Architecture and Fine Art of Classical Greece

Results of the Greek Victory of the Persian Wars Persian threat is ended – renewed sense of freedom and confidence on the Balkan Peninsula. Athens, with its powerful navy, becomes the leader of the Delian League. Athens enters into a golden age of creativity and progress.

Classical Greece: Age of Pericles Had three goals:  Strengthen the democratic government in Athens  Strengthen the Athenian navy & empire  Glorify, or elevate Athens’ status

Architecture Styles Column Capital Styles: Doric Ionic Corinthian

Doric Style  seventh century BCE  simple, unassuming  Greek mainland and western colonies

Ionic Style  sixth century BCE  has scroll-like volutes  developed on the Aegean Islands

Corinthian Style  Fifth century BCE  uses decorative acanthus leaves  developed in Athens  used often in Roman architecture

Common Themes in Architecture  Balance  Proportion  Simplicity  Elegance

The Parthenon

Porch of the Caryatids

Temple of Zeus

Greek Theater  Open air  All male  Used for political and social satire

Greek Tragedy  Themes: love, hate, war, betrayal  Hero: exceptional abilities, but has character flaws  Usually ends with hero being punished or killed

Greek Comedy  Originated at the festivals for Dionysus  Used to mock people and ideas  Characters, unlike the tragedies, solved their problems

Characteristics of Classical Sculpture  Serene  Unemotional  Perfect  Graceful  Well-formed

Classical Sculpture

More examples…

Greek Philosophy: the pursuit of truth  Socrates  Plato  Aristotle

Socrates  Taught through inquiry  Believed in absolute truths  Life should be examined  We should question our life and purpose  Sentenced to death for corrupting Athens youth

Plato  Student of Socrates  Wrote Socrates teachings  Wrote the Republic –Society governed by a philosopher-king  Established the Academy

Aristotle  Student of Plato  Teacher of Alexander the Great  Opens the Lyceum  The world can be understood through observation  Forerunner to the scientific method

The End of Classicism  Sparta and Athens go to war  Peloponnesian War 431 B.C. – 404 B.C.  In the end Sparta won  This effectively ended the Golden Age of Greece  Sparta was not fit or willingly to lead the world created by Athens

Macedonians Conquer Greece In 322 B.C. the Macedonians led by Philip and his son, Alexander conquer Greece The ensuing empire built by Alexander ushers in a new era This time is called the Hellenistic Era It was a blending of Greek, Egyptian, Persian and Indian influences

Hellenistic Art  Realism  Movement  Emotion  Ordinary Subjects

Examples of movement…

Everyday subjects…