In Greek mythology, the Minotaur is a mythical creature portrayed in Classical times

with the head and tail of a bull and the body of a man or, as described by Roman
poet Ovid, a being "part man and part bull". He dwelt at the center of the Labyrinth,
which was an elaborate maze-like construction designed by the architect Daedalus
and his son Icarus, on the command of King Minos of Crete. The Minotaur was
eventually killed by the Athenian hero Theseus.
GREEK ART
 CHRONOLOGY
• 1,050 – 900 BCE: Proto-Geometric
• 900 – 700 BCE: Geometric Period
• 700 – 600 BCE: Orientalizing Period
• 600 – 480 BCE: Archaic Period
• 480 – 323 BCE: Classical Period
– 480 – 450 BCE: Early Classical Period
– 450 – 400 BCE: High Classical Period
– 400 – 323 BCE: Late Classical Period
• 323 – 30 BCE: Hellenistic (Greek-like) Art
Mythology & Names of the Greek Gods and Goddesses
The major Greek Gods and goddesses of the pantheon are referred to as the Olympians and
according to Ancient Greek Mythology lived on the mythical Mount Olympus where they were
entertained by the Nine Muses. The Twelve Olympians gained power in their victory over the
Titans in the war of the gods. The Twelve Olympians were led by Zeus who is also known as
the king of the Greek divinities and deities. The names of the principle Greek Olympians,
were Zeus, Athena, Hestia or Dionysus, Apollo, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Artemis, Ares,
Aphrodite, Hephaestus and Hermes. Pluto, also known as Hades, was not generally included
among the Olympians because his realm was the underworld. Other important Olympians,
notably Eros, Selene, Hebe, Helios and Persephone are occasionally included in ancient
depictions of the twelve Olympians. http://www.talesbeyondbelief.com/
Greeks are interested in the human figure the idea of perfection.

Greek Temples provide a foundation for European architecture and reflects the
idea of obtaining perfection with mathematical ratios.

The Greek time period starts at around 900 BCE, about 200 years after the
collapse of the Mycenaeans.

In the 5th century, the Greeks defeated the Persians, though it left Athens in
ruins (rebuilt by Pericles) = Start of the Classical time period

Polykleitos's canon of proportions: The head should be 1/7 of the body.

The chiastic stance that expresses the alternating relaxed and stressed
muscles.

The Peloponnesian War in 432 BCE (lasted about 27 years) devastated and
crushed Athens by the victorious Spartans = Start of the Hellenistic
Alexander the Great took over and united the Macedonians with the Greeks in the
4th century and after his death, his empire gave into Roman rule
GEOMETRIC
PERIOD

900 – 700 BCE

POTTERY
Artist: Attributed to the Hirschfeld Workshop
Title: Funerary Vase (Krater)
Medium: Ceramic
Size: height 42 ⅝" (108 cm)
Date: c. 750–700 BCE
Source: Dipylon Cemetery, Athens
ORIENTALIZING
PERIOD

700 – 600 BCE

Title: Pitcher (Olpe)
Medium: Ceramic with black-figure decoration
Size: height 11 ½" (30 cm)
Date: c. 600 BCE
Source/Museum: Corinth
ORIENTALIZING STYLE
Lion of Delos
ARCHAIC PERIOD

600 – 480 BCE

ARCHAIC STYLE
 Egyptians
created what
they knew.

Greeks created
what they
saw.
2000 llbs with skinny
ankles, left foot Title: Anavysos Kouros
forward. Base and Medium: Marble with remnants
name are missing. of paint
Tomb sculpture or as Size: height 6'4" (1.93 m)
a dedication in a Date: c. 530 BCE
sanctuary. Poise and Source/Museum: Cemetery at
nudity- visual Anavysos, near Athens
expression of
sovereignty

Modeling in the
Drawing or round
incising Grave marker for an
aristocrats son

The inscription on the base read:

