Greek Flashcards
Greek pattern: Anthemion
Honeysuckle motif
Bead-and-Reel moulding
Egg and dart moulding
Greek fret
Greek key
Meander
Greek Guilloche
Double Guilloche
Fret and anthem mouldings
Fluting
A series of shallow, parallel, and concave channels found on the shaft of columns and pilasters, particularly in the architectural styles of Ionic, Corinthian, and Composite. Also commonly used to ornament furniture legs and friezes. Occasionally seen in a spiral formation.
Megaron
A large central hall with a rectangular plan fronted by a columned porch found in Mycenaean palaces.
Portico
A covered entry porch that
is supported by columns
forming the entrance or
center to a façade.
Tholos
A small circular building lined with columns, sometimes in place of the walls.
Greece
- diverse geography and climate
- half land and half sea: lots of coastline
- cole winter, dry/hot summer
Greek people
- desired perfection in all things
- valued independent thought
- believed in freedom to act, speak, and think
Greek design
- emphasized beauty by line, form, and proportion
- not as concerned with color or surface
Four greek motif themes:
- geometric
- natural
- animal
- architectural
Dentil moulding
What is the difference between Egyptian and Greek surface decoration?
Egyptians incize
Greeks use relief
DORIC ORDER
Sturdy, heavy, masculine, vigor
triglyph
In a Doric frieze, a rectangular block with three vertical grooves that fills the space between two metopes.
Metope
The flat recessed slabs between triglyphs of a classical Doric frieze, commonly decorated with sculpted reliefwork.
Frieze
In architecture, the middle part of a classical entablature, located between the architrave and the cornice.
Both doric and ionic
triangular pediment
The triangular space formed by the raking cornices of a gable roof and the horizontal cornice above the entablature. Also used as a decorative element over windows, doors, and furniture.
volute
A spiral, scroll-like form used extensively
in classical capitals of the Ionic, Corinthian,
and Composite orders.
Ionic
light, elaborate, dignity
Corinthian
delicate, grace, light, rich
acanthus leaves and four volutes
Greek temple
- made out of abundant marble
- built to worship Gods/Goddesses
- utilized color
Naos / Cella
In classical architecture, the inner chamber of a temple.
Plan of the Acropolis
Acropolis
The Parthenon
- dedicated to the Goddess Athena
- Ictinus & Callicrates
- made of white marble
- designed to account for optical illusions
Started out as a temple, then later became a Christian church, and ammunition storage facility, and a Turkish Mosque.
Entasis
The Greek refinement of augmenting a column shaft with
an outward curve to counter the optical illusion that it
appears to curve inward.
Taper
Gradually narrows as column approaches the top
Fluting
A series of shallow, parallel, and concave channels found on the shaft of columns and pilasters, particularly in the architectural styles of Ionic, Corinthian, and Composite. Also commonly used to ornament furniture legs and friezes. Occasionally seen in a spiral formation.
Arises
Ridge produced by fluting
Erectheum
Porch of maidens
Example of caryatid
Caryatid
A female form used in a support position, as
a column. In furniture design it was usually a
decorative support; it was also used to support
an entablature of a mantle, etc.
Greek houses
- Sun-dried brick/stucco
- Slanted roofs for precipitation
- Central courtyard
- Inward orientation
- Columns surrounding the courtyard forming a peristyle
- Windows facing the courtyard
Rooms:
- Andron
Peristyle
A columned porch or open colonnade surrounding a court that may have an internal garden.
Andron
Greek term for men’s quarters in a Greek classical house, usually a dining room.
- Both middle and upper class.
- Main event was ‘symposium.’
- Mosaic floor
- Mosaic walls or frescos
- Klines arranged around room in U shape
- Usually about seven klines
Greek vase painting
- ornamental and educational
- daily life, history, legends depicted
- both draped and nude bodies
- perspective not used / individuals drawn in profile
- proportionate and anatomical
Diphros
Fixed and folding stools
may demonstrate non-directional animal feet
New technology that Greeks used but Egyptians did not
lathe
turning
In furniture, an ornamental or structural element produced by shaping wood on a rotating lathe to create a series of bulbous forms, disks, nodules, or swellings.
Thronos
An ancient Greek chair, often with arms, designed for a person of honor (esp. in stadiums).
Klismos
- Common chair for nonofficial activities
- lacks ornamentation
- raking splat
- elegant and simple
An ancient Greek chair characterized by the saber legs splayed at both front and back and with a concave curved back. Later the Romans designed the cathedra chair, which is similar in form and shape to the Greek klismo.
Kline
An ancient Greek multipurpose sofa that served as a couch, bed, or reclining surface while dining.
- Raised off the ground and required a step/foot stool
- Had mattresses and cushions
- Table stored under the kline that servants used for food, plates, wine, etc.
Trapeza
Greek tables
- Used for serving wine
- Three lefs
- Animal legs
- Circular top was Greek innovation, could also be rectangular
- Stone or bronze
