The marble column from the Temple of Artemis at Sardis is from the Hellenistic period and can be visited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. It is part of the Ancient Greek exhibition. This column stands over fifty-eight feet high at the center of a room. Overall, it looks smooth and very large. At the capital, the delicate foliate is symmetrically decorated with fine details. The capital is slightly smaller than others found at the site, indicating that it does not belong to the outer colonnade . Because this column was from the Ancient Greeks, we can assume that the sculptor will focus on symmetry, fine details and perfect execution because these were characteristics present in most of the art. The column was part of a temple dedicated to the goddess of the wildness and childbirth, Artemis. The people in Sardis would worship her for a good harvest year because most Ancient Greeks were polytheistic and believed that different Gods had different attributes that could help them grant their wishes.
The column was standing by itself in the center of the hall, tall and impressive. Feelings of awe caused viewers to reach out and touch the column, as if they could not believe that this marvelous column was in front of them. Angry yet patience guards reminded them that this column is part of the museum exhibition and not of a temple. In Ancient Greece, this column would have been part of colonnade that held the load of the lintel. Then the floor would be raised from the
Greek culture is the source from which many of the characteristic elements of Western culture derive. Their explorations and innovations in art have both fascinated and inspired other civilizations for centuries. For this assignment I chose two Greek sculptures viewed at the Getty Museum. The first is Kouros circa 530 B.C. made of Dolomitic marble from Thasos and is approximately 200 cm (80 in) in height. The second is Cult Statue of a Goddess, (most likely Aphrodite) South Italy, 425 - 400 B.C. made of Limestone and marble. It stands at a height of 220 cm (86 5/8 in). There is some dispute to the authenticity of the Getty Kouros
Many similar characteristics are used throughout the Classical and Early Empire when the construction of temples was being built. Though old techniques were used, the advancement of new methods were being introduced to build faster, stronger, and in different shapes and sizes. We will discuss the Parthenon and the Pantheon; though similar in name, they do have some differences that represent the Greek and Roman styles.
The Marble Statue of a Bearded Hercules was made by an unknown sculptor at the Early Imperial, also known as the Flavian period in circa 68–98 A.D. By analyzing this sculpture, this goddess portrays strength and masculinity and gives acknowledgement to his legacy which resolved a conflict between individual and society. This work of art also expresses an idea of showing a powerful goddess figure and a symbol of demonstrating the political authority of a leader. According to the Greek myths, Hercules was proven to be a legendary for his quality and courage; he experienced malevolent wraths and excessive fearlessness. He is a good hero overall, but he also has
The famous historical structure known as the Colosseum is a remarkable piece of architecture that has survived for over nearly two millenniums. It was commissioned by the Emperor Vespasian of the Flavian dynasty as a gift to the people of Rome and completed by his son, Titus in the year 70 A.D. (History, 2009). Since then, the Flavian Amphitheater has gone through lifetimes of changes with chronicles of events. It is one of the most impressive ancient structures that still stand today and is extraordinary because of a multitude of reasons. The Colosseum’s advanced function, structural soundness, as well as its impeccable design contributes to its grandeur. Its initial opening performance did not fail to commemorate its existence, lasting
In ancient Greece, around 500 B.C.E, the culture was revolving around gods and goddesses. The lifestyles and actions of the people of Greece had an interdependence with the common belief of Hellenism. By understanding that many Greeks looked to their gods and goddesses in most aspects of their life, we can better understand how Greek culture worked as a whole. This can be seen specifically in Athens Greece. In Athens they looked to the Goddess Athena in particular because she was their patron Goddess. During this time a sculptor, named Phidias, sculpted a grand statue called the Athena Parthenos. The Athena Parthenos was viewed as an actual incarnation of the Goddess Athena, and symbolize victory in wars that ultimately create peace and harmony.
The sculpture portrays the God of Harvest, Dionysus, with his loyal satyr follower, Pan. A considerable amount of detail when into the carving of Dionysus; the multiple grapevines in his hair, his ceremonial staff Thyrsus, the goatskins and the cup of wine he’s holding are all symbols of Dionysus. The composition is very asymmetrical, and creates a contrapposto arrangement, which is distinctly Grecian (Gardner). It was carved out of beautiful fine marble, which also had another purpose in the way of making this piece of art last for many years. Along with the tree trunk between the two men providing support at the base, and the elongated arms providing more structural stability. The God’s head is even reinforced by his hair to make sure the head doesn’t break off. This sculpture is visually and aesthetically pleasing, but doesn’t serve a useful function, like textiles or furniture. Therefore, it is considered a figurative piece of art, which art that is very clearly modeled after real object or person(s), and is therefore representational
During this period of time, the sculptures were produced first to celebrate ancient mystery cults and sacrifices of victorious military heroes and then to value the role of the Gods and Goddesses by their power and divinity. As more divine they were, it was considered to be a more religious sculpture piece. The sculptures of Gods and Goddesses were built as a form of remembering them through the years and their impact in the Roman society.
