Greek Art

21 Pages 5285 Words

I Greek Art
INTRODUCTION
Greek Art and Architecture is the product of Greece and the Greek colonies from about 1100 BC to the 1st century BC. It has its roots in Aegean civilization, but its unique qualities have made it one of the strongest influences on subsequent Western art.

Greek art is characterized by the representation of living beings. It is concerned both with formal proportion and with the dynamics of action and emotion. Its primary subject matter is the human figure, which is also the form of the divine; monsters, animals, and plants are secondary. The chief themes are from myth, literature, and daily life.
Few undamaged originals of Greek architecture or large sculpture remain, and no large Greek paintings have survived. An abundance of pottery vases, coins, jewelry, and gems have survived, however, and along with Etruscan tomb paintings, these give some indication of the characteristics of Greek art. These treasures are supplemented by literary sources. Such travelers as the Roman author Pliny the Elder and the Greek geographer Pausanias saw many works that have since perished, and their writings give much information about the artists and their creations.

Architecture, painting, and large sculpture up to about 320 BC had primarily a public function, being employed to produce religious objects and to commemorate important secular events, such as athletic victories. The major arts were used by private individuals only to decorate tombs. Decorative arts, however, were chiefly for private use. The average household contained a number of well-made painted terra-cotta vases, and some wealthier households had bronze vessels and mirrors. Many terra-cotta and bronze utensils incorporated small figures and reliefs.
Greek architects usually worked in marble or limestone, using wood and tile for roofs. Sculptors carved marble and limestone, modeled clay, and cast works in bronze. Large votive statues were made of hammered...