Ancient Greece Tribes first settled in Greece in

Ancient Greece Tribes first settled in Greece in 3, 000 B. C. E.

Geography of Greece • • Mountainous peninsula, rugged terrain Numerous islands Sea serves as a mode of travel and trade Mediterranean Climate – Dry summer, wet winter • Difficult for most types agriculture • Great for olives, grapes, barley

Aegean Art Greek art is also called Aegean art because of the Aegean Sea. The following are three main cultures of Ancient Greece: –Cycladic Art –Minoan Art –Mycenean Art

Cycladic Art: 2, 600 – 1, 100 B. C. E. Cyclades: a collection of thirty tiny islands in the Aegan Sea No writing from this time has been discovered so the exact meaning behind their work cannot be determined. Little art has been discovered from this time. Mainly sculptures and vases survived.

Fine white marble was readily available on these islands and was used for almost every sculpture.

Statues found ranged from life-sized to 1 inch in height. Women remained the largest source of inspiration for . works of art and out numbered all other subjects by about 20 to 1.

The Cyladic artists used paint and pigments to add jewelery, facial features, body paint and other decoration to their works in an attempt to more accurately depict "real life. " Time has worn away those artistic flourishes, leaving only the clean marble of the Cycladic idols and the illusion of abstract simplicity

Minoan: 2700 -1450 BCE – Named after the legendary king Minos – Located on the island of Crete • Wealth was a result of trade with other towns in Objects of Minoan manufacture suggest there was a network of trade with mainland Greece (notably Mycenae), Cyprus, Syria, Anatolia, Egypt, Mesopotamia, and westward as far as the coast of Spain. – Sudden destruction • Natural disaster OR invasion

Minoan Art: emphasis on depicting nature and events - instead of rulers and deities. Minoan artists typically portrayed animals, flowers, landscapes, marine life, and scenes of people.

Minoan Art • Large wall frescos • Tiny terracotta or fiaence figurines • Ceramics • Stone carvings – Aside from the frescos, the Minoans mostly created miniature works of art.

Frescos: • The walls and even ceilings of many of the Minoan palaces were decorated with large, oversized frescoes. • The subjects of the paintings were depicted in bright and vibrant colors.

The bull was regarded by Minoans as a sacred animal Mural found at Knossos (acrobat leaping over a bull). Showing Humans in profile was adapted from Egyptian art.

Early Minoan pottery was created using hand building using slabs or coils to build up the form.

Once the Greeks were introduced to the potter’s wheel, their shapes became more dramatic and sophisticated.

The walls were often wafer thin and a small foot ring was popular

Figurines: • Figurines were usually intended votives which are offerings that are buried without the intention of discovery or use. They were often intended to gain favor from the Gods. • Because votives were buried, hundreds of examples survived. • Made out of clay, stone, or fiaence.

Fiaence is a glaze made primarily of crushed quartz. Most figurines were women. Snake Goddess, from the palace at Knossos (Crete), Greece, ca. 1600 BCE

Mycenaean Art: 3, 000 – 1, 050 B. C. E. v. Legendary king of Agamemnon. v. Famous poet: Homer v. Overlapped with the Minoan period as Crete (Minoans) was declining the Mycenaeans on the mainland were rising. v. Trade with the Minoans was fruitful for the Myceneans and much of their culture was gleaned off those from Crete (the Minoans).

Minoans vs. Mycenaeans: The Mycenean society was monarchical and the king amassed great wealth from which the people did not prosper like they did in the Minoan society. In addition, the king was comparable to a warlord and they were always ready for battle. The Mycenean art therefore reflected hunting and war. In contrast, the Minoans surrounded themselves with delicate art that reflected a joyous life.

They went looking for trouble… • The Hitites and Egyptians had them in their records as invaders. • After the collapse of the Minoan society (perhaps due to a series of earthquakes) they conquered Crete and other Aegean islands. • Their most famous raid was that of Troy.

