1. Historical Context kouroi appeared.

Kouroi were commemorative,

semi-lifelike statues representing idealized young
Ancient Greek art spans a period between about men during their prime. Also existing was the less
900 and 30 BCE and is divided into four periods: famous, clothed female counterpart: the kore.
Geometric, Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic.
Throughout that period, artists worked with a wide
variety of materials including bronze and stone for Classical Period, ca. 480-323 B.C.
sculpture; terracotta for vases and figurines;
various pigments for painting; and gold, silver, This period saw the introduction and
and bronze for coinage. expansion of many things that represent Ancient
Greece to modern viewers, and one could not
Geometric look at the classical style without considering its
The Geometric Period is characterized architecture.
by its use of geometric patterns and shapes in its
iconography. The focus of the art also shifted There were three recognizable
from the more fluid, amorphous shapes of the architectural styles during the Classical Period:
Mycenaean period and onto more recognizable the Doric Order, Ionic Order and Corinthian
depictions of the people and animals of the Order.The Doric Order was simple, with plain
Athenian polis. pillars, capitals, and pediments. The Ionic Order
was slightly more ornamented, with pillars that
During this period of Ancient Greek art, looked like a rolled scroll. The Corinthian Order
there were two prominent types of monumental was the most detailed of the three, with intricate,
votive vessels: kraters and amphorae. Kraters organic pillar and capital designs.
were used to decorate male graves, where
amphorae decorated female graves. They Classical art is also easily recognizable
generally had a slim neck and a widened center from its near-perfect depictions of the human form
with two side handles. in life-size and monumental sculpture. Greek
artists became increasingly focused on the study
One of the defining features of Geometric of human anatomy and musculature, evolving
Period pottery is called ‘horror vacui’ , or the from the Archaic kouroi to more naturalistic,
‘fear of empty space’. This manifested in filling physically accurate depictions of the human form.
entire surfaces with intricate details or patterns.
Vases, for the most part, were thus completely Hellenistic Period, ca. 323-31 B.C.
covered with iconography, resulting in rich and The Hellenistic Period in Ancient Greek
artistic decoration. art began with the death of Alexander the Great in
323 BC. The leadership of the massive empire
Archaic Period, ca. 700-480 B.C. that he had accrued throughout the
The art of Archaic Period Greece reflects Mediterranean, North Africa, and parts of Asia
this heightened international influence in was subsequently divided into three regions and
technique, tools, and iconography. With assumed by generals, splintering the empire.
continuously advancing technologies, artists were However, Greek art continued to expand on the
able to create realistic human imagery for the first classical ‘Hellenism’ of the empire in art with more
time. They were also able to produce ornately international influence.
detailed, colorful pottery.
During this period, sculptors pursued and
Two defining pottery styles emerged perfected naturalism—an artistic interest that
during Ancient Greece’s Archaic Period. The first Greek artists had been developing over hundreds
of these is known as black-figure pottery, which of years.
was made from red pottery with black glaze
decoration. The second pottery technique was One of the most iconic statues of the period, the
called red-figure, which featured the outlining of Nike of Samothrace, also known as the Winged
figures in black, leaving them red on the inside. Victory (c. 190 BCE), commemorates a naval
Initially, these vessels were decorated with mainly victory. This Parian marble statue depicts Nike,
war scenes, specifically from the Iliad or Odyssey. now armless and headless, alighting onto the
However, as time went on they also evolved into prow of the ship. The prow is visible beneath her
calmer scenes such as symposia or mythical feet, and the scene is filled with theatricality and
storylines. naturalism as the statue reacts to her
The Archaic Period of Ancient Greek art surroundings.
also saw dramatic innovation in sculpture
production. These naturalized sculptures called
Venus de Milo the greatest carver of High Classical Greek
Also known as the Aphrodite of Melos (c. 130– sculpture. Also a painter and architect, Phidias
100 BCE), this sculpture by Alexandros of was celebrated for his bronzes and especially his
Antioch, is another well-known icon of the chryselephantine statues (in gold and ivory).
Hellenistic period. Today the goddess’s arms are Among his many famous works of Greek
missing. It has been suggested that one arm sculpture he is probably best known for his 40
clutched at her slipping drapery while the other foot statue of the goddess Athena at the
arm held out an apple, an allusion to the Parthenon.
Judgment of Paris and the abduction of Helen.
