4 The Realm of Beauty: Greece and the Greek world, fourth century BC to first century AD Flashcards
Identify, date, describe
The Erechtheion, Acropolis, Athens, 420-405BC
Named after Erechtheus, mythical founder king/god of Athens born from the earth from Hephaestus’ semen wiped from the leg of Aphrodite with a fillet of wool thrown to earth (Gaia).
Also, salt sea on Acropolis made by Poseidon was called sea of Erechtheus
In Ionic style –columns fluted and more slender than Doric style of Parthenon, and adorned with volutes.
Begun about a decade after completion of Parthenon. Reflects emergence of different styles and schools within Classical Greece
Identify, date, describe
Nike unbinding sandal, 408 BC
From balustrade around small Temple of Victory on Acropolis.
Drapery refined, no difficulty expressing movement or foreshortening.
Reflects shift towards preoccupation with beauty. Greeks now discussing paintings and statues in terms of form, conception and beauty.
Identify, date, describe
Aphrodite of Knidos, Praxiteles, 4th century BC –late classical period.
Commissioned as cult statue for Temple of Aphrodite at Knidos.
Around the temple, couches were placed among fragrant bushes, to make it possible for people to make love.
Depicts Aphrodite before ritual bath to restore her purity.
Form later known as “Venus Pudica”.
Praxiteles was (among) first to represent female nude –until then Greek sculpture dominated by male figures.
Supposedly used courtesan Phryne as model.
Identify, date, describe
Kritios Boy, Kritios (maybe), 480BC
Transitional point away from archaic style (Kouroi statues). First statue to use contrapposto and S curve of spine.
No archaic smile –but characterises Severe Style.
Smaller than life-size 117cm.
Found in 1865 the Perserschutt –dump of artefacts destroyed by Persians in 480BC.
Kenneth Clark called it “the first beautiful nude in art”
Kouroi statues come from what period?
Archaic – usually600s-500sBC
What style was dominant in Greece in 490-450BC?
The Severe Style or Early Classical Style
Identify, date, describe
Hermes with young Dionysus, Praxiteles, 340BC
All traces of rigidity are gone –enormous progress from Kouroi 200 years earlier.
Knowledge of anatomy – taken from life.
Pose relaxed –yet dignified through its beauty. Greek art has started to focus on creating ideal of beauty.
When did the great awakening in Greek art occur?
Roughly 520 to 420BC
From stiffness of Archaic period (700-500BC) to focus on realism andbeauty of classical period (500-323BC)
Dates of Second Peloponnesian War?
431-404BC
Archidamian War (431–421 BCE)
Spartan king Archidamus II. Annual Spartan land invasions of Attica; Athenian naval expeditions against Peloponnesian coast. Ended with brief Peace of Nicias.
Sicilian Expedition (415–413 BCE)
Segesta (backed by Athens) vs Selinus (backed by Sparta). Leaders Alcibiades (defects to Sparta) and Nicias. Disastrous for Athens.
Ionian or Decelean War (413–404 BCE)
Sparta, supported by Persia, builds fort at Decelea in Attica and navy to challenge Athens. Athens internal turmoil, including an oligarchical coup. Athens capitulates 404 BCE after navy devastated at Battle of Aegospotami.
What happened in Athens in 430BC?
A devastating plague during Archidamian war (430–429 BCE), severely weakening it by killing a substantial portion of its citizens, including Pericles
What was the influence of the Peloponnesian War?
Significantly weakened the major Greek powers, end ends Greek Golden Age (in 404BC).
Contributes to the eventual rise of Macedon under Philip II.
“Golden Age” of Athens dates?
The “Golden Age” of Athens, also referred to as the Age of Pericles, spans from approximately 480 BCE to 404 BCE
Identify, date, describe
Apollo Belvedere, Leochares, c350BC
Roman copy of 2nd century BC of original Bronze from Late Classical Period.
Probably Pythian Apollo, having just slain Python.
Dürer used flipped version as model for Adam in 1504 engraving of Adam and Eve.
In 18th century became most famous Greek sculpture in world, embodying neoclassicism, endorsed by Winckelmann.
Brought by Napoleon to Paris after 1796 Italiancampaign.
Romantic critics (Ruskin, Pater) turned against it.
Leochares dates?
Unknown, but active between 340-320BC –late classical period
Key works by Leochares?
Apollo Belvedere
Diane de Versailles
c325BC
Identify, date, describe
Venus de Milo, c100BC, Hellenistic period
Discovered on island of Milos in Greece
Probably originally holding apple of discord (hand holding apple found with statue)
Its twisting figure and draped garments show the transition from the Classical style to the Hellenistic style, emphasizing movement and realism over the more static and idealized forms of the earlier period
What is a herm?
Squared stone pillar with a carved head on top (typically of Hermes), used in ancient Greece as a boundary marker or a signpost. Male genitals may also be carved at the appropriate height.
Identify, date, describe
Head of Alexander the Great, c325-300BC, Lysippus
Marble copy after the original.
Portraiture emerged as artform in time of Alexander.
Expression of emotion emerges in this period – here,eyebrows raised, reflecting a restless spirit.
Identify, date, describe
Corinthian capital, c 300BC
Developed early 4th century.
Fit the more ornate style of the oriental kingdoms –Alexandria, Antioch.
Identify, date, describe
Altar of Zeus from Pergamon (modern-day Turkey), 156BC
Represents Gigantomachy.
Figures almost tumbling out of relief.
Depiction of movement, emotion, drama.
More detailed depiction of musculature –and more muscle overall.
Strong dramatic effects typical of Hellenistic art.
Also represents military victories of Greece under Alexander over stronger forces.
Identify, date, describe
Laocoon and his sons, Hagesandros and Polydoros of Rhodes.
Dates suggested range from 200 BC to the 70s AD with a Julio-Claudian date (27 BC-68 AD) now being the preferred option.
Story told in Virgil’s Aeneid (c20BC), which may have inspired statue.
In Virgil, Laocoön was a priest of Poseidon who was killed with both his sons after attempting to expose the ruse of the Trojan Horse by striking it with a spear.
Hellenistic style of “Pergamene baroque” which arose in Greek Asia Minor around 200 BC.
Hellenistic art has now lost touch with magic and religion.
Identify, date, describe
Maiden gathering flowers, 1st century AD, Pompeii.
Represents one of the hours, picking flowers (Thallo).
Astonishing how much good painting there was in unimportant town.
Identify, date, describe
Head of faun, 2nd century BC. Herculaneum.