They also went looking for trade: They traded with: ü The Egyptians ü Crete (The Minoans) ü Asia Minor They traded: ü Raw Goods üOil üAnimal skins

Mycenaean Art v. Large wall frescos v. Ceramics vfigurines

Frescos • Repetition of certain frescos indicate that they probably used pattern books. • Like the Minoans, marine animals decorate the floor whereas people and activities decorate the walls.

Mycenaean hunting fresco from pylos: The Mycenaean frescos sometimes included more violent subject matter than the Minoans who rarely depicted a hunting scene.

This Bull’s head was used as a ritual sprinkler. The Mycaeans were very much Inspired by Minoan subject matter.

The mask of Agamemnon, Mycenae

Ceramics: • In the 14 th and 13 th centuries B. C. E, they began to export their ceramics to Egypt and as far west as Italy and Sicily. • However, with the decline of the Minoan civilization, there is also a decline in the Mycenaean’s attempt at quality and artistic imagination.

Minoan figurines Mycenean Figurines 16 th century B. C. E. 14 th century B. C. E.

What is incredible about this period though is the quality of the pot itself. This is the work Of a craftsman. The art of drawing and decoration had been lost but the technique of pottery making and firing remains high.

12 th century B. CE. The rhythms of plant and animal life are gone, instead are stiff and stylized drawings of chariots, horses and armed men bristling with helmets, spears and daggers.

1, 200 B. C. E. • Threat from foreign invaders • Attempted to revive their culture and build huge defensive walls around major towns. • Cities were being abandoned and destroyed • By 1, 050 B. C. E. Greece went into a dark age and the Myceneans were completely wiped out.

Vase painting: • Gods and heroes of Greek myths • Warfare and social events

Archaic Period: • Followed Greece’s dark age • The Archaic period was the precursor to Classical Greek art. • Occurred between 750 and 480 B. C. E. • Considered to be a great age in vase painting.

Black-figure technique approximately 620 to 480 B. C. E. • The first ceramic vessels made • Black forms on red clay. • Black glaze was painted over the vessel and the details were scratched out to reveal the red clay hidden beneath.

525 – 500 B. C. E. Inscribed with the words "from the games at Athens. " This Jar was a prize for an Olympic game called Pankration, which was a combination of wrestling and boxing. The goal was to bring the opponent to the ground. A tainer stood by to make sure the rules were being followed. Only biting and eye gouging were against the rules.

525 – 520 B. C. E. : Achilles and Ajax playing a dice game. The vase is by Anodokides.

550 -530 B. C. E. Two women are working the loom. Weights tied to the ends hold it taut. The woman on the left pushes the thread, and the other separates the threads with a rod. The making of textiles was one of the most important occupations for women in ancient Greece. A woman would manufacture the clothing worn by her family, as well as other household textiles. Fine weaving skills were testimony to a woman's industriousness and value. A good weaver was considered to be an attractive woman, as well as a good wife

540 -530 B. C. E. Depicts a scene from Homer’s thirteenth book of the Illiad

Red-Figure technique Invented in Athens around 530 B. C. , possibly by the potter Andokides and his workshop. Gradually replaced the black-figure technique. Painting the negative space and adding fine details to the figure was easier than carving them. Better suited for details, and therefore, it was best for more natural anatomy, garments, and emotion.

530 B. C. E. Vase signed by Anodokides. Painter unknown. One of the earliest examples of red figure clay.

440 B. C. E.

Theseus and the Minotaur 460 B. C. E.

Stop here.

Minoan architecture: Graceful, beautiful, colorful They used native stone + clay, timber used for reinforcement The cities were unfortified with paved roads.

The windows let in light, but could not be seen through Multistoried palaces with many rooms + passages.