“Stay and mourn at the monument of
dead Kroisos who raging Ares slew
Archaic as he fought in the front ranks.”
Kouros= Youth (nude)
plural – kouroi
Title: Standing Youth (Kouros)
Medium: Marble
Head band and braids
Size: height 6' (1.84 m) Perfected bady
Date: c. 600 BCE Hands to hip bridge that give
Source/Museum: Attica / The Metropolitan it stability.
Museum of Art, New York. 70 years difference.
Form: Context:
Extremely idealized male figure 6th century B.C.E.
• very muscular and lean Archaic period (700-480 BCE)
•Egyptian style stance First obtained iron Chisels in this period
• Tense and flexing his muscles Iron, being much denser than
•Completely naked anything earlier works were carved
• shows off the realistic and proportional with, allowed the Greeks to carve
anatomy out of harder stones like marble
•Neatly Braided hair Unknown artist
Found in the cemetery of Anavysos
Function: Grave marker for Kroisos
A Kouros was very popular in ancient Athens Died in a war, "Slain by the wild
Thousands were made and were used in a couple Ares”
different ways
Most commonly used as grave markers (like this Content:
particular Kouros) Slightly larger than life size
offerings to a god roughly 6'4"
less common but as a representation of god, Representation of ideal male youth
usually Apollo gives the work its name
This Kouros was set up by aristocratic family as a grave "Kouros" literally means youth
marker for their son
Is not a portrait but simply an idealized figure
Anavysos Kouros is a transition for this type of work
sculptures from earlier in the 6th century BCE
were more abstract
The focus on Realism indicates a society that revered
the human form, and desired to understand the natural
environment as a series of cause and effect arguments.
Differed from the Egyptian statues in this way
Contextc. 530 B.C.E.
Acropolis (ancient citadel on a hill) at Athens, Greece
Artist unknown

Content
Kore statue (young maiden)
Most likely one of the maiden goddesses
A peplos robe (not confirmed*)
Arm extended with the intent of holding something, breaks mold
of static Archaic statues
Object was lost to time (may indicate which goddess is
depicted)
Classical Egyptian stance (prior to Contrapasto)
Facial expression alludes to unearthly wisdom, association with
transcendance and being above humanly emotion

Form
Brightly pigmented paint
Much of which still remains (red of the hair and eyes)
Skirt formerly colored, designed with animals (such as the
sphinx, horses, and possibly goats)
Fine-grained Parian marble (white)
Missing left arm
Tightened waist
Breasts revealed beneath drapery
Rounded, naturalistic face
Hair falls naturally on her figure (natural theme)
Free-standing

Function (*interpretations)
To honor and depict a Greek goddess (likely Artemis)
Place holder for altar in Greek temple > Acropolis
Kore often used to mark graves, were offerings to the gods (6th-
5th c. B.C.E.)
Physical representation of a deity (specifically the goddess
Artemis or Athena), which is the most likely option as she is
clothed differently than all other korai found at the Acropolis
 Archaic
Kore= female (clothed)
(plural – korai)
Title: Berlin Kore
Medium: Marble with remnants of paint
Size: height 6' 3" (1.9 m) Title: Peplos Kore
Date: c. 570–560 BCE Medium: Marble
Source/Museum: Cemetery at Keratea, near Size: height 4' (1.21 m) Title: Kore (Athena)
Athens Date: c. 530 BCE Medium: Marble
Size: height 22" (0.55 m)
Source/Museum: Acropolis, Athens Date: c. 520 BCE
Offering to the goddess Athena or Source/Museum: Acropolis, Athens
Artemis given by men
"Kouros and kore figures stand frontally, bolt upright, and with squarish shoulders.
Hair is knotted, and the ears are a curlicue. Figures are cut free from the stone as
much as possible, although arms are sometimes attached to thighs. As in Egyptian
works, kouros figures have one foot placed in front of the other, as if they were in mid
stride. The shins have a neat crease down the front, as Egyptian works do."
--Greek Art, Content Area: Ancient Mediterranian, p. 105

Unlike its male counterparts, this Kore statue is clothed. She is assumed to be
wearing a peplos, a rich outer robe or shawl worn by women in ancient Greece,
hanging in loose folds and sometimes drawn over the head, which is where the name
comes from--although there really isn't a way to tell what it actually is.

Originally, she was painted in bright colors, and her arm was once extended,
presumably holding an object. Scholars say she was most likely Artemis or Athena,
but it's impossible to be sure because we don't know whether she held a bow or not.
Artemis is the most likely choice, due to how her appearance contrasts with the other
Kore figures, and the color and decoration of the figure's costume.

Overall, the Peplos Kore reflects the Classical ideal.

