Three concepts that influenced Greek works Humanism (man is the measure of all things), rationalism (reason over emotion), idealism (things, plants, animals distilled to their basic essences, and rebuilt in the "truest" form of themselves). The influence on creation was the work was to be self-aware and create nothing in excess (principle of economy). There are no accidents, everything happens for a reason. This is the Greek version of faith, in this case faith in order and reason. The result artistically was a standard in technical and aesthetic achievement that was not rivaled for centuries by any other culture, and when such was accomplished, it was based on what the Greeks had achieved.
Early Classic period (480 to 450) Termed "severe" because figures still tended to be rigid, even though artists attempted to capture nature and/or what was optically seen. All classic periods endeavor to create ideal forms based on an underlying truth/essence/order, usually mathematic in nature.
Mature Classic period (450 to 400) Combine idealism with naturalism, pleasing rhythm with variety, works incorporate a canon of proportions (Polykleitos) offering a framework for pleasing proportions and forms evidenced in nature and by mathematic precision. For example, soft against hard forms, organic against geometric, energy with calm. Works tend to "respect" the space of the viewer, high technical achievements accomplished with a sort of "aloof" distance, static sense, and intellectual participation of the viewer.
Late Classic period (400 to 325) Requires an intellectual and emotional investment of the viewer. Favors more immediate drama than the "stand-offish" theatrical tone of the mature classic period. It could be that tastes changed or tired from the search for idealistic perfection and preference for youthful forms characterized by the previous period. Interlocking, dramatic, emotional and more mundane depictions with a sense of wisdom and experience were favored over the mature classic sense of heroic, Olympian supernatural and highly balanced compositions. Originality was more appreciated; more unexpected expressions (eg, mirth, anxiety) can be found. Some of the first known examples of female nudes.
Hellenistic period (325 to 31) Tone/form/content takes one of two general directions. Either a nostalgic return to the mature style, or in the opposite direction in many respects (termed "anti-classic", originated in Pergamon). Heroic, unearthly and serene depictions are traded in favor of mundane, specific, reality-based emotions, but the drama remains, perhaps more reckless. Works "invade" space of the viewer in how the figures would be arranged, their motion, and their placement in relation to the "canvas". There is a great reduction in the mature classic sense of balanced restraint.
West pediment of the Temple of Zeus (some remains) (c.470 to 456, Olympia) Very elegant use of an awkward canvas (flattened triangle of a pediment). Writhing bodies space at even intervals building up to a central figure (Apollo) project contrasting calm. Scene is a plastic moment of conflict between Lapiths and centaurs.
Doric order organization (top to bottom) pediment, entabliature (cornice, frieze, architrave), capital (abacus, echinus, necking), column, stylobate, stereobate.
Contrapposto Balancing tension and calm, rigid and relaxed. In sculpture, this meant the S-curve created when a figure is placing most of its weight on one foot, with the other bent and relaxed, while the orientation of tense/calm is reversed on the upper portion of the body.
Polykleitos Credited with devising the most well-known mature classic canon of proportions. Given a unit of measure, such as the width of a fist across the knuckles, the length of a forefinger or the height of the head from chin to hairline, the remaining components of the whole could be built in proportion to the unit of measure to create the most intellectually and visually pleasing figure possible. Balanced contrasts of natural, flawed and specific against idealized and general.
Stoa A Greek walkway that offered protection from the weather. Usually one of the long sides was lined with a colonnade while the opposite was lined with a wall.
Tholos Circular structure which had masonry upheld by a peristyle.
Factions of Alexander's empire upon his death (323) Ptolemaic, Seleucid, Antigonid.
Theater of Epidauros Excellent example of a Greek theater: Wedge-shaped aisles, orchestra (performance area), scene (backdrop), acoustic sensitivity, etc. This design has not been improved upon even now.
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