Knossos Palace: The most famous Minoan Palace Knossos was the Minoans capital 150, 000 square feet

- Built for King Minos - Housed more than 1, 000 interlocking rooms. - some rooms served as bathrooms with functioning toilets + running water which was carried through clay pipes. -There was also a sanitation system that featured an elaborate scheme of drains and pipes. -

- Sir Arthur Evans, who first excavated the remains at Knossos beginning in 1900, gave them the name Minoans, convinced that had found the origin of the minotaur myth.

Illustration of Knossos

Inside were colorful wall frescos

Throne of King Minos Frescos were often placed in accordance with where it would be found in nature. Marine life would decorate the floor, nature and people on the walls, and birds on the ceilings.

At the time Knossos was discovered it was common to create frescoes by painting on wet plaster of Paris and embedding pieces of the original into it. This helps to preserve the pieces and present it as it may have been presented.

Artist recreation

Some theorize that the fresco pieces found on the floor were not from the wall but the floor above which fell down. What do you think? Why?

Mycenaean Architecture • Originally shared many characteristics with the Minoans. • Characteristic features: – – – – the Megaron The citadel the use of extremely large blocks of stone large fortification walls built around the cities corbel vaulting Tholos tombs Engineered roadways and waterworks

Cyclopean architecture Many of the Mycenaean constructions utilized stone blocks of an enormous size. Some of the blocks are the size of a small truck! The use of such boulders in the construction of city walls testifies to the engineering superiority of the Mycenaeans at moving unbelievably heavy loads and fitting together large stones with a great deal of precision. The later Greeks were so impressed by the walls built by the Mycenaeans, that they could not believe that humans constructed them. They thought that the giant Cyclopes must have built them. Thus, this type of architecture got its common name, Cyclopean architecture

Mycenaean Palaces: - sprawling buildings usually located at the center of the fortified citadel - Within the palace complex residential space, storerooms and workshops were arranged around the central megaron - Most were probably two-storied, but in all cases the second story has not survived and must be hypothesized from stairways.

Pylos: The most thoroughly excavated palace is that of Pylos. The site is one of the few Mycenaean cities that was left despite being in rubble. The walls, floors and ceilings of its megaron were covered in frescoes of bright colors.

Citadel: fortified city

The Citadel (1350 – 1200 B. C. E) The citadel of Mycenae was probably the greatest and the largest of all the Mycenaean cities. The fortified wall surrounding the city was built up in progressive stages with the last section completed only a short time before the city was abandoned. The city walls were tall, incredibly thick, and were made of several ton boulders.

Aerial view and reconstructed view of the citadel Located on the top of a hill, the city was meant to take the fullest advantage of the natural defenses.

Megaron: Minoan palaces were built around a large open courtyard, however, the Mycenaeans preferred an indoor hall called a megaron at the center of their palaces. Smoke from the hearth was allowed to escape through an opening in the roof. The ceiling was held up by four columns that were evenly spaced. Across from the entrance way a throne would be situated against the wall.

Reconstructed drawing of the Megaron at Pylos The megaron was a central chamber which was considered to function as the audience chamber for the royals.

The Citadel’s Lion Gate The 'Lion Gate of Mycenae, is one of the few examples of a decorated entranceway to the Citadel. The space above the lintel is filled with a sculptured image of two lions on either side of a Minoan style column.

The triangle was meant to relieve the pressure from the weight of the arch similar to a keystone which distributes the force of the weight laterally. This entrance is an excellent example of cyclopean architecture combined with a corbelled arch.

Corbel vaulting: corbel vaulting. This technique is often used to lighten the weight above doorways. The corbel vault is created by arranging each successive course of stones slightly more into the space, until a single stone can be placed over the top of the triangular arch.

How is the Lion’s gate bridge an example of a corbel arch?

Corbel or False arch True arch Corbeled arches were more efficient than the post and lintel, but were not entirely selfsupporting structures, Thus they are sometimes called a "false arch. “ Corbel arches require significantly thickened walls to counteract the effects of gravity, which otherwise would tend to collapse each side of the archway inwards

Tombs The tombs of the Mycenaeans are famous for their unique construction and, of course, the amazing riches that were found in many of them. The first style of tomb popular on the mainland was the shaft grave. a deep burial pit, rectangular in shape, dug straight down into the ground with heavy logs place on top.

