Greek Architecture, Archaic, & Classical

Question 1

What is the primary function of a Greek temple?

What does tripartite mean and what are the primary three parts of the temple?

Answer 1

House of the Gods. Rituals did not play out in the actual temple.

Tripartite — Sectioned into three parts.

(1) Pronaos (Porch)
(2) Cella; Naos (Statue Chamber)
(3) Opisthodomos (Back Chamber)

GREEK ARCH

Question 2

Instead of using the term style, what does the term order mean for the architect?

Answer 2

Orders (Styles) — Established set of rules and regulations

GREEK ARCH

Question 3

Capital

Answer 3

Abecus (top) and Echinus (bottom)

Ment to serve as a transition from round column to the square block.

Question 4

Flutes

Answer 4

Gauges in the shaft.

Question 5

Echinus

Answer 5

Ment to transition round shape of the shaft.

Question 6

Abacus

Answer 6

Square block

Question 7

Architrave

Answer 7

Lintel block; plain, no carving.

Question 8

Doric Frieze

Answer 8

Triglyph and Metope

Question 9

Triglyph

Answer 9

Three bands carved in; end of roof beams

DORIC

Question 10

Metope

Answer 10

Blank/intermediary form between the tryglphs.

DORIC

Question 11

Entablature

Answer 11

Cornice, Frieze, and Architrave

Question 12

Cornice

Answer 12

Horizontal Geison and Rakign Geison — Gutters

Question 13

Pediment

Answer 13

Middle triangle created by the cornice gutters.

Question 14

What are the differences between the Doric and Ionic orders?

Answer 14

Ionic:
(1) has a base below shaft (2) narrower and lighter (3) frieze isn’t decorated.

GREEK ARCH

Question 15

What is the term used for the outward curvature of the columns?

Answer 15

Entasis

Question 16

What is the reason that the Medusa figure is on the Temple of Artemis, Corfu, (ca 600-580 BC) pediment?

Answer 16

Apotropaic

GREEK ARCH

Question 17

What is the order used on the Treasury of the Athenians, (ca 490 BC)?

Answer 17

Doric

GREEK ARCH

Question 18

What is the order used on the Treasury of the Siphnians, (ca 525 BC)?

What is the specific adaptation of the columns and what are they called?

Answer 18

Ionic

Statues instead of columns — Caryatid’s

GREEK ARCH

Question 19

What is a gigantomachy?

Answer 19

Battle between gods and giants.

Question 20

Who are the twin god and goddess in the center of the frieze?

Treasury of Siphnians

Answer 20

Twins — Apollo and Artemis

GREEK ARCH

Question 21

Stylobate

Answer 21

Level on which columns stand

GREEK ARCH

Question 22

Peristyle

Answer 22

External colonnade on all four sides

GREEK ARCH

Question 23

Cella (naos)

Answer 23

Main chamber where statue was

GREEK ARCH

Question 24

What are some similarities and differences that you may notice between the Temple of Aphaia, Aegina’s West Pediment, (ca 500 – 490 BC) and East Pediment, (ca 490 – 480 BC) especially in the fallen warrior statues?

Answer 24

West Pediment:
- Original
- Battle at Troy — not THE battle tho; pre-mycenaean.
- Goddess of Athena & warriors
- Fallen warrior — Smiling; doesn’t look like hes gonna die.

East Pediment:
- Fallen warrior — Face isn’t look at us. Looking down as if he knows he is going to die. No longer symbolic, more representational now.
- Signs of self-awareness
- Style is still archaic

ARCHAIC

Question 25

What purpose was served by the Kouros “Kroisos”, from Anavysos (ca 530 BC)?

Answer 25

Grave Marker ARCHAIC

Question 26

What are some of the subtle changes that are starting to develop between the time the New York Kouros was carved and the Peplos Kore, also from the Athenian Akropolis, (ca 520 BC)?

Answer 26

Hair is conforming more to body — gravity playing a role Face is becoming more naturalistic, rounder figure. ARCHAIC

Question 27

What does the beard of the Calf-Bearer, from the Athenian Akropolis, (ca 560 BC) symbolically indicate?

Answer 27

Beard — More mature male, older age. ARCHAIC

Question 28

Who does the New York Kouros represent?

Answer 28

Possible it’s just a basic representation of male youth. Embodiement of an ideal, not specific individual. ARCHAIC

Question 29

What similarities exist between the “New York Kouros” from Attica, (ca 600 BC) and the Mentuemhet statue from the Late Period (650 BC) Egypt? Differences?

Answer 29

Similar — Same pose, same leg projecting forward, ideal of proportion are similar. Different — Egyptian is more naturalistic and also clothed. Purpose, egyptian is more than likely religious (statue for ka and ba), greeks is not. Different weight distribution. ARCHAIC

Question 30

What are the identifying characteristics of archaic sculpture?

Answer 30

Moving on from Orientalizing; return to tradition forms seen in Egyptian styles. Rigid statue with some naturalistic qualities. Slight smiling; weird as fuck dude. ARCHAIC

Question 31

Who is Myron? What parts of the Diskobolos figure create a vortex or arch and counter arch that intersects? Why is Diskobolos “Discus Thrower,” (450 BC) a marble statue? What is added because it is marble?

Answer 31

Myron — Artist; one of our first named artist. Intersecting archs — Arm to arm to leg; head to back to ass to leg Roman copy — original most likely was Bronze Placed support behind the figure. EARLY CLASSICAL

Question 32

What is meant by “rhythmos” such as it is depicted in the Zeus or Poseidon from Cape Artemision, (ca 460 BC)?

Answer 32

Rhythmos — Brief capture in time. Momentary beat in time. In-between resting and motion. EARLY CLASSICAL

Question 33

How do both Riace Warriors, “A” and “B”, from 460 BC, embody the classical style?

Answer 33

Contrapposto pose Naturalism Bearded — mature males Twisted head EARLY CLASSICAL

Question 34

Although the Charioteer from Delphi, (470 BC) is not depicted with a contrapposto pose, what other characteristic would identify this piece as belonging to the Classical period?

Answer 34

Head is slightly turned. Headband Puffiness in the face — especially the chin EARLY CLASSICAL

Question 35

Why are Greek bronze statues so rare?

Answer 35

Bronze — Didn’t survive because they were melted down for different materials (coins, plowers, knifes, etc.) EARLY CLASSICAL

Question 36

What is the contrapossto pose seen in the Kritios Boy? What new approaches to depicting the figure (think of the pose and facial expression) define the early classical sculpture? What does this change have to do with the politics of Athens?

Answer 36

Weight shift; less rigid and more natural/relaxed. (1) Head is slightly turned. (2) Idealized naturalism — ideal form but is something that is natural. (3) Hair — Short hair Statue resembles less of an arostocricy and represents more of the middle-class. EARLY CLASSICAL

Question 37

The Greeks become the supreme power after the battle of Marathon, (490 BC) and the naval battle at Salamis (480 BC). Who were the Greeks fighting?

Answer 37

Persians Battle of Marathon — Persians attacking Athenians Naval Battle at Salamis — Persians came back to invade. EARLY CLASSICAL