Apelles (352-308 BC)
2. Artistic Characteristics Apelles has passed down in history as
antiquity’s greatest painter. All his paintings are
Greek art was closely intertwined with mythology, lost but ancient tales of his deeds and talent still
as the gods and goddesses were revered and survive.The young artist is Alexander the Great's
celebrated in both public and private spaces. court painter, whom ancient writers considered
Artists skillfully depicted mythological scenes and the greatest artist of their time. According to
heroic tales in their works, imbuing them with a Pliny's Natural History of 77 A.D., Alexander
sense of grandeur and significance. Notable commissioned Apelles to paint a portrait of his
examples include the famous statue of Aphrodite, favourite concubine, Campaspe.The story
the goddess of love and beauty, and the illustrates art's transformative powers: Apelles fell
mythological pottery known as black-figure and in love with his sitter as he captured her beauty
red-figure vases, which portrayed mythical on canvas. Alexander so esteemed his painter
narratives and daily life.Greek art was also that he presented Campaspe to Apelles as a
characterised by many qualities. These include reward for the portrait.
the depiction of beauty in an idealised manner
and figures in sculpture became more naturalistic 4. Notable Artworks
in their portrayal of proportion and balance. It also
depicted the belief in mathematical congruence to The Pergamon Altar (180-160 BC)
determine beauty. Classical Greek art changed rapidly as
Greece itself went through wars and imperial
3. Prominent Artists transformations. In what is called the Hellenistic
age it became much more emotional, sensual and
Praxiteles (375-335 BCE) even sensationalist. The furious sculptures on the
One of the most famous and greatest Pergamon altar – which can be seen in its own
sculptors of ancient Greece, Praxiteles’ career museum in Berlin – are full of passion and
bridged the Late Classical Period and the psychological drama.
Hellenistic Period of Greek art. One of his main
concerns as an artist was to introduce as much Parthenon Frieze
realism as possible into his work, and this The Parthenon is one of the most iconic
approach helped to determine the direction of buildings in the Ancient World. This building
Greek sculpture. He is best known for his smaller dedicated to the goddess Athena stands tall upon
scale works of female subjects, including the the ancient Athenian acropolis and serves as a
famous Hermes with the Infant Dionysus reminder of times past.
(Olympia Archaeological Museum) and his
Aphrodite of Cnidus (Knidos).

Myron (active 480-440 BCE) Kylix (Drinking Cup) (530-520 BCE)

Myron was one of the greatest sculptors of This vase honors Dionysos as the god of
Early Classical Greek sculpture. He was famed both wine and the theater. When the drinker
for his sculptures of powerful athletes and life-like raised the cup to his mouth, it doubled almost as
animals. He produced mainly bronze sculpture a theatrical mask, with the handles serving as
and was considered a versatile and innovative ears and the circular hollow representing a
artist in his time. His most famous statue, which mouth. The round, wide eyes staring back at the
exists only in the form of copies by Roman artists, viewer symbolize the intoxicating effects of the
is the famous bronze figure of a disc thrower drink, the wine god’s gaze, or both. Drinking
known as Discobolus (c.425 BCE). vessels decorated in this manner are called eye
cups. Sometimes a nose appeared between the
Phidias (488-431 BCE) eyes, but the painter of this cup drew boxers,
Phidias is generally regarded as one of perhaps to celebrate the winner of a local match.
the greatest sculptors of Classical Antiquity, and
The Dying Gaul (c. 230-220 BCE) by Epigonus. other hand, is a technique in which the colors are
This depicted a typical example of the mixed with wax, applied to the surface, and then
expressive nature of Hellenistic sculptures. The `burnt in' with a red-hot rod. Encaustic was more
figure was of a Gaul, as was evident from his durable than tempera, though more laborious,
haircut and the ring around his neck, otherwise and had some of the richness of tone of oil
referred to as a “torque”. He appears caught in painting, a medium unknown to the Greeks.
the process of dying, which is shown in his
posture and broken sword next to him. What 6. Art Movement
makes this sculpture so unique is that it captures
a moment of death, inevitably evoking emotions A. Classical Antiquity
in the viewer that stir the feelings of defeat and
hopelessness. The term Antiquity was first used by Renaissance
writers who distinguished between Antiquity, the
5. Innovations and Techniques Middle Ages and the more recent times they were
living in. It can refer to any period before c.500
Greek innovations in art are perhaps seen AD, but usually refers to Classical Antiquity that
most clearly in figure sculpture. Previous and specifically means the civilizations of Ancient
contemporary ancient cultures had represented Greece and Rome.
the human figure in a simple standing and rather
static pose so that the people represented often Classical Antiquity begins with the period of the
looked as lifeless as the stone from which they writing of Homer's Illiad c.800 BC to the decline of
were carved. Greek sculptors, though, inched the Western Roman Empire c.500 AD. It is the
towards a more dynamic result. In the Archaic achievements in literature, drama, art,
period the stance becomes a little more relaxed, architecture, philosophy and science from this
the elbows a little more bent and both tension and period that form the basis of our Western
movement are thus suggested. By the Classical Civilization even to this day.
period statues have broken away from all
convention and become sensuous, writhing 7. Influences and Relevance
figures that seem about to jump off the plinth.
Greek sculpture and art, in general, began a ➢ Art
preoccupation with proportion, poise, and the
idealized perfection of the human body that was One of the many fields in which ancient Greece
continued by the Romans and would go on to has had a deep influence is art. The first to
influence Renaissance art and many sculptors develop the concept of aesthetic beauty, ancient
thereafter. Greeks created spectacular sculptures that have
inspired artists from the Renaissance until today.
