Ancient+Greek+Art

Ancient Greek Art (about 1000 B.C-100 A.D) is a BIG DEAL because -the Greeks were making// naturalistic //(real looking) sculptures of people when all other societies were making very primitive art... they were the first to truly study nature and depict it in a realistic way -The art of Ancient Greece influenced that of Rome, and betwen them they influenced the restof the world. The Renaissance and all movements after are a result of Ancient Greece!

There were three main periods of Ancient Greek Sculpture: Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic. Archaic Sculpture is stiff, rigid, and follows clear rules (heavily influenced by the art of Ancient Egypt). You will notice that it is very stylized (all the sculptures have the same look and style).

In The Classical period, you will see a MAJOR change. This is when it begins! Artists begin to create naturalistic and lifelike sculptures, unlike anything that had ever been created before. The Hellenistic period continued the development of lifelike realism, and was even more dramatic. You will also see the first use of //contrapposto//, an extremely important development in the histroy of art. //Contrapoposto// is a term that describes the human figure standing with most of it's weight on one leg, creating a relaxed, assymetrical, and realistic appearance. The Romans copied this technique, but it dissappeared in the Middle Ages, and was not rediscovered until the Renaissance.



The images below are examples of Greek and Roman sculpture.

Discus Thrower 450 BC || Winged Victory/Nike of Samothrace 190 BC || Venus de Milo is another of the world's most famous women. Click on the image for more information and a 360 degree view! Venus de Milo 120-130 BC ||
 * Below you will see Archaic Sculpture, which is stiff, rigid, and follows clear rules (heavily influenced by the art of Ancient Egypt), || The Discus Thrower, by Myron, is one of the most famous lost Greek sculptures. It is known only through many Roman copies, but it was quite well known in its oiginal form in Greece.
 * Winged Victory, or Nike of Samothrace is one of the most celebrated sculptures of all time. Click on the image for more information and a 360 degree view!

Like much of Anicent Greece, much of which remains was appropriated by the Romans, who put their own spin on things. Many Roman works are copies of Greek works, but the Romans continued to develop a naturalistic style in sculpture.

If you are interested in Greek or Roman art, you might choose one of the following topics for your research: Greek Sculpture Greek Pottery Roman Sculpture

Ancient Greek Art Links Info and images, General INfo,

Classical Greek Art at The Met, Classical Greek Sculpture