1. Introduction
To
Art
History
I
Professor
Will
Adams

2. v Early
Classical
Period,
ca.
480-­‐450
BCE:
Defeat
of
Persians,
Use
of
Bronze
Sculpture,
more
detail
in
sculpture
v High
Classical
Period,
ca.
450-­‐400
BCE:
Parthenon
&
Erectheion,
Doric
and
Ionic
Orders,
Caryatids,
Canon
of
Polykleitos
v Late
Classical
Period,
ca.
400-­‐323
BCE:
Sparta
beats
Athens,
Corinthian
Order,
ends
with
the
death
of
Alexander
the
Great;
Praxiteles
redefines
Polykleitos’
figures;
sculptures
are
created
with
a
more
360-­‐degree
interest
v Hellenistic
Period,
ca.
323-­‐31
BCE

3. v Greek
city-­‐states
banded
together
and
defeated
the
Persians
in
479
BCE
v This
victory
gave
them
a
self-­‐confidence
that
accelerated
their
society
and
art.
v Lasted
until
about
450
BCE
Kritios
Boy,
ca.
480
BCE

4. The
use
of
hollow-­‐casting
bronze
developed
toward
the
end
of
the
Archaic
Period
It
made
for
more
complex,
detail
poses.
Charioteer,
ca.
470
BCE,
Bronze

6. Using
bronze
allowed
such
an
extensive
study
of
the
anatomy
that
it
paved
the
way
for
the
achievements
of
the
Classical
period.
Riace
Warrior,
ca.
470-­‐460
BCE,
Bronze.
With
Copper
lips
and
nipples.

8. Balanced,
dynamic
poses
like
this
could
only
be
created
with
the
invention
of
contrapposto.
Contrapposto
is
the
standing
human
figure
poised
in
such
a
way
that
the
weight
rests
on
one
leg
(called
the
engaged
leg),
freeing
the
other
leg,
which
is
bent
at
the
knee.
With
the
weight
shift,
the
hips,
shoulders,
and
head
tilt,
suggesting
relaxation
with
the
subtle
internal
organic
movement
that
denotes
life.
Statue
of
Zeus,
from
the
sea
off
Cape
Artemision.
Greece,
ca.
460
-­‐
450
BCE

10. The
master
High
Classical
sculptor
Polykleitos
wrote
the
treatise
entitled
“Canon
of
Polykleitos”,
which
was
a
set
of
mathematical
rules
or
laws
for
creating
scale
in
human
sculptures.
Polykleitos
set
the
proportions
for
the
head
to
the
body
at
1:7.
Polykleitos,
Doryphoros,
c.
450-­‐440
BCE,
High
Classical
Greek
Doryphoros
means
‘spear-­‐bearer’
in
Greek.

11. This
period
in
Greek
history
lasted
from
about
400-­‐330
BCE
During
this
time,
Sparta
defeated
Athens
in
the
Peloponnesian
War
Greek
Art
still
flourished
with
Ionic
order,
and
even
introduces
Corinthian
order
for
interiors.
The
Romans
would
later
copy
it
for
their
buildings.

12. The
Late
Classical
sculptor
Praxiteles
developed
even
more
extensive
rules
for
proportion
in
sculpture,
based
on
the
Canon
of
Polykleitos.
Praxiteles’
canon
differs
from
Polykleitos’
in
that
the
body
of
a
Praxitelian
figure
is
8
heads
tall
instead
of
7.
Praxiteles,
Hermes
&
Infant
Dionysus,
343
BCE,
Roman
copy
of
Late
Classical
Greek
bronze

13. 1
1
8
7
Polykleitos
(1:7)
Praxiteles
(1:8)

14. LATE CLASSICAL PERIOD
Praxiteles
Aphrodite
Taking
A
Bath,
350
-­‐
340
BCE
Roman
copy
of
Late
Classical
Greek
bronze

15. Lysippos,
Apoxyomenos
(The
“Scraper”),
ca.
320
BCE,
Roman
copy
based
on
bronze
original
1
Canon
modified
to
1:9
9

16. Considered
the
period
between
the
death
of
Alexander
the
Great
(323
BCE)
and
the
beginnings
of
the
Roman
Empire
(146
BCE)
The
Alexander
Mosaic,
Roman
copy
of
Greek
original
mosaic,
Pompeii,
Italy
ca.
310
BCE

17. Captures
The
Ideal
&
Perfect
Individual
&
Specific
Heroic
Individual
Emotion
Serenity
&
Peace
Pathos
&
Melodrama

18. THE HELLENISTIC PERIOD

19. This
map
shows
how
Alexander
the
Great’s
kingdom
was
broken
down
after
his
death.
His
death
marked
the
beginning
of
the
Hellenistic
(or
“Greek-­‐
like”)
period.