Furthermore, Greek mythology was a major
Contrapposto Technique source of inspiration for many European painters,
Greek sculptures revolutionized the which depicts the many tales and myths in their
representation of the human form, capturing a works.
sense of realism and dynamic movement. One
notable technique employed by Greek sculptors Example: Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss,
was the contrapposto stance. This technique Antonio Canova (first version 1787–1793),
involved placing the weight of the body on one leg Louvre, Paris |
while the other relaxed, resulting in a more
natural and lifelike pose. This innovative
➢ Architecture
approach to sculpture set the stage for the
exploration of movement and anatomical
Ancient Greek architecture has influenced many
accuracy.
architectural styles of today. The use of columns
and pediments for example, is a direct legacy
from ancient Greece and is omnipresent in
Tempera and Encaustic
modern-day public buildings, such as parliament
In painting wood and marble, tempera and
buildings, museums and even memorials. Come
encaustic techniques are used. Tempera (also
to think of it, the use of architecture as an art
called egg tempera) was a method of painting
form, more than a utilitarian science, comes from
that superseded the encaustic painting method,
ancient Greek culture and is visible in
only to be itself replaced by oil painting. Tempera
constructions like the Acropolis of Athens or the
employs an emulsion of water, egg yolks or whole
sanctuary of Delphi.
eggs (occasionally with a little glue, honey or
milk) to bind color pigments.Encaustic, on the
Example: The Parthenon, Nashville, United ● Human Sculpture
States ● Democracy
● Jury System
➢ Literature ● Mechanical Devices
● Mathematical Reasoning
As far as literature is concerned, the ancient ● Geometry
● Medicine
Greeks were the first to create complex
● Olympic Games
literature, which still influences us to this day. ● Philosophy
One of the oldest literature styles is poetry, ● Astronomy
and more specifically, epic poetry, mostly ● Science
used to depict the story of a hero. The oldest ● Theatre
surviving epic poetry works are the Iliad and
the Odyssey, written by Homer, roughly
around 800 BC. But it was mostly during the 9. Legacy and Revival
Classical era that ancient Greek literature
blossomed with new styles emerging such as Examples of Greek Era Revival:
history. It was Herodotus, a man who lived in
the 5th-century BC, who first started ❖ Architecture in Greek - the Old
Royal Palace now the home of the
researching and collecting historical archives
Parliament of Greece, the
to compile them into a narrative. In Academy and University of Athens,
philosophy, the works of Plato, Aristotle and the Zappeion, and the sNational
Socrates have influenced the establishment Library of Greece. The most
of modern ethics and Hippocrates wrote prominent architects in this style
medical essays that are still read in medical were northern Europeans such as
schools. Christian and Theophil Hansen
and Ernst Ziller and German-
8. Critiques and Controversies trained Greeks such as Stamatios
Kleanthis and Panagis
During times the arts faced various criticisms and Kalkos.
controversies that had an impact, on the art
scene; ❖ Greek Temples - Temples would
be destroyed due to warfare in the
A. One criticism revolves around the Greek World or from lack of
portrayal of nudity in art with some viewing repairs. Some of these temples
it as inappropriate or immoral. such as the temple of Poseidon
B. Another controversy arises from the Soter (The Savior) would be rebuilt
idealized representation of figures leading outside of Athens after the defeat
to debates about realism versus of the Persian Empire in 449 BCE.
idealism in art. From the 3rd century BCE onward,
C. The use of mythology and religious the construction of large temples
themes also drew criticism as some became less common; after a
believed it perpetuated superstition or short 2nd century BCE flourish, it
challenged established beliefs. ceased nearly entirely in the 1st
D. The influence of politics was a point of century BCE. Thereafter, only
contention with artworks often serving as smaller structures were started,
propaganda tools for rulers or city states. while older temples continued to
E. Gender disparities were evident in art, be renovated or brought to
where male subjects received more completion if in an unfinished
attention than female figures. state.
F. There were debates surrounding
innovation versus adherence to styles
and techniques. 10. Key Takeaways
Here are just some of the ways ancient Greeks
inventions have uniquely contributed to world ★ Greek art spans several distinct
culture, many of which are still going strong eras, each contributing significantly
today: to the broader tapestry of art
● Columns history.
● Stadiums
★ The Geometric period (900-700
BCE) marked the early stages,
characterized by abstract
geometric motifs on pottery. The
significance lies in its transitional
role, paving the way for more
intricate artistic expressions.
★ The Archaic period (700-480 BCE)
witnessed the evolution of stylized
human figures in sculpture,
particularly in the kouros and kore
statues.
★ This era set the foundation for
classical ideals of beauty and
proportion, showcasing a
newfound emphasis on realism.
The pinnacle of Greek art,
however, arrived with the Classical
period (480-323 BCE), epitomized
by the Parthenon sculptures and
the works of renowned sculptors
like Phidias. Here, the emphasis
on harmony, balance, and
idealized forms reached its zenith,
influencing generations of artists
across cultures.
★ The Hellenistic period (323-31
BCE) marked a departure,
introducing emotional intensity,
dynamic compositions, and diverse
subject matter. Greek art's
enduring significance lies in its
profound impact on Western art,
serving as a timeless reference
point for aesthetic principles and
sparking a dialogue that continues
to resonate in the ever-evolving
landscape of artistic expression.