EARLY CLASSICAL
Title: Kritian Boy
Medium: Marble
Size: height 3'10" (1.17 m)
Date: c. 480 BCE
Source/Museum: From Acropolis, Athens
CONTRAPPOSTO
Zeus (or Poseidon?)
from the sea off Cape
Artemision, Greece
ca. 460-450 B.C.E.
bronze
82 in. high
Artist: Myron
Title: Discus Thrower (Diskobolos)
Medium: Marble
Size: height 5'11"
Date: Roman copy after the original bronze of c. 450 BCE
Source/Museum: National Museum, Rome
Title: Warrior A (front)
Medium: Bronze with bone and glass
eyes, silver teeth, and copper lips and
nipples
Size: height 6'9" (2.05 m)
Date: c. 460–450 BCE
Source/Museum: Found in the sea off
Riace, Italy
CLASSICAL
Form: made of white marble, subtractive sculpture, life size, aprox. 84 in. (213 cm.)
Function:
Context: naked = celebrates the nature human body, its beauty, and its strength for enjoyment: to showcase the beauty
marks this as a Greek sculpture of the human body
one of the earliest examples of contrapposto
includes a strong a sense of harmony and counterbalancing:
left arm and right leg = relaxed
right arm and left leg = tensed
the man has with broad shoulders and thick torso and is just generally muscular
used to hold an iron spear
the face isn't individualized
he's made to depict everyone's ideal self

Content
found in a palestra (a place for athletes to work out in) in
Pompeii
one of the most copied Greek sculptures
everyone want Greek art because it was
representative of a luxurious and leisurely life + they
were super high quality and when they raided, they
got them for free!
created at time when the Greeks were in awe of the
mathematical perfection of the human body
Polykleitos created a canon (a set of guidelines) outlining
the ideal man based on ratios and measurements
experts believe the Spear Bearer was made to
represent the idealized version of the perfect Greek
man (men should aspire to be him even though it's
impossible) as outlined in Polykleitos' canon
extremely significant because of it's relative realism when
compared to the Anavysos Kouros
shows an ever-advancing understanding of the
human body
depicted normal life, a sculpture of a man walking
shows that human potential was/is hugely
important to this society
Artist: Polykleitos
Title: Spear Bearer (Doryphoros), also known as Achilles
Medium: Marble (tree trunk and brace strut are Roman
additions)
Size: height 6'11" (2.12 m)
Date: Roman copy after the original bronze of c. 450–440 BCE
CONTRAPSSASTO
Title: Charioteer
Medium: Bronze, copper (lips and lashes), silver (hand),
onyx (eyes)
Size: height 5'11" (1.8 m)
Date: c. 470 BCE
Source/Museum: From the Sanctuary of Apollo, Delphi
STANDARD SHAPES OF GREEK VESSELS
Scenes of the Persian War
Artist: Exekias
Title: Achilles and Ajax Playing A Game
Medium: Ceramic amphora with black-figure decoration
Size: height of amphora 2' (61 cm)
Date: c. 540 BCE
Source/Museum: Vatican Museums, Rome
 Artist: Exekias
Title: The Suicide of Ajax
Artist: Euphronios (painter) and Euxitheos (potter) Medium: Ceramic amphora with black-figure
Title: Death of Sarpedon decoration
Medium: Ceramic calyx krater with red-figure decoration Size: height of amphora 27" (69 cm)
Size: height of krater 18" (45.7 cm) Date: c. 540 BCE
Date: c. 515 BCE Source/Museum: Château-Musée, Boulogne-sur-
Source/Museum: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Mer, France
Method- sgrafito
Red Figure Black Figure
In his archaic role as bringer of diseases
and death, Apollo with his poison arrows killed
Niobe's sons and Artemis with her poison
arrows killed Niobe's daughters.
Cross-Cultural Comparisons:
- Beaker with ibex motifs
- The David Vases
- Martínez, Black-on-black ceramic vessel
Form:
- figures are stiff - early classical - severe style
- made of clay
- red figure bc bodies are part of red clay pot and then black
background — lots of detail allowed
- in the past: greek vases before this had only one "line"
- now figures occupy different levels
- sense of an illusion of space
- foreground and background but all figures are the same size
- suggesting depth
Function:
- Type of vessel: Calyx-krater:
- Large punch bowl
- used to mix water and wine
Content:
- 2 sides
- one side is of war almost
- the other is more peaceful
- kind of like the Standard of Ur?
Context
- Each period of time had its own technique
- Geometric Period (c. 900-700 B.C.E.) - geometric patterns
- Orientalizing Period (c. 700-600 B.C.E.) - animal processions and
Near Eastern motifs
- Archaic and Classical Periods (c. 600-323 B.C.E.) - vase-
paintings primarily display human and mythological activities
- painted scenes should not be thought of as photographs that
document reality
- aid in reconstructing the lives and beliefs of the ancient Greeks
In black-figure vase painting, figural and ornamental motifs were applied with a
slip that turned black during firing, while the background was left the color of the
clay. Vase painters articulated individual forms by incising (sgraffito) the slip or
by adding white and purple enhancements (mixtures of pigment and clay). In
contrast, the decorative motifs on red-figure vases remained the color of the
clay; the background, filled in with a slip, turned black. Figures could be
articulated with glaze lines or dilute washes of glaze applied with a brush. The
red-figure technique was invented around 530 B.C., quite possibly by the potter
Andokides and his workshop.

