Western art and culture have been governed to this day by this artistic manifestation. In addition, the humanistic principle and the ideal of beauty comes from Greece that will mark Europe for 25 years. We are referring to Greek Art- What was it?, periods, characteristics, architecture. It will be our topic in this post.
what was greek art
The greek art It is a style that was created by the ancient Greeks who were looking for the ideal of beauty reflected in an ideal world. Architecture and Sculpture have had an extraordinary influence on Western culture to this day. In addition, after the conquest of Alexander the Great, some of its forms spread to the East. This originated the Greco-Buddhic style (Gandhara) in India.
Greek Art was known through the conservation of remains over time, of the copies made by the Romans after the conquest of Greece. Also for the literary works written in ancient times (the Greek culture was the first to write about art and culture).
characteristics of greek art
The salient features of Greek art are the following:
- The influence that Greek Art received in its beginnings was from the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations, especially from Egypt and Mesopotamia. However, over time it developed its own characteristics.
- According to an intellectual and philosophical conception, the human figure as an ideal of beauty. Therefore, a model was established that gave balance and harmony to the parts of the works.
- In the search to find the ideal of beauty in the human figure, there was an intention to create an inner life for the characters.
- Human figures and the stories they represented were painted on sculptures and temples to give them a naturalistic look.
- The works of art acquired value for their beauty, beyond what they represented in the reminders, tributes and commemorative function. This caused the rise of critics, art theorists and collectors.
The architecture of Greek art
The greek art architecture it was flat, that is to say, it did not use arches or vaults. The column was the sustainable element they used and its construction material was marble painted in various colors. Time has erased those colors almost completely.
The structures they built were based more than anything on theaters, racetracks, stadiums, libraries, etc. However, the most emblematic structure of Greek Art was the temple, where statues of the divinity were housed. The greek temples they were smaller than the Egyptians and therefore the faithful were not allowed to enter the building.
The Greeks placed a special value on proportion and harmony in their structures. Three types of orders or styles can be distinguished, depending on the type of column and the relationship between the architectural elements, these are: the Doric, which has been the oldest and most sober, the Corinthian, which is the most modern and decorated, and, finally, the Corinthian. the Ionian.
The Romans assimilated the Greek orders and were widely used in Renaissance architecture. It still has a noticeable influence on today’s buildings.
Also know the names of Greek and Roman goddesses: