Transcript Learning Goals  To answer the questions:  How realistic or abstract are the sculptures of the Greeks?  What is the artist trying.

Learning Goals
 To answer the questions:
 How realistic or abstract are the sculptures of the
Greeks?
 What is the artist trying to portray about the Ancient
Greek Culture in their sculpture?
 Identify the Archaic Art Characteristics
 Influence of the Foreign on Greek Culture
Archaic?
 The Archaic Period:750 and 480 B.C., more particularly from 620
to 480 B.C.
 The age is defined through the development of art at this time,
specifically through the style of pottery and sculpture, showing
the specific characteristics that would later be developed into the
more naturalistic style of the Classical period.
 The Archaic is one of five periods that Ancient Greek history can
be divided into; it was preceded by the Dark Ages and followed
by the Classical period. The Archaic period saw advancements in
political theory, especially the beginnings of democracy, as well
as in culture and art.
 The knowledge and use of written language which was lost in the
Dark Ages was re-established
Art and Sculptures-Art Revolution?
 Sculpture began to emerge in the Archaic period.
 Prior to that the Dark Ages brought nothing but devastation.
 Sculptural forms such as the kouros, a statue of a male youth ,
and its female equivalent the kore, originated in this period.
 Inspired by Egyptian sculpture of the time, following a set
pattern of artistic devices:
 the figures were formulaic
 Admirable
 But unrealistic and severe.
It was development of these original statues that lead to the artistic
peak of classical sculpture.
Iron tools helped manipulate the stone (Egyptians didn’t have)
Black and Red all over
 Pottery from this period advanced the simple Geometric
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Style to a more Oriental style.
This was influenced by the massive exploration of the East
(Persia and India)
These changes and advancements in art are other examples
of the benefits in increasing trade and international
contact
Phoenicia influenced the language and Syria=Grk Art.
Red figure art was used a lot to depict blood and gore
Black figure painting of the later Archaic, and the red
figure painting of the 6th century found in Corinth and
Argos, shows the development of a culture becoming more
and more advanced at ease with itself
A history of Pottery
 Before about 1050 B.C., the Greek islands were occupied by people called
Mycenaeans. Their culture collapsed and Greece went through a "dark" period
 During this period, the Greeks resumed cultural activities, including potterymaking. The production of pottery tells archeologists that the people had become
comfortable and settled enough to not only make pottery and decorate it with
fairly intricate designs, but to make the necessary paint and brushes as well.
 After the 9th century B.C., the geometric pottery designs became more intricate
and complex. Around the 7th century B.C., human figures began to appear on the
pottery.
Orientalized Pottery (900 – 600BC)
 The orientalized pottery painting style originated in eastern Greece in the
8th and 7th centuries B.C. Trade with the countries of Asia Minor
influenced the development of this style, characterized by flowing vines,
flowers and animals. Designs from the southern city of Corinth soon spread
throughout Greece, and the orientalized pottery painting style evolved to
become less realistic. Corinthian art depicted silhouettes and abstract
designs rather than realistic plant and animal figures.
Black Figure (c. 600BC)
 Black Figure pottery is one of the most recognizable
Greek pottery designs emerged. Black figure pottery
bears iconic representations of figures from Greek
mythology. The mainly black figures are more intricate
than mere silhouettes, with facial features, clothing
and weaponry depicted in reds and yellows. Zeus,
Achilles, Athena and other gods and mythological
figures adorn the pots from this period.
 Greeks attempted to show motion in their story telling
and tried adding realism. They became very inventive
Panathenic Amphora
 This Panathenaic amphora (Vase) would have been
usually filled with sacred olive oil in Athens, and
awarded as a prize to a winner of the Panathenaic
games held in Athens every four years. Every
Panathenaic amphora was specifically made to a
standardized shape and capacity of one metretes
(approximately 42 quarts / 10.5 Liters), and was
decorated in black-figure technique.
Later Designs
 From the 6th century B.C. on, a variety of pottery styles and
artistic designs continued to develop. Artists discovered
new pigment materials to make paints, and potters
developed firing methods to glaze and finish the pottery.
 Red figure pottery followed black figure using many of the
same designs and techniques. The white ground technique
used the white background that came from white pottery,
with paintings in multiple colors.
 Greek pottery making declined during the Hellenistic
period, which stretched until about the 1st century B.C.
when Rome was replacing Greece as the center of the
civilized world.
The Greeks developed three architectural systems, called
orders, each with their own distinctive proportions and
detailing. The Greek orders are: Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian.
Doric (c. 5th BCE)
The Doric style is
rather sturdy and
its top (the
capital), is plain.
This style was
used in mainland
Greece and the
colonies in
southern Italy and
Sicily.
Ionic (c.421-405
BCE)
The Ionic style is
thinner and more
elegant. Its capital
is decorated with a
scroll-like design
(a volute). This
style was found in
eastern Greece
and the islands.
Corinthian ( c.4th
BCE and into 2nd
AD)
The Corinthian
style is seldom
used in the Greek
world, but often
seen on Roman
temples. Its capital
is very elaborate
and decorated
with acanthus
leaves.
Characteristics in a nut shell
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Archaic Greece is distinguished by stone statues
Columns
Black and Red figure pottery
Images of birds, vines, silhouettes
Oriental Style
Geometric Shapes
Realism
Perspective
“Stylized”—attempted realism but not quite there->Classical
Unrealistic Depictions
Stories of life, Gods, Heroes
Frescos on Palaces (Knossos in Crete)
Mycenaean and Minoan Art
YOUR TASK
 Let’s see if you can identify the different art
characteristics of the Archaic period.
 In groups of 4 you will rotate around the class and
guess the time period of the artefacts at each
station.
 Remember to record your findings on your data
sheets.
 Some may be a little tricky but the hints are there.
FYI Greece was a large land mass and each area
slightly differed from the other.
 BONUS if you can identify the area 