The firing process of both red- and black-figure vessels consisted of three
stages. During the first, oxidizing stage, air was allowed into the kiln, turning the
whole vase the color of the clay. In the subsequent stage, green wood was
introduced into the chamber and the oxygen supply was reduced, causing the
object to turn black in the smoky environment. In the third stage, air was
reintroduced into the kiln; the reserved portions turned back to orange while the
glossed areas remained black.
ARCHITECTURE AND
ARCHITECTURAL SCULPTURE
ARCHAIC
Greek architecture is important for several reasons:

(1) Because of its logic and order. Logic and order are at the heart of Greek architecture. The Hellenes planned their
temples according to a coded scheme of parts, based first on function, then on a reasoned system of sculptural
decoration. Mathematics determined the symmetry, the harmony, the eye's pleasure.
There had never been an architecture in just this sense. Egyptian pyramid architecture had been an early, attempt, but
Greek building art offered the first clear, strong expression of a rational, national architectural creed. It is the supreme
example of the intellect working logically to create a unified aesthetic effect. Greek designers used precise mathematical
calculations to determine the height, width and other characteristics of architectural elements. These proportions might be
changed slightly, and certain individual elements (columns, capitals, base platform), might be tapered or curved, in order
to create the optimum visual effect, as if the building was a piece of sculpture.

(2) Because of its invention of the classical "orders": namely, namely, the Doric Order, the Ionic Order and the
Corinthian Order - according to the type of column, capital and entablature used.

(3) Because of its exquisite architectural sculpture. Architects commissioned sculptors to carve friezes, statues and
other architectural sculptures, whose beauty has rarely, if ever, been equalled in the history of art.

(4) Because of its influence on other schools. Although Greek architects rarely progressed further than simple post-
and-lintel building techniques, and failed to match the engineering techniques (arch, vault) developed in Roman
architecture, they succeeded in creating the most beautiful, monumental structures of the Ancient World. Their formulas -
devised as far back as 550 BCE - paved the way for Renaissance and Neoclassical architecture,

The origins of Greek architectural design are not to be found in the various strands of Aegean art that appeared in the
eastern Mediterranean, notably Minoan or Mycenean art, but in the Oriental cultures that poured their influences into the
Greek settlements along the shore of Asia Minor (Turkey) and from there to Hellas itself. Ever since the Geometric Period
(900-725 BCE), the main task of the Greek architect was to design temples honouring one or more Greek deities. In fact,
until the 5th century BCE it was practically his only concern. The temple was merely a house (oikos) for the god, who was
represented there by his cult statue, and most Geometric-era foundations indicate that they were constructed according to
a simple rectangle. According to ceramic models (like the 8th century model found in the Sanctuary of Hera near Argos),
they were made out of rubble and mud brick with timber beams and a thatched or flat clay roof. By 700 BCE, the latter
was superceded by a sloping roof made from fired clay roof tiles. Their interiors used a standard plan adapted from the
Mycenean palace megaron. The temple's main room, which contained the statue of the god, or gods, to whom the
building was dedicated, was known as the cella or naos. (For more about the history of Greek architecture, see: Ancient
Greek Art: c.650-27 BCE.)
How was the Agora used in Athens and what
crossed the Agora?
It was the center of the political, social, physical, and
commercial activities. The Panathenaic road crossed
the Agora.
What did the Panathenaic festival celebrate?
Victory over the Persian invaders.

