Greece

Module 6

I was lucky enough to visit the Temple of Epidaurus in early March 2017, when it was relatively quiet. I took the photo above of my husband walking up the steps towards me. I could hear him speaking at a normal volume all the way at the top from where I was standing.

Watch this short video:

The Greeks 800-150 BCE

The advent of the Greeks marked a decisive change in art and architecture. This change parallels the revolutionary changes introduced by Greek society. Developing out of Egypt, Mycenae and Persia, the Greek spirit can be summed up by one word; Man.

For the first time in history the human perspective became the dominating principle around which all aspects of society were organized, as opposed to the Divine right of Pharaohs, and strange hybrid deities, of the underworld and the afterlife.

"Man is the measure of all things" Protagoras c. 490 BC – c. 420 BC

For the Greeks, the physical, the natural and the 'here and now' took on a significance that was entirely new. Their gods and goddesses looked human, and more importantly acted a lot like humans, including the all too human vices of anger, deception, pride and competition.

People began to question the nature of existence, and philosophy was born. They began to question the divine right of kings, and democracy was born. They began to take a keen interest in the natural world, and science was born. This emphasis on the human, and the natural world (though not naturalistic) led to an emphasis on the human body in art. Realism, or what the Greeks called mimesis (the root of our word to mimic or imitate) became the dominant style in art. This emphasis on copying the physical was countered by another major force in Greek culture, idealism, as exemplified by the famous philosopher, Plato.

The Temple of Hephaestus ca 460-415 BCE in the Doric Period

The 3 ancient Greek architectural orders: Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian

Which one was used in the Temple of Hephaestus?

I like to help myself remember these names them by using a mnemonic device.

Mnemonic devices are techniques a person can use to help them improve their ability to remember something. In other words, it's a memory technique to help your brain better encode and recall important information. ... Mnemonic devices are very old, with some dating back to ancient Greek times.

Here goes:

Doric..looks the most boring

Ionic..looks like eyes

Corinthian... the most letters in the name and the most ornate of the three

This one is distinguished especially by its large capitals decorated with carved acanthus leaves.

Many modern buildings still use these orders. Can you tell which ones these use?

Iolani Palace 1879

Inside the Lincoln Memorial

For Plato, the ideal, the perfect and the pure were what mattered most. For him these came closest to the timeless truths or "Forms" as he called them. Our physical world, according to Plato, was an imperfect copy, a mere shadow of the real truth. For Plato, artists who copied the things of this world, were actually making copies of copies – in other words, they peddled in illusion and lies, which to Plato was tantamount to deception and trickery. Aristotle on the other hand found that illusion, through art and theater for example, was good and necessary. In his work The Poetics, he outlined how, through such fantasies, illusions and the 'suspension of disbelief ' found in Greek drama (and modern movies!), we come to learn about and understand our world and what it means to be a human.

Both of these currents found expression in Greek art in the combination of imitation (mimesis) and idealism found in the Classical period of Greek art, also called The Golden Age. In addition, the male, especially the youthful athletic male, became the embodiment of such perfection, and the Greek idea of beauty in terms of youth, proportion, intelligence and moral development was born. Eventually the nobility, restraint and poise, characteristic of the moral and artistic perfection of the Classical era gave way to the more dynamic and emotional art of the Hellenistic age. This period represents a transition to the Roman era as the Greek control of the known world began to fall into decline.

The Greeks......One "step" forward from the Egyptians ;)

Kore from the Acropolis Archaic period (600 – 480 BCE)

The Kouros and Kore statues were usually lifesize or larger, and made of marble. The kouros (male statue) was always nude and the koure (female statue) was always clothed. The left leg is always forward, the arms are close to the body, touching the side of their thighs. Strict symmetry, simple geometric forms, no individualization.

Sculptural differences in Archaic, Classical and Hellenistic Periods:

Polykleitos’ Spear Bearer (Doryphoros)

Classical Vs Hellenistic

Notice the contrapposto stance in the classical pose!!!

Compare the Classical sculpture of Doryphoros, (left) to the Hellenistic sculpture of The Laocoön Group

What is the obvious difference?

Laocoön and His Sons (The Laocoön Group)Statue by Agesander of Rhodes, Athenodoros of Rhodes, and Polydorus of Rhodes

Which do you think the King Kamehameha Statue represents?

Let's take a look at the Parthenon

This one is very interesting!

The Greek's world was a painterly, colorful one

We are so used to thinking of ancient Greece as a “marble-white antiquity”, but it was awash in colors. Researchers have confirmed that the sculptures on the triangular gables of the Parthenon temple in Athens were originally brightly painted.

Have a look through this very interesting article:

Gods in Color

Parthenon c. 447 BC

Dedicated to the Greek Goddess Athena.

The story of Zeuxis and Parrhasius (painters who flourished during the 5th century BC, Athens)

Once upon a time.......According to the Naturalis Historia of Pliny the Elder, Zeuxis and his contemporary Parrhasius staged a contest to determine the greater artist. When Zeuxis unveiled his painting of grapes, they appeared so real that birds flew down to peck at them. But when Parrhasius, whose painting was concealed behind a curtain, asked Zeuxis to pull aside that curtain, the curtain itself turned out to be a painted illusion. Parrhasius won, and Zeuxis said, "I have deceived the birds, but Parrhasius has deceived Zeuxis."

This story is used to show us that Ancient Greeks were indeed painting, and painting well. Because of time and deterioration, only examples on vases exist of this realistic painting.

Click here For further reading on Ancient Greek Vase Painting

What Is Real, What Isn't?

All figurative art contains an element of trompe l’oeil, while the essence of the “true” trompe l’oeil is that it sets out to deceive us into believing that the objects we are seeing are not the result of artifice but real.

Giotto (pre-Renaissance) was notable for his playful experiments with trompe l’oeil — a term only coined as late as the early 19th century. Not only do his frescoes include such devices as illusory views into neighboring spaces but, according to the architect and sculptor Filarete, “he painted flies that fooled his master Cimabue, who believed they were alive.”

The tale of Zeuxis and Parrhasius, threw down a challenge to Renaissance painters who were trying to surpass the ancients. (more on that in future Modules)

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