Greek Art Research Paper

Greek art, unlike the art of the East, resulted from the intellectual mastery of form and proportion. However, it also resulted from a spiritual ability to recognize beauty in the reality and perfection of the natural world.

Greek art took many ideas from Egypt and Mesopotamia however as the years passed they started to develop and create their own unique style. This style was more realistic and natural visually. One of their goals was for the viewer to believe they are seeing a moment standing still in time. You can see this when you compare Kroisos from, Anavysos Greece, and Doryphorus from Pompeii, Italy. These pieces are roughly dated 80 years apart however the difference between the two-forms are so remarkable. This paper will be discussing and addressing the evolution of a more naturalistic art form, from the statue of Kroisos compared to the statue of Doryphorus during the Greek art period. At a first glance of the statues you may not see the dramatic differences between the two however they were both approached in different ways to be created. They have different meanings yet both were created to be more naturalistic than what came before it.

Most sculptures made within the classical period were to show appreciation for the gods. One way to achieve this was by size and quality. Apollo stands tall with a strong sense of prominence. Height was ideal as many sculptures were displayed in temple spaces or places where sculptures could be worshipped or idealized. Each and every muscle in Apollo is clearly defined,

In ancient Greece they had many forms of art, for example painting, sculpture, pottery, theatre, dances, music and stories. It’s known many famous paintings were discovered and that paintings described many stories about the history and culture of Greeks. Greeks also enjoyed music and dancing along. The Greek loved to dance and listen to music. They often danced for family meals, important rituals and ceremonies but also learned for their own joy and happiness. They believed that music was gift of gods and regarded as beautiful part of their life. Greeks were very interested in theatre. Even thought theatre did not originate from Greece they found it very amusing and entertaining to watch different forms of comedy ad tragedy

The ancient Greeks were master artists. Their paintings and statues have been admired for hundreds of years. Examples of these works are still displayed in museums around the world. Greek statues are so admired because the sculptors who made them tried to make them look perfect. They wanted their statues to show how beautiful people could be. To improve their art, these sculptures carefully studied the human body, especially how it looked when it was moving. Then, using that they had learned, they carved stone and marble statues.

Ancient Greece is famous for its cultural advances, particularly the art. Hellenistic is the last phase of Ancient Greek art, and is essential for the evolution of western art. The Dying Gaul is a typical example of Hellenistic sculptures, dated 230-220 BCE. We are unsure of who made it, but Epigonos – the court sculptor of Attalid Dynasty – was believed to be the one.

At the beginning of this semester, if someone would have asked my point of view concerning the location of works of art in places other than their country of origin, I most likely, would not have had an opinion one way or the other. However, after reading articles in regard to such issues, my view point has drastically changed. This issue is not something that has ever crossed my mind and since it has, it is a battle I am very awakened by. This paper analyzes the claim by the Italian government of the Ancient Greek Sculpture of Aphrodite and the ethical dimensions of the claim. The Ancient Greek Sculpture of Aphrodite has been in the collection of the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los

Seven and fifth century BC, Greece contained some of the most prepossessing and enchanting forms of art ever made. The most common where statues, vases, temples and marble friezes. Greeks took inspiration from ancient egyptian art, as that can be clearly see in all there artwork. Unlike the Egyptians however, the Greeks looked for new ways to represent the human figure. They would take into account different angles as to how an object can be seen, by simply following the rules of the egyptians and using their own freedom and imagination, and with this, the greeks achieved harmony, beauty, and simplicity within their work.

