Art and Architecture

THE NATURE OF GREEK ART:

What were the most important characteristics of ancient Greek art? First and foremost, it glorified man as the most important creature in the universe. It is true that much of the painting and sculpture portrayed gods and goddesses, but you will recall that to the Greeks, the deities {the gods} existed for the benefit of man. When he glorified them he glorified himself. The faces and figures of women represented the Greek ideal of female beauty; images of men suggested ideal traits admired by the Greeks--strength, intelligence, pride, grace, and courage.

Second, Greek art symbolized the pride of the people in their POLIS (city-state). At the same time, it honored the gods, thanked them for life and fortune, and tried to win their favor. Thus, in giving Athena a beautiful shrine in the Parthenon, the Athenians showed their love for their city and their hope for its continuing good fortune.

Third, Greek art, whether architecture, painting, or sculpture, expressed the Greek ideals of harmony, balance, order, and moderation--the qualities of simplicity and restraint. Pericles was quoted as saying, We love beauty without extravagance. Life in this world at its best could be beautiful and satisfying, and this is what the artists sought to represent.

The beauty of the Parthenon lay not in its great size but in its pleasing proportions--the relation of length to width, and of both to height.

A Greek ideal was the Golden Mean --> "Nothing in excess, and everything in proportion."

Modern man often judges his architecture in terms of how functional it is. The ancient Greeks judged a building solely in terms of its aesthetic beauty. Today, most paintings and sculpture are inside private homes or museums, where only those willing to make an extra effort can see them (or on the internet today, which makes it easier, but has the disadvantage of being only two-dimensional). The Athenians displayed works of art in public places where people gathered to conduct their business, participate in religious festivals, or discuss public issues.

Modern Americans must pay to see a Broadway play; Greek tragedies and comedies were free to all. Athenian citizens diligently cultivated a sense of beauty. Athens expected every citizen to contribute to the arts by creating an artistic work or by giving money to support an artist, build a temple, or finance a play. The nature of beauty was the subject of serious inquiry. Philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle, and mathematicians such as Pythagoras and Euclid, devoted much of their attention to defining the beautiful.