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Explore the rich legacy of Ancient Greek artists from 1100-200 BC, including their depictions on Amphora, Kylix, Kouros, Kore, and more. Learn about their innovative styles and the evolution of Greek art through various periods.
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The Artist as Creator Ancient Greece 1100-200 BC
New Vocabulary: Amphora Kylix Foreshortening Kouros Kore Votive Pediment Treasury
known through 3 sources:monuments themselves, Roman copies, and literary sources- these often conflict • first people to write at length about their own artists- later collected by the Romans- through this writing, we know what Greeks thought were their greatest achievements in architecture, sculpture and painting • “humans into gods and gods into humans” • Humans are the “measure of all things”- lead to democracy, contributions in art, literature, and science- this idea originated with Greece • Greeks remained divided into small city-states(the polis) but united themselves for all-Greek Olympics- celebrated Greek culture despite differences • Rivalry between states stimulated the growth of ideas • Eventually the rivalry helped bring an end to the Greek civilization (Athens v. Sparta in the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC)
The Geometric Period- • The beginning of Greek art, found in painted pottery and small scale sculpture • Began around 776 BC, at the time of the founding of the Olympic games • Artists established different categories of shapes of ceramic vessels- • -amphora - two- handled vase used to carry wine and oil • -kylix- wide, flat vessel, designs painted on the inside
Dipylon Vase- grave monument- • done in remembrance rather than to appease the soul of the dead • the deceased is lying in state, other figures are in mourning, in a funeral procession • Contains no reference to an afterlife • After life was colorless and ill-defined-souls were passive, did not make demands upon the living • Geometric style is not a continuation of the Mycenaens- totally new, primitive style • Emergence of Greek tradition of story-telling Dipylon Vase, 8th Century BC
Orientalizing style-- • Influence from Egypt and Near East (through trade) • 7th C. BC- Greek art absorbed many Oriental ideas and motifs • Geometric shapes confined to foot and handles • New curvilinear motifs appear • Animals taken from Near Eastern Art • Narrative is much more important • narratives came from Greek myths and legends- mixed local Doric and Ionic deities into the pantheon of Olympian gods and Homeric sagas • Oriental lions and monsters- represented the unknown forces of fate faced by Greek heroes • This shows the blinding of the giant Polyphemus by Odysseus- has dramatic force Eleusis Amphora 675-650 BC
A Vase Painter and Assistants, Crowned by Athena, 450 BC Archaic Vase Painting
Archaic Period lasted from the later 7th C. To 480 BC • Before this, architecture was made from wood- only foundations remain- new style means we don’t know what these first buildings looked like • Most important new idea- the desire to build and sculpt in stone- the desire for permanence-but vase painting remained continuous evolution • Vase painting is unique in that most pottery is not considered art, but rather craft- not reproducible - Archaic vases were smaller- no longer used as grave monuments • Vase Painter (450 BC) - shows the importance of the artist, shows the earliest depiction of a female artist • After the 6th century, the best vases have artist signatures- became well known for their personal style • Archaic painting was drawing filled in with solid, flat color
Black-Figured style- • Entire design is silhouetted in back against reddish clay • Details are scratched in with a needle • White and purple added to make areas stand out • Has spare elegance of form Exekias, Dionysus in a Boat, Kylix 540 BC
Red-figured style • Gradually replaced black-figured style around 500 BC • Done in brush- able to show overlapping and foreshortening, precise detail • Also able to build up glaze to create depth The Foundry Painter, Lapith and Centaur, c.490-480 BC
Very expressive brushwork- • limbs under drapery, more delicate strokes • Has signature of painter and potter Douris, Eos and Memnon c.490-480 BC
Archaic Sculpture • Rise in monumental sculpture around 650 BC- probably based on visits to Egypt- there were colonies of Greeks in Egypt • early sculpture similar to Egyptians- • More primitive than Egyptian statues • Innovative-truly free-standing- Egyptian sculptures had stone between legs • Not a question of technique but of artistic intention! Daedalus- “skillful one”-legendary artist who was a great sculptor and was said to have built the labyrinth in Crete and the temple at Memphis in Egypt- every piece of Archaic art was attributed to him before recorded names Kouros c 600BC
Kore- Maiden • Always clothed • Kouros- Youth • Always nude • Produced in large numbers during the Archaic Period • Were originally painted • Used first as votive and funerary statues • Not many varieties- most looked similar despite the artist • Neither gods or mortals, but the ideal of physical perfection in both • Similar dynamic to vase painting • Kroisos shows innovations over the first Kouros much like the innovations in vase painting
Votive figure representing the donor with the sacrificial animal • But this is not a portrait-shows a type • Animal and man form an X • Beard indicates a man of maturity • Cloak fits body like a second skin • Facial gestures rather than mask-like quality- called the “Archaic smile” • No psychological meaning and it fades out by 500 BC Calf-Bearer c.570 BC
Archaic Smile • Richly textured beard and hair • Most beautiful Kouros of the time Rampin Head c.560 BC
Kore types vary more than Kouros • Reflects changing dress styles • flowing fabric- very column-like • Fabric forms a separate layer over the body • More organic treatment of hair • Full, round face, more natural Hera from Samos 570-560 BC Kore in Dorian Peplos, 530 BC
West Pediment, Temple of Artemis at Corfu c.600-580 BC Who is this figure??
Architectural Sculpture- • When Greeks began to build their temples in stone- from Egyptian Tradition • Egyptians had a history of relief sculptures, but very shallow- no weight or volume • Near East also had tradition of reliefs, but Greeks took idea from the sculptures of the Lions (also Lion Gates of Mycenae)- Mycenaens architects left an empty triangular space above the lintel- thought that it held up the wall- became a new type of architectural sculpture- • Façade of the Temple of Artemis, Corfu- Pediment sculpture- sculpture in high relief, but undercut to show depth- to assert the independence of the sculpture from the architecture • Gorgon is ornamental rather than narrative, but this will soon change in Greek art • Used the pediment only- did not think any other part of the building was suitable for art
Battle of the Gods and Giants, North Frieze 530 BC • Greater organization of space- shows depth by overlapping and more shallow carving • Figures rest on a stage • Arms and legs are carved in the round • This is a purely narrative work- high drama
Dying Warrior, east pediment, Temple of Aphaia c. 490 BC • Relief gives way to statues- fits in with the shape of the pediment- height varies with the slope of the triangle- makes the figure both narrative and ornamental