Ancient Art
Ancient Art – Greek and Rome
The culture of Greeks and Romans is very important for the development of other European nations.
The old Greeks and Romans worshiped many gods. Romans overtook the whole Greek pantheon.They only renamed the gods.
Thus Zeus(the ruler of the gods) became Jupiter. His wife Here (the patron of families and women) became Juno
Athene the godess of wisdom and war – Minerva in Rome
Aphrodite – beauty – Venus in Rome
Dionysus – wine, fun - Bacchus
Poseidon – sea – Neptun
Greece:
Let’s start with the Archaic Period . It refers to the years between 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. (pottery and sculpture).
People started to be interested in politics and democracy was born. People lived in city-states called poleis.
The Archaic Period is followed with the Classical Period (500-336 BC) .It is the time of conflicts with the kingdom of Persia and several civil wars. In this period Athens reached its greatest political and cultural heights. The democratic system was fully under the Athenian statesman Pericles
The Parthenon on the Acropolis was built; Sophocles, Aeschylus and Euripides wrote their tragedies; and philosophical schools of Socrates and Plato were founded.
When Pericles died, Athens and other states became a part of a huge Macedonian empire.
The Hellenistic period: (336-146 BC) The period of the rule of Macedonia and later Roman Empire. Greek states were not independent but Greek culture remained pre-eminent in the Mediterranean and Asia Minor. Romans were deeply influenced by Greek culture. On the other hand, Greek culture was influenced by Asian cultures.
ART:
Pottery: Pottery was made for everyday use, not for display. People used differents vessels – amphorae, kraters (bowls for mixing wine and water), jars, different cups and jugs. Painted funeral urns have also been found.
Sculpture:
Materials: stone and bronze
Archaic period: inspired by Egypt and Mesopotamia
Three types of figures: the standing nude youth (kouros), the standing girl (kore), and the seated woman
Good knowledge of anatomy
Statues: Kleobis and Biton, Apollo from Teney, the Lady of Auxerre, ……
Classical period:
A revolution in Greek sculpture- poses became more naturalistic
From about 500 BC statues began to depict real people
We know the names of individual sculptors, f.e. Phidias ( the design and building of the Parthenon, the Statue of Zeus at Olympia and the Statue of Athena Parthenos, The Marathon Youtht), Polykleitos (Doryphoros, Discophoros, he wrote Aesthethic Canon of proportions) and and Praxiteles (the first female nudes, f.e. Aphrodite of Knidos)
Hellenistic period:
More and more naturalistic, realistic (not only beautiful people but even old or suffering ones)
The Winged Victory of Samothrace
the Dying Gaul
the Venus de Milo
Architecture:
Three styles : Doric, Ionic, Corinthian
Many public, social and administrative buildings were created (houses, baths)
Roads
Aqueducts
Temples
the Parthenon and the Temple of Hephaestus in Athens, The Erechtheum, next to the Parthenon
Painting:
Pannel painting – mobile board paintings
Wall painting - frescos
Vase painting
Philosophy:
Bases of European philosophy (Socrates, Plato, Aristotle)
Roman art
Roman artists often used art as propaganda to show what the emperors wanted people to know or to think. Some examples of this are the Arch of Titus and Trajan's Column.
Major forms of Roman art are architecture, painting, sculpture and mosaic work. Metal-work, and gem engraving, ivory carvings, figurine glass, pottery, and miniature book illustrations
Romans were inspired not only by Greeks but they also found inspiration in Etruscan and Egyptian art.
Painting:
Wall paintings were very popular. Our knowledge is based on the preservation of painings from Pompeii and Herculaneum, and particularly the Pompeian mural painting. Most of the wall painting was done using the secco (dry method), but some fresco paintings appeared as well
Themes: animals, still life, scenes from everyday life, portraits, and some mythological subjects. During the Hellenistic period- scenes of shepherds, herds, rustic temples, rural mountainous landscapes and country houses
Erotic scenes are also relatively common.
After 200AD, early Christian themes mixed with pagan motifs survive on catacomb walls..
From the 3rd century BC, a specific genre known as Triumphal Paintings appeared. These paintings showed triumphal entries after military victories, represented episodes from the war, and conquered regions and cities.
Sculpture:
Traditional Roman sculpture is divided into five categories: portrait, historical relief, funerary reliefs, sarcophagi, and copies of ancient Greek works
Architecture
Romans were very innovative architects They built many new towns. Roman engineers developed new methods for city building. They started to use concrete and the structure and an arch. The Pantheon or the Colosseum could never have been constructed with previous materials and methods.
The concrete core was covered with plaster, brick, stone, marble and decorative polychrome.
Palaces, public baths, roads, forts and basilicas were built.
Outstanding examples of dome construction include the Pantheon, the Baths of Diocletian, and the Baths of Caracalla. Roman aqueducts were very important for cities because water could be transported for long distances Pont du Gard and the aqueduct of Segovia still remind us of the great Roman era.
Worship
Particularly
Civil war
Remain
Pottery
Display
Vessels
Jar
Jug
Nude
Pose
Depict
Suffer
Coin.die
Gem
Engraving
Ivory
Carving
Preservation
Shepherd
Herd
Rural
Pagan
Conquer
Concrete
Outstanding
Remind
Uctívat
Zejména
Občanská válka
Zůstat,zbýt, pozůstatek
Hrnčířství
Výstava, ukázka
Nádoba
Sklenice
Džbán
Akt
Póza
Zobrazit
Trpět
Drahokam, klenot
Rytina, rytectví
Slonovina
Řezba
Konzervace, uchování
Pastýř
Stádo
Venkovský
Pohan
Dobýt
Beton
Výjimečný
Připomínat
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