2.3 Greek Art: Sculpture, Pottery, and Temple Architecture

Greek art evolved through distinct periods, each with unique characteristics. The Archaic period featured stylized forms, while the Classical era emphasized harmony and idealism. The Hellenistic period introduced more realism and emotion, showcasing the progression of artistic techniques.

Greek pottery and sculpture played crucial roles in storytelling and cultural expression. Temples, like the Parthenon, embodied architectural innovation and religious significance. These art forms collectively represent the rich artistic heritage of ancient Greece, influencing Western art for centuries.

Greek Art Periods and Styles

Periods and styles of Greek art

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• Archaic Period (c. 700-480 BCE) characterized by stylized, geometric forms in sculpture such as Kouros (male) and Kore (female) figures with stiff, frontal poses and the distinctive archaic smile
  • Black-figure pottery features black silhouettes on red clay background depicting mythological scenes (Labors of Herakles) and daily life
• Classical Period (c. 480-323 BCE) emphasizes harmony, proportion, and idealism in sculpture with the introduction of the contrapposto stance and idealized human forms as seen in famous works like Myron's Discobolus and Polykleitos' Doryphoros
  • Red-figure pottery emerges with red figures on black background allowing for more naturalistic and detailed scenes (Trojan War, adventures of Odysseus)
• Hellenistic Period (c. 323-31 BCE) marked by increased realism, emotion, and dynamism in sculpture with dramatic poses, expressive faces, and the exploration of new subjects such as children, the elderly, and mythological creatures (Winged Victory of Samothrace, Laocoön and His Sons)

Naturalism and idealism in Greek sculpture

• Archaic Period sculpture features stiff, frontal poses with the characteristic archaic smile and stylized, geometric forms
• Classical Period introduces the contrapposto stance, a weight shift creating a more natural pose, and idealized human forms emphasizing perfection of proportions, athletic and youthful bodies, and an overall emphasis on balance, harmony, and beauty
• Hellenistic Period sees increased realism and individualism with portraits showcasing unique features and expressions, exploration of emotions and movement through dramatic poses and compositions, and representation of diverse subjects beyond the ideal (children, elderly, mythological creatures)

Role of Greek pottery

• Serves practical purposes as storage containers for food, wine, and oil, drinking vessels for symposia (drinking parties), and funerary offerings or grave markers
• Used for storytelling and conveying mythology by depicting scenes and tales such as the Labors of Herakles, Trojan War, and adventures of Odysseus, serving a didactic purpose to convey moral and cultural values
• Acts as a medium for artistic expression, evolving from black-figure pottery in the Archaic Period with silhouettes created using clay slip and incision for details, to red-figure pottery in the Classical Period featuring naturalistic scenes and detailed expressions with the background painted black and figures left in the red clay color

Elements of Greek temple architecture

• Holds religious and cultural significance, dedicated to specific deities (Athena Parthenos), housing cult statues and offerings, and serving as a symbol of city-state pride and identity
• Incorporates architectural orders:
  1. Doric: simple, sturdy columns with no base, plain capital and entablature
  2. Ionic: slender columns with scrolled capitals, continuous frieze on entablature
  3. Corinthian (less common in Greek period): elaborate capitals with acanthus leaves
• The Parthenon (Athens, 447-432 BCE) epitomizes Classical Greek architecture with its harmonious proportions, Doric order on the exterior, Ionic order in the interior, and elaborate sculptural decoration on the pediments (Birth of Athena, Contest between Athena and Poseidon), metopes (Labors of Herakles, scenes from Trojan War), and Ionic frieze (Panathenaic procession)