20. Reconstructed
West
façade
of
the
Altar
of
Zeus,
Pergamon,
Turkey;
ca.
175
BCE
This
monument
is
considered
by
many
to
be
the
most
famous
of
all
Hellenistic
sculptural
ensembles.
The
monument’s
west
façade
has
been
reconstructed
in
Berlin,
Germany.

21. All
around
the
platform
was
a
sculptured
frieze
almost
four
hundred
feet
long
populated
by
some
one
hundred
larger-­‐than-­‐
life
size
figures.
The
subject
is
the
battle
of
Zeus
and
the
gods
against
the
giants.
It
is
the
most
extensive
representation
Greek
artists
ever
attempted
of
that
epic
conflict
for
control
of
the
world.

22. Athena
Battling
Alkyoneos,
ca.
175
BCE,
Hellenistic
Describes
the
battle
between
gods
and
the
giants.
The
giants,
as
helpless
tools,
were
dragged
up
the
stairs
to
worship
the
gods
The
gods’
victory
over
the
giants
offers
a
parallel
to
Alexander
the
Great’s
defeat
of
the
Persians
Deeply
carved
figures
overlap
and
show
mastery
of
depth,
space,
drama
and
musculature

23. Nike
of
Samothrace,
Samothrace,
Greece;
ca.
190
BCE
The
wind
sweeps
her
drapery.
Her
himation
bunches
in
thick
folds
around
her
right
leg,
and
her
chiton
is
pulled
tightly
across
her
abdomen
and
left
leg.

24. The
statues
theatrical
effect
was
amplified
by
its
setting.
This
sculpture
was
part
of
a
two-­‐tiered
fountain.
In
the
lower
basin
were
large
boulders.
The
fountain’s
flowing
water
created
the
illusion
of
rushing
waves
dashing
up
against
the
ship.
The
sound
of
splashing
water
added
an
to
the
sense
of
drama.
Art
and
nature
were
combined.

25. Epigonos
(?),
Gallic
Chieftain
Killing
Himself
&
His
Wife,
ca.
230-­‐220
BCE
The
sculptor
carefully
studied
and
reproduced
the
distinctive
features
of
the
foreign
Gauls,
most
notably
their
long,
bushy
hair
and
mustaches
and
torques
(neck
bands)
they
frequently
wore.
Here,
the
chieftain
drives
a
sword
into
his
own
chest
after
having
already
killed
his
own
wife,
as
it
is
evident
that
he
prefers
suicide
to
surrender
and
an
indefinite
life
of
slavery.
In
the
best
Lysippan
tradition,
the
group
only
can
be
fully
appreciated
by
walking
around
it.
From
one
side
the
observer
sees
the
Gaul’s
intensely
expressive
face,
from
another
his
powerful
body,
and
from
a
third
the
woman’s
limp
and
almost
lifeless
body.

26. Dying
Gaul,
Pergamon,
Turkey;
ca.
230-­‐220
BCE
The
depiction
of
a
variety
of
ethnic
groups
was
a
new
concept
in
Greek
art
and
one
that
would
be
pushed
much
further
throughout
the
Hellenistic
age.
Again,
this
depiction
is
reflective
of
the
drama
seen
on
the
stages
of
the
Greek
amphitheaters
at
this
time.

27. The
Dying
Gaul
winces
in
pain
as
blood
pours
from
the
large
gash
in
his
chest.
The
concept
of
pathos
became
increasingly
popular
toward
the
end
of
the
history
of
Greek
sculpture.
The
musculature
was
rendered
in
an
exaggerated
manner.
Note
the
chest’s
tautness
and
the
left
leg’s
bulging
veins
-­‐
implying
that
the
unseen
hero
who
has
struck
down
this
noble
and
savage
foe
must
have
been
an
extraordinary
man.