120 foot Dromos to the Treasury of Atreus (Tomb of Agamemnon)

Dromos means entrance or passageway

Tholos tombs These tombs are known throughout Greece during the Bronze Age and are easily recognized by their beehive shape created by corbel vaulting of a round building. The most famous of these tholos tombs (and largest) by far is the so-called Treasury of Atreus The stonework of the tholos is very much influenced by Egyptian masonry techniques. There are 9 at Mycenae. Gold death masks, weapons, and jewelry were at the royal burial sites similar to Egyptian practice. 200 B. C. E.

Mycenaean vs. Egyptian tombs: • Egypt’s Pyramid age ended 700 years before Mycenaean tombs (tholos) were created. • Similarities: – 1. Corbeled arch roof – 2. Mycenean mound that led to a central chamber underground just like the pyramids. – Buried the royalty with their belongings

Greek art periods: • Geometric • Archaic (800 – 480 B. C. E. ) • Classical (480 -300 B. C. E) • Hellenistic (300 -100 B. C. E)

Archaic Period (800 – 500 B. C. E. ) During this period sculptures on pedestals lined temple entranceways or marked graves. The typical statue was of either a male or female figure assuming a rather stiff pose. They are always featured with an Archaic smile and are not meant to represent anyone in particular but to embody the soul of femaleness and maleness.

The statues show the influence of Egyptian art in its stiffness, gracefulness, and idealization. But the artists weren't quite comfortable with achieving naturalism yet. The archaic smile, outstretched palm, clenched fist, and wooden posture of a striding figure all stylistic devices that compensate for an inability to portray a figure in realistic full action during this emerging stage of naturalism.

Kouroi "young men" representing gods, warriors, and athletes.

Korai The female statues are called korai and depict clothed priestesses, goddesses, and nymphs.

Classical Greek Sculpture: Characterized by freedom of movement, natural anatomy, solemn intellectual expressions, and different approaches were taken to each sculpture.

Greece reached its peak in Athens in the 5 th century B. C. E. In the 5 th century BC, Athens was the center of the Greek classical world. Athens controlled a large trading empire, Democracy grew in Athens, and the city was a magnet for the greatest writers, artists, and thinkers of the age.

Pericles even said… "Great indeed are the signs and symbols of our power. Future generations will wonder at us as the world wonders at us now. "

In the art of Greece during the Classical period the characteristic smile of the Archaic sculpture is replaced by a solemn facial expression. Even in sculptures which depict violent and passionate scenes the faces betray no expression; however, their enemies have dramatic facial expressions. Ancient Greeks believed that suppression of the emotions is a noble characteristic of all civilized men, while the public display of human emotion is a sign of barbarism. Logic and reason are the dominant human qualities even during the most dramatic situations.

The most famous Ancient Greek sculptors are: Myron, Phidias, Polyclitus, Praxiteles, Scopas, and Lysippus. Praxiteles, Aphrodite

Most of their work has been lost except as it survives in Roman and later copies. Roman copy of Myron’s, Discus Thrower, marble, 400 B. C. E.

Polyclitus Spear Bearer Polyclitus developed a theoretical work that discusses ideal mathematical proportions for the parts of the humanbody known as the his “Canon, ” where he proposed a dynamic counterbalance—between the relaxed and tensed body parts and the directions in which the parts move. In Greece this concept was called symmetria,

Contrapposto stance: The principle of weight shift in the visual arts. Contrapposto figures are depicted in a relaxed stance, one leg weight -bearing, the other bent, the torso slightly shifted off axis. The stance is also sometimes described as an “S-Curve. ”

The statue of Zeus at Olympia: The statue ook the sculptor Phidias 12 years to complete and is 40 feet tall. Visitors from around the ancient world flocked to see its spendlor. It was probably made out of wood for the base and covered in sheets of ivory for the skin and gold for the robe. Took up an entire wall.

