Ancient Greek art focused on humanism, seeking perfection of the body and mind. It greatly influenced Western culture. The Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic periods are covered. Examples shown include the Kouros and Kore sculptures, works by Polykleitos like the Doryphorus, and the Venus de Milo. Greek pottery styles like black figure and red figure are described. Architecture like the Parthenon and its columns are analyzed using the Golden Ratio. The Parthenon's pediments and metopes are examined.

1. Ancient Greek Art

3. Ancient Greeks
• Humanism - focus on potential of humans
• Sought perfection of the body and mind
• Sought Beauty and Truth
• Own religion based on mythological Gods and
Goddesses
• Greatly influenced Western culture – government /
democracy, systems of education, ideas of human
individualism, athletics

4. Ancient Greek Periods
• Archaic (700 – 480 BCE)
• Classical (480 – 323 BCE)
• Hellenistic (323 – 30 BCE)

5. Anavysos Kouros
Sculpture (Marble)
530 BCE (Archaic)
1.93 M Tall

6. Anavysos
Kouros
Kouros means “young man” in
Greek
Represents the ideal “perfect”
young man (strong, athletic, smooth
skin, classic features)
Classic pose (one foot forward, hands
at the sides)
“Archaic smile”
Pose is similar to Egyptian figures

7. Peplos Kore
Peplos Kore,
530 BCE (Archaic)
Marble, height 121 cm

8. Peplos Kore
Kore - “young woman”
Peplos – style of dress that she is
wearing
“Archaic smile”
Originally wore a metal crown and
jewelry
Originally painted with patterns of
animals
Missing left forearm – arm once held
an object that would have identified
her role

9. Polykleitos
Doryphorus (Spear Bearer)
Marble (Roman Copy)
450 - 440 BCE (Classical)

10. • Polykleitos, the sculptor,
created a “Canon” -
perfect proportions of
human figure
• Figure originally held a
spear (warrior)
• Contrapposto (gentle s-
curve pose)
• Naturalism
• Counter Balance
• Harmony

11. Comparison

12. Dying Warrior, Marble, 480 BCE (Classical), 6’1” long

13. From the Temple of
Aphaia, Aegina, Greece
Naturalistic (Classical
characteristic)
diagonal movement
Figure trying to lift himself
up using his shield
Warrior is focused on his
own pain and does not
look out to the viewer

14. Discus Thrower
Sculpture (Marble / Roman Copy)
450 BCE (Classical)
1.54 M Tall

15. Discus Thrower
Sculpture is a copy by the
Romans (who loved Greek art)
Discus Throwing is an Olympic
sport
Greeks started the original
Olympic Games in 776 BCE
Anatomy of the human figure
Movement of the figure

16. Lysippos
The Scraper
Marble
330 BCE (Classical)

17. Lysippos was the court artist of
Alexander the Great, King of Ancient
Greek kingdom of Macedon
"Other artists make men as they are,
I make them as they appear.” -
Lysippos
Athlete scraping off sweat and dust
using a scraping tool called a strigil
Contrapposto with arm stretched out
Roman copy from original bronze

18. Venus de Milo
Sculpture (Marble)
150 BCE (Hellenistic)
2.1 M Tall

19. Venus de Milo
Greek Title - Aphrodite of Melos
Classic Beauty of the Female Form
Elongated Body with S-curve pose
(contrapposto)
“Erotic” tension of her drapery falling
off her body
Arms broken off – originally holding an
apple? (found in a field on the Island of
Melos in 1820)

20. Nike of Samothrace
Sculpture (Marble)
190 BCE (Hellenistic)
2.44 M Tall

21. Nike of Samothrace
Nike – Greek Goddess of Victory
Sometimes called “Winged Victory”
Monument which originally stood on a
hill (Victory Monument)
Louvre Museum, Paris

22. Ancient Greek Pottery
Greek Vase Forms

23. Francois Vase
Sculpture (Painted
Ceramic)
570 BCE (Archaic)
66 cm

24. Francois VaseDiscovered by a French archaeologist,
Francois
Signed by the painter and the potter
Black Figure Pottery (black on red
decoration)
Volute Crater Shape
Many stories, including the story of the
wedding of King Peleus
200 animal and human figures

25. Euthymides,
Three Revelers,
510 BCE (Archaic)
2’ Tall

26. • Painted by Euthymides
• Amphora Vase Form (Wine
Storage Jar)
• Red Figure Pottery
• Theme of Three Revelers
relates to the wine storage jar
(revelers are people celebrating
in a lively and noisy way)
• Figures in 3/4 View
(Foreshortening)

27. 3 Types of Greek Columns:
Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian
The Greek Columns became more elaborate as time advanced
(the oldest column is the Doric)

28. Sanctuary of Apollo
Architecture
6th – 3rd century BCE

29. Sanctuary of Apollo
Sacred home of the Greek God
Apollo (God of sun, light, truth,
music, archery, and healing)
Greeks believed Apollo could
communicate to humans
through a human medium called
the Pythia
Located at Delphi (the site of the
Pythian Games – a festival and
competition of music, dance, and
poetry

30. The Greeks searched for perfect proportions (relationship
between size differences) in their sculpture and temples
The Greeks used a ratio called the Golden Section (Golden Ratio,
or Golden Mean) in their art and architecture

31. Parthenon, Acropolis
Architecture
447 – 438 BCE
(Classical Period)

32. Parthenon, Acropolis
Located in Athens, Greece
Temple built for Goddess
Athena (Goddess of Athens,
wisdom, war, victory, and
civilization)
Acropolis - complex of buildings
Perfect Harmony and Balance
(Golden Section)
Designed by Kallikrates and
Iktinos (architects)
Doric Columns

33. The Golden Section as applied to the Parthenon

34. Pediment – a triangular gable found over major architectural
elements such as porticos, windows, or doors

35. East Pediment of the Parthenon

36. East Pediment of the Parthenon
447 – 438 BCE (Classical Period)

37. East Pediment
of the Parthenon
Also known as the “Elgin Marbles”
because British Earl of Elgin bought
the pediment and later gave it to
British government (today it's in the
British Museum)
Originally over 90 feet long – now
missing it's central part - less than 40
feet survives (probably destroyed
by Christians in the 5th Century
when Parthenon was converted to
a church)
Figures illustrate the birth of Athena
(goddess of wisdom and civilization)
Nude figure on the left is Dionysos
(God of wine)

38. Metope
A metope is a rectangular architectural element that fills the space
between two triglyphs in a Doric frieze.

39. Centaur and Lapith Metope
Marble, 447 – 438 BCE

40. One of the Metopes of the
Parthenon (originally 92 in
number) on the outside walls
Centaur is a mythological
creature that has the lower body
of a horse and upper body of a
human
The Lapiths are legendary people
of Greek mythology
According to one version of the
myth, the Centaurs, insulted from
being excluded from a wedding
celebration, attacked the Lapiths