The Art of Ancient Greece
Chapter 5-Art of Ancient Greece
The ancient Greeks are known as a self aware people. No other culture in western civilization history was quite as introspective as the Greeks. They prided themselves as the most civilized society in the world. In fact the term “barbarian” basically meant non Greek. The development of Greek civilization rises from the ashes of the ancient Mycenaean and Minion cultures. From After the decline and eventual fall of the Mycenaean culture in 1100 BCE, the Aegean Islands would experience a “dark age” period for about 200 – 300 years. By 800 BCE Greece would begin to show growth and stability in their government, economy and culture. This period is referred to as the Homeric Age. The writer Homer would write the stories of prehistoric Greek history (If you have not had to read The Iliad or The Odyssey in your academic career thus far, just wait, it is coming.) It is the Greek culture that would be the basis for western cultures for art, architecture, music, theater, philosophy, literature and politics.
Geometric Period (1000 BCE – 700BCE)
Funerary krater: In year 1050 there is evidence of the development of a specific Greek style. This specific style is found first on the vases/ceramic wares. The decoration on the surface is a narrative of a funeral procession. The figures are very simplified; depicted into very simple geometric shapes; torso and hips are triangular. We see a body lying in state (prothesis) which means this vase could have been used as a grave marker. I do want you to notice that there is more of an attempt to display real human emotions. The mourners’ arms are raised over their head as if in distress. It is no surprise that the Greeks would acknowledge real emotional grief in this painting. They were a civilization that was self aware. Their deities were not only human looking but also had very human characteristics. In fact the only difference between the gods and humans was that the
The ancient Greeks are known as a self aware people. No other culture in western civilization history was quite as introspective as the Greeks. They prided themselves as the most civilized society in the world. In fact the term “barbarian” basically meant non Greek. The development of Greek civilization rises from the ashes of the ancient Mycenaean and Minion cultures. From After the decline and eventual fall of the Mycenaean culture in 1100 BCE, the Aegean Islands would experience a “dark age” period for about 200 – 300 years. By 800 BCE Greece would begin to show growth and stability in their government, economy and culture. This period is referred to as the Homeric Age. The writer Homer would write the stories of prehistoric Greek history (If you have not had to read The Iliad or The Odyssey in your academic career thus far, just wait, it is coming.) It is the Greek culture that would be the basis for western cultures for art, architecture, music, theater, philosophy, literature and politics.
Geometric Period (1000 BCE – 700BCE)
Funerary krater: In year 1050 there is evidence of the development of a specific Greek style. This specific style is found first on the vases/ceramic wares. The decoration on the surface is a narrative of a funeral procession. The figures are very simplified; depicted into very simple geometric shapes; torso and hips are triangular. We see a body lying in state (prothesis) which means this vase could have been used as a grave marker. I do want you to notice that there is more of an attempt to display real human emotions. The mourners’ arms are raised over their head as if in distress. It is no surprise that the Greeks would acknowledge real emotional grief in this painting. They were a civilization that was self aware. Their deities were not only human looking but also had very human characteristics. In fact the only difference between the gods and humans was that the