The artwork I chose for the Classical Greece period is the Erechtheion, an architectural building interestingly using six maidens as support columns. Through studies of the architectural history of this piece, Michael Lahanas suggests that the temple was constructed as “a complex design that supposed to represent the legendary contest between Poseidon and Athena for guardianship of the city of Athens” (Lahanas). The relationship between the art and the culture of the related civilization depicts through its purpose as a temple. Some articles suggest that the temple was a place where worship occurred for both Poseidon and Athena; the structure
Aphrodite statues were very popular in Greece during the Hellenistic period. The marble Aphrodite of Knidos was the most renowned among the many Greek goddesses. Also written as the Aphrodite of Cnidus, the marble sculpture was created by an Attic sculptor known as Praxiteles during the 4th century BC. Arguably, it is believed to be the earliest major sculpture to show the goddess in the nude. Praxiteles also created another draped version of the marble Aphrodite of Knidos. It is said that the draped version was the first to be sold, while the nude version remained rejected
When examining the statue, there is an old woman bent and weary. Her posture helps clue us in, with her age and the state of her health. The figure is dressed in cloth that drapes off her body as she carries a basket that is filled with what we may think are offerings. On her head, there are vines that create a band around the top of her head used to signify the festival that was going on during that time. The specific detail that is seen on this statue persuades us to want to know the story of this woman. Doing so, the process involves lots of research about the time and art. During the hellenistic period, artists begin to introduce more inner beauty than physical beauty. There is an opportunity to learn more about the structure itself, then settle for what is given and seen.
: The structures that make up the Temple of Heaven are meant to signify the relationship between heaven and earth, more importantly the connection between the emperors and God. The through in It was believed that offerings made by the emperor to the Gods, would bring a flourishing harvests, as he was believed to be the closest being to god. The structure itself was built so majestically to represent it descending into heaven. The main ceremonies that were held within the hall were all on the basis of worshipping heaven and so it was believed by doing so, it would be seen as favorable to the gods, enough to be blessed with an abundance supply of harvests such as grain. The ceremonial interior of the hall was built in such a way as to emphasize
The piece is a red-figured, wine bowl that is attributed to the Niobid Painter. It was made in Athens, Greece around 460-450 BC, and found in Altamura. Puglia, Italy (British Museum). There are two scenes on top of one another that occur in the piece. The top scene is the creation of Pandora. She is standing rigid while five of the gods are standing around her. Athena is about to put a wreath on her head. The scene below displays a frieze of dancing and playing satyrs. Because the vase is round it isn’t possible to see all the figures in the piece. But looking at the piece from the front, six gods are portrayed in the top scene. The gods in the scene from left to right are: Zeus, Poseidon, Athena, Pandora, Ares, and Hermes. The gods in the piece are identifiable because of distinguishable traits that certain characters
Agrippa, Augustus’ right-hand man, constructed this building as a temple to all the gods; however, a fire destroyed this temple in 80 CE and so Domitian built the reconstruction. The Pantheon we are familiar with has a significantly different design than the original one, and this is why this specific temple is so dislike to the rest of the Roman temples. Before it was burnt, the Pantheon stood in a podium at the end of a large rectangular court. The surroundings of this temple have changed in order to provide a unique experience to its visitors. For example, the temple has en enormous dome with a 27-foot oculus that opens to the sky. This oculus lets a shaft of light come through creating an emphasis wherever the reflection is. Visitors were driven nowhere but to the light at the center of the dome. This building was built for greeting foreign embassies, adjudicating disputes and hold court (Janson). Moreover, the Pantheon is extraordinary because of the potential and strength of concrete. Some other materials used in the process of building the temple include travertine, tufa, brick, and pumice. These materials varied in order to reduce its weight. The colored marble on the wall symbolized imperial authority. The sphere is though to symbolize eternity and perfection and the bronze panels symbolized a starry night sky.
It is moreover pyramidal in structure with the vertex coinciding with Mary’s head. The base of the sculpture depicts the rock of Golgotha and is broader than the progressive
Arguably, one of the most influential structures of Rome was the Pantheon because of its immense size, and the use of concrete for the massive dome. This structure was named the Pantheon most likely because Pliny the elder, a spectator during the time of Vespasian 's rule saw this and referred to it as the “Pantheum”. Although the version of the Pantheon that Pliny the elder saw is not the Pantheon currently in Rome, there are many accounts of what it looked like, and why it was built. Agrippa’s Pantheon, the version that Pliny witnessed, or the original pantheon was built during the Pax Romana. This was a time of peace for the Romans, and to lead them in their endeavors was Emperor Augustus. During this time culture flourished because of there was no need to worry about necessities. From 31 BCE to 14CE the Pantheon was constructed to honor the Julian clan. The result of this was a south-facing rectangular building, with the Thermae of Agrippa, or the Roman public baths to the south. This temple was decastyle, meaning that is had 10 columns on each side. Pliny also mentioned that Diogenes of Athens was commissioned by Agrippa to create the caryatid columns. Caryatid columns are much like sculptures, in that they depict a person, but this person is standing in order to form a column to support another structure. To much dismay this temple was destroyed in the