Art and Architecture of the Ancient World

1. Art and Architecture of the Ancient World

2. Paleolithic Period • Venus of Willendorf (20,000 B.C.)*35 • Found in Austria • Fertility symbol • Exaggeration of human form • Lascaux Cave Paintings (15,000 B.C.)*cp8 • Discovered by children in France • Stylized figures of animals • Expressive lines and subtle colors • Colors created by iron ore

3. Ancient Egypt • Art inspired by religion • Images of gods • Pyramids—feats of engineering and artistry* • Sphinx sculptures • Combine human and animal characteristics • Great Sphinx at Giza—King Khafre/lion* • Post and lintel* • Two or more vertical columns supporting a horizontal beam • Obelisk • Slender, tapered, square shaft surmounted by a pyramid • Sculpture • Generalizations of human bodies and faces • Rigid poses • Mycerinus and his Queen (2599-1571 B.C.)*

4. Art Epochs of Ancient Greece • Archaic Age (1000-800 B.C.) • Lyric Age (800-500 B.C.) • Lyric poetry flourished • Realism in art • Golden Age (500-400 B.C.) • Major developments in drama, architecture, sculpture, and music • Hellenistic Age (325-100 B.C.) • Decadent, dramatic art

5. Golden Age • Brought about by end of Persian War • Wealth allowed for artistic patronage • Art offered as homage to the gods who granted their victory • Pericles’ influence • Made Athens the cultural and artistic center • Construction of buildings on the Acropolis, including the Parthenon*44, cp10 • Athenian society • Sought to live beautifully and happily • Master the world through knowledge and logic • Little interest in life after death; did not dwell on grief and suffering • Art commemorated the life of the dead

6. Sculpture • Images of physical perfection • Statues of gods used proportions of the human form • Not modeled after real people • Praxiteles • One of the foremost artists of the Golden Age • Hermes with the Infant Dionysus*52 • Closed form—a solid overall form, with little or no penetration into the surrounding space • All action centered toward middle • Child is reaching for something—grapes? • Lysippus • Aphrodite*54 • Closed form • Classical proportions of body • Balanced • Nike of Samothrace (200-1900 B.C.)*56 • Hellenistic • Forward movement suggested by the position of the body and draping of the fabric • Laocoon and His Two Sons 1st-2nd century A.D.)*57 • Strangled by serpents sent by Athena—retalliation for his resisting the use of Trojan horse • Dynamic lines, expressive faces

7. Architecture*46 • Employed post and lintel construction • Stylobate • Platform at the base of the structure • Column • Vertical support for the roof • Entablature • Horizontal structure above columns • Cornice • Freize • Architrave • Pediment • Triangular space extending from cornice to roof

8. Columns*47 • Parts • Base • Shaft—some fluted, some not • Capital—top; decorative elements varied • Doric • Associated with mainland Greece • No base • Fluted shaft • Capital is plain • Ionic • Associated with Ionia • Slender fluted shaft • Capital features volutes—scroll-like pattern • Corinthian • Associated with Corinth • Slender fluted shaft • Ornate capital features acanthus leaves