The greatest discovery around this sculpture came in 1954-1958. Tools, terracotta, molds, and a cup were found at the building site (Olympia). Copies of the statue were made but none survived. The statue was damaged in an earthquake in 170 B.C (Statue of Zeus). Phidias had developed a technique that allowed his large quantities of ivory and precious metals to be formed without crumbling under their own weight. Beginning with a wooden frame, Phidias would lay thin plates of ivory soaked in a liquid to make them moldable. Then he would place the ivory soaked plates upon the mold along with sheets of gold (Zeus’ clothing).The statue was six meters (twenty-one feet) wide and one meter height. The base measure two meters (seven feet) (Statue of Zeus at Olympia). The statue was once destroyed but all the pieces matched up perfectly, and all the joints were nearly invisible (Statue of

Almost seven feet tall, a life-like sculpture stands, broad and muscular, in the middle of the National Archeological Museum, Naples, Italy. Made of bronze yet so full of life, the Spear Bearer is one of many ancient Greek sculptures surviving, as good as new, till this day. On the other side of the world stands the New York Kouros at the Metropolitan Museum, rigid and awkward, and all together unrealistic. However, Greek art, especially Greek sculpture and vase painting has not always portrayed the human body in such a perfect and idealistic way. Up until 500 BCE, Greek sculpture and statuary specifically were completely different to what is seen and defined as ‘Greek sculpture’ today while Greek vase painting and other representations of the human body maintained their less realistic style. The Greeks not only developed but also improved their artwork of the human figure throughout Early Greece only to present a better and more idealistic image of sculpture using naturalism and realism towards the Classical period.

Ancient Greece often feels familiar in a strange way. From the spoils of Achilles (hero in the poem The Iliad), to the Trojan War, from perfect measurements of the Parthenon to the amazing flawless sculptures, Greek culture has uniquely and indirectly shaped our world. Thankfully the large eye-catching archaeological sites, impact of Hollywood and the literary sources, Greek art and culture is embedded in our consciousness, arising visions of erudite philosophers, epic battles and limbless nude sculptures that decorated the sparkling white temples.

Ancient Greece used art for many things in their city-states there were three different kind of art. Stated in text the three such as archaic period, classical period, and Hellenistic. Archaic period, which was around 700 B.C to 480 B.C. it was the beginning of pottery and sculptures. The Classical period is when artist started to make sculptures that are more complex. The time that the classical age started “the golden age” when Alexander the great was alive. Last a final kind of art that ancient Greece did was Hellenistic period was a time after Alexander the great died it was when artist started to sculpt “themes around people and places.” Art is the same way now, there statues of people and places this is how we took something from Greece and use it as are culture now and

The evolution of Greek art has expanded over hundreds of years and has contributed to many artistic developments, especially in sculpture. The depiction of the human figure has drastically changed over time from an undeveloped form to a more detailed rendering. This transformation can be seen from Early Bronze Age figurine models to Ancient Hellenistic sculptures. Examples of early figurines are small with disproportionate and unusual bodies while much later sculptures are large scale showing the importance of corrected bodily proportions. Tiny figures generally had the same poses lacking facial and body definition details while later sculptures have exquisite, clear facial features, and deeply chiseled bodies. The developments of sculptors overtime produced advancements in Greek sculpture. This can be seen especially in certain sculpture subjects like Greek athletics, mythology, political depictions, as well as scenes of tragedy or death. Athletic Greek sculpture was an important way in which “statues were intended to immortalize successful athletes.” The development of these statues became more realistic and idealized as time progressed, especially

Inspired by the ancient Egyptians and their tradition of statue portraiture the Greeks decide to develop this further. The Kroisos statue was born, next the Kritos boy. From then on sculptors would rise to challenge to create the perfect man, their earthly version of paying God. The Greeks incorporated math for order and continued on their hopes for perfection. Next they added drama and movement in marble structures resembling man and the God’s. Greeks built off of other Greeks works. They used past examples as stepping stones for self-improvement.

Ancient Greeks took their inspiration from the human form. It became the basis for Greek art as well as a driving force behind mythology and philosophy. Greek sculpture tended to be life-sized, not massive and imposing like that of other great civilizations. The figure was designed to mirror reality in an idealized way, such as regular facial features, smooth skin and particular body proportions. The ancient Greeks aimed for perfection in their creation of art, philosophy, and all manner of other expression. The Greeks' use of the human figure is prevalent and can be considered the central focus in the highest forms sculpture.