Very little is what is known about Greek painters, however, if the mastery that manifested in the incredible effects of realism that they knew how to produce by descriptions of some paintings is known. But his work has been lost almost everything, and what has remained are fragments that give no idea how that painting was fully.
Of reproductions made by the Romans of ancient Greek paintings is that some references of how the latter were possibly arrived. Decorations of the Greeks in buildings and temples, made in marble with small teseact, with which they formed paintings and borders also give us an idea of the characteristics of their painting. Many of these have been found decorating the floors of important buildings.
Another element that gives us a close track are the funeral paintings of the Etruscans that imitated the Greek patterns and were influenced by their concepts of beauty and proportionality, saving of course there is the personal and peculiar imprint of life of the Etruscans; which was different from the Greek and thus reflected in their art, as we can appreciate in the photo lower than these lines.
The decoration of ceramic vessels by the Greeks also gives us an idea of their tastes, the way they drew the contours of the figures or the representation of the whole scenes.
The painting was an important chapter within Greek art, we know the names of many famous painters in their time and we also have references from many of his works, but unfortunately it has not been preserved. We can only appreciate some of its characteristics in the painting of ceramic vessels, in the mosaics and in posterior Roman copies.
The following Greek painters stand out in antiquity, at least of the names that are known:
- Polygnoto
- Apolodoro de Athens.
- Agatarco de Samos.
- Zeuxis
- Parrasio
- Apeles.
Fresco paint
Fresco paint was a method used quite commonly for the decoration of temples walls, public buildings, houses and also tombs. It should be noted, however, that this type of mural paint did not enjoy the same level of reputation as if the panel paint enjoyed. The mural paint had fundamentally the purpose of covering or hiding the imperfection of the walls whose termination was not very polished; for the poor materials used in their lining.
The topics of Greek fresh They were similar, however, to those used in panel paint. The Greek frescoes also possessed the balance and balance that the rest of their artistic works had, compositions provided without agglomeration of elements adorned their buildings and tombs.
Greek painting on sculptures.
The sculptures were also painted above all the part that corresponded to the representation of hair and clothing, however, the part that corresponded to what the skin was lacked, left with the natural tone of the stone.
The sculptures were therefore painted rather to highlight some elements and this was done with pleasure and detail, with submission, enhancing the beauty and expressiveness of these sculptures in an impressive way. Sometimes the entire sculpture was painted in one color. It has also been discovered that they used pigments in the entire sculpture also included the part that represents the skin, these very expensive pigments were used in the sculptures of high lineage characters.
I recommend seeing this article on how Greek and Roman sculptures were painted.
Classic Greek painting period (400-323) AC
All pictorial forms flourished in Greek art during the classic period, panel painting was highly used in encaustic or tempera. The themes mainly address figurative scenes, portraits and lifes. Representations of mythology passages are used where heroes and heroines are represented with the ideal beauty canons, balanced proportions, softness of the lines.
The rationality of the Greek beauty used in these works produces serene, balanced works made for the appreciation and joy of the spirit. They take great work to represent however; The sinuousness of the contours of human figures and great detail in the representation of nature, even if the scenes were a sweetened fantasy product of the artist’s imagination.
During the flowering of the Macedonian Empire; Under the mandate of Felipe II of Macedonia, the father of Alexander the Great, the Greek painting had its greatest apogee with great quality works. Pictorial experimentation occurs and new techniques related to shadow, use of color and use of light to highlight the figures are used. The cartoon and gender painting are also addressed in this period.
Hellenist period
During the Hellenist period starting around 323 AC and coinciding with the death of Alejandro the Great, Greek art transcends borders and its influence is even received by the Romans; Those who appreciate and mimic Greek art for a long time.
Paints made by painters under the dominance of the Roman Empire maintain the Greek influence and many imitations of their paintings are produced to decorate palaces, temples and Roman public buildings and their colonies outside Rome as well. The Romans use the purpose of political and religious propaganda, unlike the simple decoration that had Greek painting in antique.
Other artistic manifestations such as sculpture, architecture and ceramics in which they stood out and of which beautiful examples are preserved are addressed in other entries.
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Ceramics in Greek art
Greek art architecture
Greek art sculpture