One hand held a small statue of Nike and the other held an eagle-topped scepter. His head was crowned with an olive wreath, and sandals on his feet. In front of the statue, Phidias placed a shallow pool of oil, to prevent the ivory from eroding in the humidity. The sculptor lasted for about 800 years, and the cause of its destruction is heavily debated, but it is suggested that it was either detroyed by a fire or earthquake around 500 A. D.

Scopas created many of reliefs at the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus

Relief Sculptures The earliest examples of reflief sculptures were found in Egypt, European caves, and Sumeria. Relief sculptures can not be viewed “in the round. ” They can not be viewed from all sides because they are a raised design fixed to a flat surface. Reliefs can be considered as low (shallow reliefs) or high reliefs.

Possible Scopas reliefs

Roman copy of Heracles by Lysippus

Hellenistic period (300 -100 B. C. E) This style began after the death of Alexander the Great in 323 B. C. E This period enhanced upon classical characteristics to add: ü A greater sense of movement ü Heightened theatrics and story-telling ü Larger groupings of figures in action ü Facial expressions based upon inner emotions ü Reality vs. perfection ü Sensualilty as a common theme: Many statues of Venus and nude females. ü Greater attention was paid to all aspects of the story-telling

The Dying Gaul (230 -220 BCE)by the sculptor Epigonos. Stone Roman copy of the Bronze Greek version Most art preceeding this period was created almost solely for the glorification of man and it’s accomplishments. It exalted particular individuals such as emperors and worshipped the Gods.

This man is a trumpeter who has collapsed from injury. There is a gash on his chest gushing blood; he is dying. The muscles in his body are relaxed, his face tense and agonizing.

The Nike of Samothrace 220 -190 BCE v. One of the most celebrated sculptures in the world v. Housed at the Louvre in France v. Nike was the symbol for victory

The statue is of the Goddess Nike who has just landed on the bow of a ship. Her right arm would have been raised in victory.

The bottom was meant to reflect the boat’s image in the water.

The Seated Boxer (100 -50 BCE) Original Greek cast bronze

The boxer appears to be very old and battered. He may even be looking at the opponent who just defeated him. Despite his age he is still respected and clearly he still retains his strength and poise, his muscles are still very toned.

The other details here also quite revealing of his life and trials boxing. His nose is broken, as are his teeth, he also has what is commonly referred to as "cauliflower ear". His face is scarred from the leather thongs used to protect his skin.

Gallic Chieftain Killing Himself and His Wife (230 -220 BCE), This sculpture shows and chieftain from Gual, who, following the demise of defeat; chooses suicide over surrendering to his enemies and kills his wife to spare her being sold into slavery.

Aphrodite, Eros, and Pan 100 B. C. E. Marble Aphrodite keeps Pan (who is being encouraged by Eros) at a distance using a sandal.

Old Market Woman (150 BCE - 100 BCE). Preceeding this era all Greek art consisted of beautiful pieces of the young, strong, attractive and powerful. But this piece shows something quite the polar opposite of the norm and is very characteristic of this age. Here we see a woman wrinkled, tattered, bent with age and her spirit broken.

Loacoon and his sons Laocoon was a Trojan priest who was attacked and punished by gods favoring the Greeks because he warned the Trojans against allowing the famous Trojan horse into the city. He was attacked by sea snakes while performing A sacrifice at the altar of Neptune.

Greek Architecture: The Greeks followed a strict system of proportions: Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian • The Doric order was the oldest and typically found in Mainland Greece. • The Ionic order was more widespread in Asia Minor and the Aegan. • The Corinthian style developed much later and was not used all that commonly.

Doric Order The doric order was the most simple of the three columns. The capital was plain and the column had no base. Tapered at the top to appear straight at a distance.

