theartist.me/art-movement/aegean-art/

https://study.com/academy/lesson/ancient-aegean-art-architecture.html