Art of Ancient Greece

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Art of Ancient Greece
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Unit Concepts

• 1. Greek art, like the Greek people, was a
  product of the intermingling of several cultures
  initially.
• 2. Greek art continually evolves and develops to
  reflect the philosophies of the time.
• 3. The two constants in Greek art are a love of
  nature and an emphasis on humanism.

Egyptian art was famous for not changing for
thousands of years, but Greek art is known for
changing to match evolving philosophies.
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Historical Background

• Relationship to Minoan and Mycenaean

Greece 1000 B.C. - 100 A.D.
Mycenaean 1600-1200 B.C.
Minoan 3000-1400 B.C.
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Five Periods and Dates

• 1. Proto-Geometric (1000-700 B.C.)
• 2. Archaic (700-480 B.C.)
• 3. Transitional or Severe (480 - 450 B.C.)
• 4. Classical- Golden Age of Greece (450-300
  B.C.)
• 5. Hellenistic (300 B.C. - 100 A.D.)

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Dates and Events
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First Olympics

• 776 B.C.
• The Olympics were very high profile, more for
  professionals than amateurs. Athletes would
  train for 11 months and then stand nude before
  the judges. The body doesnt lie.

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Solons Law Code

• 594 B.C.
• Solon was the archon of Athens. He codified the
  laws. They were very harsh and strict.
  Draconian.

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Persian Wars

• 499 B.C. Ionian Greeks stage an uprising.
  Persia goes in to put down the rebels. Athenians
  help the Ionians, so Persia decides to attack the
  mainland. Although Persia had some victories,
  they were soundly defeated at the battle of
  Marathon in 490 B.C.
• In 480 B.C., after 10 years of preparation Xerxes
  again attacks Greece. At the Battle of
  Thermopylae, King Leonidas of Sparta and his
  7,000 soldiers hold off the 200,000 (/-) Persian
  army. After most had surrendered, Leonidas and
  his 300 Spartans almost held off the Persians at
  the pass, inflicting massive casualties.
• Persia broke through and started wreaking havoc,
  but was defeated by the navy at the Battle of
  Salamis.

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Persian War

• When the Persians broke through and defeated the
  Greeks, they felt that they had been abandoned by
  their gods. They felt they had to depend on
  themselves only. This led to a rise of humanism,
  the belief that humans are highly intelligent and
  beautiful beings that deserve homage and respect.

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Golden Age of Pericles

• 479-431 B.C.
• Famous Athenian city-state ruler who defeats
  Persians and rebuilds Athens. Updates and
  rebuilds everything in the classical style.

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Peloponnesian War

• 431-404 B.C.

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Philip of Macedonia

• 357-336 B.C.
• Father of Alexander the Great. he united
  Macedonia and conquered Greece. Hired Aristotle
  to tutor Alexander.

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Alexander the Great

• Conquers the world and spreads Greeces influence

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Fall of Greece to Rome

• The Greeks had polises, or city-states. They
  never ever fully united. In fact, the whole
  Peloponnesian war was because Sparta thought
  Athens was getting too strong. If they had
  united, they probably could have defeated anyone.
  But, they never were, and Rome defeated them.
• 146 B.C. Battle of Corinth. Rome defeats the
  wealthiest and one of most powerful polises, thus
  crushing the will of Greece and asserting
  authority.

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Philosophies and People
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Humanism

• Man is most important above all the other
  animals. Man can and will take care of himself.
  Man has superior intellect, beauty, and physical
  prowess.

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The Big Three

• Socrates
• Plato
• Aristotle

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Socrates
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Socrates

• Socrates was a philosopher who believed that his
  role was to help people think and question the
  world around them. He would teach by asking them
  questions- the Socratic method.
• He felt he was the gadfly of the state.
  Obnoxious and annoying, but successful in
  spurring the lazy horse of state into activity.
  He felt it his calling and duty to educate young
  men who had a good hold on their shoulders,
  particulary Plato.
• He was so successful at being annoying, that the
  Athenian government felt he was corrupting the
  youth. Ordered him to death by drinking hemlock.
  The Apology.

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Plato- the Idealist

• Plato believed that there was a perfect,
  beautiful truth out there. Believed in a
  pre-existence where everything was perfect. He
  believes that there is still the shadow of this
  perfection in everything, but we have to look for
  it. He influenced art by having sculptors and
  painters not paint for what was really there, but
  the perfection that is behind everything.

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Aristotle- the Realist

• Aristotle disagreed with Plato. Rather than look
  for the perfect, he found joy in the realistic.
  He was the king of applying rational, scientific
  thinking to solving problems. He liked things to
  be more practical and utilitarian.