Ionic Order • Taller than doric columns: appeared more slender. • Flutes: vertical lines carved into the shaft. • Entasis: The column had a slight bulge to make the column look even when seen from a distance at eye level. • The capital included a scroll. • Base looked like stacked rings.

Corinthian Order Most decorative of all the orders Entasis to make the shafts look straight. The Corinthian capitals have flowers and leaves below a small scroll. The shaft has flutes and the base is like the Ionian. Unlike the Doric and Ionian cornices, which are at a slant, the Corinthian roofs are flat.

The search for perfection: The Greeks were constantly analyzing the relationships between columns, windows, doorways, and other elements to find pleasing dimensions that were in harmony with nature and the human body.

The Golden Ratio: 1. 61803 39887 49894 84820… Sound familiar? To the Greeks the Golden Ratio (or mean) was consider to be the most pleasing ratio for architecture when applied to the length and width of the arcitectural base. The ratio was name “Phi” by the Greeks after Phidias.

Phidias sculptued many of the Friezes surrounding Parthenon in Athens Greece. Oddly, even the spaces between the columns on the Parthenon form Golden Rectangles.

But… some say that the Golden Ratio was known and used as early at 2, 500 B. C. E… The pyramid of Giza

Somebody with a lot of time on their hands discovered that the individual florets of the daisy and sunflower grow in two spirals extending out from the center. The first spiral has 21 arms, while the other has 34. Do these numbers sound familiar? They should - they are Fibonacci numbers! And their ratio, of course, is the Golden Ratio.

The process of the growing plant follows the Fibonacci numbers, from the first shoot, to the two shoots, three shoots, and five shoots, and eight shoots, and on.

Many artists who lived after Phidias have used this proportion. Leonardo called it the "divine proportion" and featured it in many of his paintings. The Mona Lisa is an example of a painting which incorporates the Golden Ratio.

Temples: • In Greece, each temple was devoted to a God, or a different aspect of a God, who might be honored with several temples in the same city. • Temples would be arranged on a fortified hilltop known as the Acropolis, which means “City-on-the-height, ” in Greek.

The Acropolis: There are many Acropolises all over Greece, however, the one located in Athens is the most spectacular and well-known. It is therefore often called “The Acropolis. ”

Reconstructed image Greek temples were always designed in perfect symmetry, however, they were often placed in relationship to each other at odd angles to take advantage of the natural landscape and its views.

The Parthenon: • The largest temple in the Acropolis. • Built from 447 -438 during Pericles reign which is called “The Golden Age. ” Designed by the architects Ictinus and Callicrates. • At the time is was built Greece was divided into three city-states. The two most powerful were Athens and Sparta.

The Parthenon is considered to be the supreme example of classical architecture.

The Parthenon was built to honor Athenia who was the patron goddess of Athens. Inside was a sculpture of her by the artist Phidias. This is an artist’s reconstruction of what the 43 foot high statue might have looked like.

The Parthenon is of the Doric order, which means that it not only had doric columns, but the floor plan that was associated with it was also specifically doric. However, the Parthenon was revolutionary to Greek art at the time because it also included 4 Ionic columns supporting the center of the Parthenon and the continuous freize surrounding the inside walls is an Ionic concept.

The high relief that surrounds the Parthenon was completed by the sculptor Phidias. The Parthenon’s friezes are considered to be some of the most superior works of art history. Many of these sculptures were taken to Britain in the 19 th century as payment for Britain’s help in winning and maintaining their independence from Turkey. The sculptures are known as the Elgin Marbles and Greece has desperately been trying to retrieve them from Britain.

Over the years, the Parthenon was often adapted to serve different purposes and that meant that its appearance was also adapted in the process. This is what the Parthenon would have looked like with all art in tact.

The Erechtheion Construction began in 420 and its purpose was to hold religious practices and ceremonies

A caryatid: is a sculpted female figure serving as an architectural support taking the place of a column or a pillar supporting an entablature on her head.

The origin of the caryatids is unknown.