28. Dying
Warrior,
c.
500
-­‐
490
BCE,
Archaic
Greek
Dying
Gaul,
ca.
230-­‐220
BCE,
Hellenistic

29. Aphrodite
of
Melos,
Melos,
Greece;
ca.
150-­‐125
BCE,
Hellenistic
Greek
This
demonstrates
that
the
“undressing”
of
Aphrodite
by
Praxiteles
had
become
the
norm
by
this
point
in
Greek
art,
but
Hellenistic
sculptors
went
beyond
the
Late
Classical
master
an
openly
explored
the
female
form’s
eroticism.

30. Her
left
hand
(separately
preserved)
holds
the
apple
Paris
awarded
her
when
he
judged
her
as
the
most
beautiful
goddess
of
all.
Her
right
hand
may
have
lightly
grasped
the
edge
of
her
drapery
near
the
left
hip
in
a
hallearted
attempt
to
keep
it
from
slipping
farther
down
her
body.

31. Sleeping
Saytr
(Barberini
Faun),
Rome,
Italy;
ca.
230-­‐220
BCE,
Hellenistic
Greek
Hellenistic
sculptors
often
portrayed
sleep.
This
concept
is
the
antithesis
of
the
Classical
ideals
of
rationality
and
discipline.
The
saytr,
a
follower
of
Dionysos,
has
had
too
much
wine
and
has
fallen
asleep.
It
is
not
surprising
that
when
Hellenistic
sculptors
began
to
explore
the
human
body’s
sexuality,
they
turned
their
attention
to
both
men
and
women.
Compare
the
sexuality
of
this
sculpture
with
that
of
the
early
Archaic
kouros
figures.

32. Seated
Boxer
(Terme
Boxer),
Rome,
Italy;
ca.
100-­‐50
BCE,
Hellenistic
Greek
Hellenistic
sculptors
often
rendered
the
common
theme
of
the
male
athlete
in
a
new
way.
This
boxer
is
not
a
victorious
young
athlete
with
a
perfect
face
and
body,
but
rather
a
heavily
battered,
defeated
veteran
whose
upward
gaze
may
have
been
directed
at
the
man
who
had
just
beaten
him.
This
boxer’s
broken
nose,
distorted
face,
bleeding
wounds
and
“cauliflower
ears”
add
the
sense
of
realism
that
the
Hellenistic
artists
sought.

33. Hellenistic
Greek
Seated
Boxer
Riace
Warrior
Early
Classical
Greek

34. Old
Market
Woman,
Rome,
Italy;
ca.
150-­‐100
BCE,
Roman
copy
of
Hellenistic
Greek
original
This
is
one
of
a
series
of
statues
of
old
men
and
women
from
the
lowest
rungs
of
the
social
order.
Shepherds,
fishermen,
and
drunken
beggars
are
common-­‐
the
kind
of
people
who
were
pictured
earlier
on
red-­‐figure
vases
but
never
before
were
thought
worthy
of
monumental
statuary.
Hellenistic
art
reflects
a
new
and
unstable
social
climate
in
Greece.
Social
instability
gave
way
to
the
depiction
of
a
much
wider
variety
of
physical
types,
including
different
ethnic
types.

35. The
woman
wears
a
thin
elegant
dress,
thong
sandals,
and
a
crown
of
Dionysiac
ivy
leaves.
She
may
be
dressed
for
a
festival
and
the
birds
and
basket
of
fruit
she
carries
might
be
offerings.
Her
garment
has
slipped
off
her
shoulder,
a
detail
often
seen
in
representations
of
old
women
that
hints
at
the
liberation
of
the
elderly
from
the
restrictions
imposed
on
women
of
childbearing
years.

36. Laocoön
&
His
Sons,
Rome,
Italy;
c.
75
CE,
Roman
copy
of
Hellenistic
Greek
original
A
Roman
poet
vividly
described
the
strangling
of
Laocoön
and
his
two
sons
by
sea
serpents
while
sacrificing
at
an
altar.
The
gods,
who
favored
the
Greeks
in
the
war
against
Troy,
sent
the
serpents
to
punish
Laocoön,
who
had
tried
to
warn
his
compatriots
about
the
danger
of
bringing
the
Greeks’
wooden
horse
within
the
walls
of
their
city.

37. Everything
about
this
piece
speaks
to
the
Hellenistic
ideal.
The
facial
expressions
are
exaggerated,
the
muscles
fully
flexed,
dramatic
movement
is
indicated,
and
strong
diagonals
dominate
the
composition.
The
major
emphasis
of
this
piece
is
the
pathos,
or
suffering,
Laocoön
and
his
sons
endured
for
defying
the
gods.