5.2 Panel painting

Panel painting revolutionized Greek art in the Archaic period. Artists could now create portable, detailed works on wooden panels using tempera techniques. This allowed for more intricate designs and vivid colors than traditional wall paintings.

These panels depicted myths, religious scenes, and daily life. They influenced other art forms like vase painting and sculpture. The portability of panels also helped spread artistic styles across the Greek world, shaping the visual culture of the time.

Panel Painting in Archaic Greece

Definition and Significance

Top images from around the web for Definition and Significance

• 

  Archaic Period – Art and Visual Culture: Prehistory to Renaissance View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Votive offering - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Archaic Period – Art and Visual Culture: Prehistory to Renaissance View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Archaic Period – Art and Visual Culture: Prehistory to Renaissance View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Votive offering - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Definition and Significance

• 

  Archaic Period – Art and Visual Culture: Prehistory to Renaissance View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Votive offering - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Archaic Period – Art and Visual Culture: Prehistory to Renaissance View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Archaic Period – Art and Visual Culture: Prehistory to Renaissance View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Votive offering - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

• Panel painting technique of painting on wooden panels, significant development in Archaic Greek art
• Wood support allowed greater portability and flexibility compared to wall paintings or frescoes (more easily transported and displayed in various locations)
• Panel paintings often used for decorative purposes
  • Adorned interiors of buildings
  • Served as votive offerings in temples (dedicated to deities or heroes)
• Development of panel painting technique enabled artists to create more detailed and complex compositions than previously possible
• Surviving examples of Archaic Greek panel paintings provide valuable insights into artistic styles, techniques, and subject matter of the period (Pitsa panels, Corinthian panels)

Preparation and Techniques

• Wood panels carefully prepared by smoothing surface and applying layer of gesso (mixture of gypsum and glue) to create suitable surface for painting
• Tempera technique employed, mixing pigments with water-soluble binder such as egg yolk
• Tempera technique allowed for greater precision and detail in application of paint, enabling artists to create intricate designs and patterns (elaborate clothing, detailed facial features)
• Use of vivid colors, bold outlines, and decorative patterns characteristic of Archaic panel painting, creating striking visual effect

Panel Painting vs Frescoes and Wall Paintings

Differences in Materials and Supports

• Panel paintings created on wooden supports, typically made from cedar, cypress, or other durable woods
• Frescoes and wall paintings applied directly onto plaster of walls or ceilings (integral part of architectural structure)
• Wood panels portable and could be moved from one location to another
• Frescoes and wall paintings permanent fixtures integrated into architecture (could not be easily relocated)

Variations in Painting Techniques

• Panel paintings used tempera technique, mixing pigments with water-soluble binder such as egg yolk
• Frescoes used water-based pigments applied to wet plaster (pigments absorbed into plaster as it dried)
• Tempera technique in panel paintings allowed for greater precision and detail compared to frescoes
• Frescoes relied on swift execution and broad brushstrokes due to drying time of plaster

Subject Matter of Archaic Greek Panel Paintings

Mythological Scenes and Religious Narratives

• Surviving Archaic Greek panel paintings often depict mythological scenes, religious narratives, representations of gods, goddesses, and heroes
• Iconography frequently included symbolic elements and attributes associated with specific deities or mythological figures
  • Zeus with his thunderbolt
  • Athena with her aegis and helmet
• Compositions often employed flat, two-dimensional style, with figures arranged in frieze-like manner and minimal indication of depth or perspective

Warrior Imagery and Daily Life

• Battle scenes and warrior imagery common subjects, reflecting martial values and ideals of the period (depictions of hoplite soldiers, heroic combat)
• Some panel paintings featured scenes from daily life
  • Athletic competitions (chariot races, wrestling matches)
  • Banquets and symposia (social gatherings)
  • Processions and festivals (religious ceremonies, wedding processions)
• Provided insights into Archaic Greek society and culture, showcasing various aspects of everyday activities and social practices

Influence of Panel Painting on Archaic Greek Art

Impact on Vase Painting

• Techniques and styles developed in panel painting had significant impact on vase painting
• Use of vivid colors, bold outlines, and flat, two-dimensional compositions evident in black-figure and red-figure styles of vase painting
• Iconography and subject matter of panel paintings frequently adapted and incorporated into decoration of Archaic Greek vases (mythological scenes, heroic narratives)

Influence on Sculpture

• Attention to detail and precision achieved in panel painting influenced development of more naturalistic and expressive styles in Archaic Greek sculpture
• Sculptors aimed to capture lifelike qualities and emotions seen in painted figures
• Techniques of rendering drapery, facial features, and anatomical details in panel paintings translated into sculptural forms (kouroi, korai)

Dissemination of Artistic Styles

• Portability of panel paintings may have contributed to dissemination of artistic styles and motifs across different regions of Greek world
• Facilitated cultural exchange and influenced local artistic traditions
• Traveling artists or workshops could transport panel paintings, spreading new techniques and iconographic elements to various cities and sanctuaries