Greek Art

1. Greek Art By: Josh Gunter 3rd Pd. Art I

2. Background • Greek art began in the Cycladic and Minoan civilization, and gave birth to Western classical art in the subsequent Geometric, Archaic and Classical periods (with further influence during the Hellenistic Period). • No exact known time period for Classical Greek art- it was developed over time and changed throughout history. • VERY similar to Roman art. • Focused mainly on the ideas of unity and perfection. • Greek art is mainly five forms: architecture, sculpture, painting, pottery and jewelry making. • Influenced many aspects of today's society (Our art and architecture today reflect that of Classical Greece, the average person just simply doesn’t realize it.).

3. Forms:

4. Facts About Greek Art: • Greek art was at its peak during the time of Classical Greece. This was a time of great innovation and prosperity for the Greek. • The Greeks values reflected in their artwork include balance, unity, perfection, reason, harmony, and moderation. They sought to influence their people to live their lives based on these ideals. • The Greek wanted to portray humans as perfect beings. Throughout their artwork, humans are depicted in flawless manners- leaving out all imperfections such as wrinkles, moles, scars, etc. • Balance and unity are at the core of Greek arts ideals- a majority of all Greek art is portrayed in perfect balance and in complete unison- leaving the eyes to believe it is indeed perfect.

5. Moment: 447 B.C. • In 447 B.C. the Athenian Empire was at the height of its power and began constructing a temple dedicated to the goddess Athena in the acropolis in Athens, Greece. This temple would be completely constructed by 438 B.C. but would not be completely decorated until 432 B.C. This picture perfect example of Greek Art would be known as The Parthenon. • The Parthenon is a rectangular building with a triangular roof that is held up and completely surrounded by Doric columns. The outside is just as beautifully decorated as the inside. The outside of the Parthenon is covered in eloquent sculptures and designs carved into the marble itself. The inside of the Parthenon is completely dedicated to the goddess Athena- the art consist of several paintings of Athena as well as many Sculptures of her (including the infamous giant gold sculpture of her- the Parthenon's’ main exhibit.). • The Parthenon is made of pure white stone (marble), with a once smooth texture which has eroded over the centuries. It has a very dull color which seems very bright at night when it is lit up. The value is very hard to see from a distance, you cannot make out all of the eloquent details until you walk up to it. It is extremely hard to appreciate its true detailed excellence from a distance due to years of damage.

6. If you look at The Parthenon replica we have here in Nashville you can see the sheer detail and beauty that covers the outside, as well as details such as ridges and designs that are no longer visible on the actual Parthenon. It is designs such as the Parthenon that has influenced modern architect. Next time you are downtown, take notice of the government buildings. These are the buildings portraying the ancient Greek ideals of architecture. Notice their domes, usage of columns, eloquently decorated outsides, and trademark triangular roofs. Greek art has influenced the entire world and changed the way we not only view art and architecture, but how we continue to pursue and create our own. Greek art has had a profound effect and has highly influenced the world we live in today- it shall not be forgotten.

7. Works Cited • Aspden, Peter. "Censors and Sensibility." Financial Times. 27 Apr. 2013: 16. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 10 Mar. 2014. • "Ancient Greek Values Infused in Art." StudyMode. N.p., 2014. Web. 10 Mar. 2014. • "Greek Art." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 03 Sept. 2014. Web. 10 Mar. 2014.