Athens culture was shaped by its commercial ties to the

Mediterranean world both
by its being a commercial power with wide
ranging contacts
by its unusual form of government - which was a
kind of participatory government, direct
democracy
The Acropolis is where the famous buildings are, but the
Agora is where they pursued their daily lives
The Agora (/ˈæɡərə/; Ancient Greek: Ἀγορά Agorá)
was a central spot in ancient Greek city-states.
The literal meaning of the word is "gathering
place" or "assembly".
The agora was the center of athletic, artistic, spiritual
and political life of the city.
The Ancient Agora of Athens was the best-known
example.

The Agora was all about exchange, both of goods and
ideas
Panathenaic way - led to temple of Athena
Stoa - contained shops and also were primary meeting
place
Bouletarian and Tholos - where govt happened
The Agora was all about exchange,(transactional) both of
goods and ideas
Panathenaic way - led to temple of Athena
Stoa - contained shops and also were primary meeting place
remind you of anything? much later… mosques?
this is where Socrates hung out
Bouletarian and Tholos - where govt happened
Form:
See diagram and labellings for the specific name of each building (no sense in repeating it here)
Buildings originally made of marble
Pan-Athenaic Way goes through the center of the city → leads to the Acropolis
A lot of open space

Function:
Originally a burial ground (in Bronze and Iron Ages) → later converted into a public space
Started as a market → then became a place of government with administrative buildings and sacred spots
Once a year → procession through Agora and to the sacred mount
Dedicated to Athena

Content:
See diagram and labelling for the specific name of each building
Temples honoring gods
Athena → patron goddess of Athens
Increasingly substantial structures
The Stoa → business, political discussions, civic life

Context:
Was invaded by the Persians but rebuilt in the early Common Era
Athens
500 BCE → citizens start to be able to participate more in the government
Didn’t vote → participated directly
Offices held by rotation
Positions that were voted on required skills (like generals)
Citizens → had to be male and Athenian
Meritocracy and equality before the law

Themes: Cross Cultural Connections:

Urban life Other cities with monumental architecture,
Place of tra governance, and religious purposes (all within the
Cities and monumental architecture specific city)
Religion The Forbidden City
Manifestation in daily life Machu Picchu and Cusco
Separation or no separation from government Nan Madol
Democracy
 Architectural Components
• Greek Orders:
– Doric (oldest)
– Ionic (most commonly used)
– Corinthian
• Column & Entablature = Post & Lintel
Doric order Ionic order Corinthian order
 Architectural Terms To Know
1. Base—bottom; three steps
2. Capital—top of column
3. Column
4. Entablature—whole piece of frieze that rests on top of column
5. Frieze—where the picture is
6. Pediment—triangular element that rests on top
7. Shaft—the body of the column

• Except for the circular tholos, most Greek temples were oblong, roughly twice as long as they were wide. Most
were small (30–100 feet long), although a few were more than 300 feet long and 150 feet wide. (For comparison,
the dimensions of the Parthenon are 235 feet in length, 109 feet in width.) The typical oblong floor plan
incorporated a colonnade of columns (peristyle) on all four sides; a front porch (pronaos), a back porch
(opisthodomos). The upper works of the temple usually consisted of mudbrick and wood, except for the upper
facade which was usually stone, and designed according to the Order (Doric, Ionic). Columns were typically
carved from limestone, with upper facades usually decorated with marble.

• The interior of the Greek temple typically consisted of an inner shrine (cella, or naos) which housed the cult statue,
and sometimes one or two antechambers, which were used as storage places for devotees to leave their votive
offerings, like money, precious objects, and weapons.

• The layout of the inner shrine, the other chambers (if any) and surrounding columns usually followed one of five
basic designs, named as follows. (1) If the entrance to the cella incorporated a pair of columns, the building was
known as a "templum in antis". ["in antis" means "between the wall pillars"] (Example: Siphnian Treasury, Delphi,
525 BCE; or Temple of Hera, Olympia, 590 BCE.) (2) If the entrance was preceded by a portico of columns across
its front, the building was known as a prostyle temple. (Example: Temple B, Selinunte, Sicily, c.600-550 BCE.) (3)
If in addition to the portico of columns at the front, there was a colonnade of columns at the rear exterior of the
cella, the building was known as a amphiprostyle temple. (Example: Temple of Athena Nike, Athens, 425 BCE. Or
see the later Temple of Venus and Roma, Rome, 141 CE.) (4) If the colonnade surrounded the entire building, it
was known as a peripteral temple. (Example: The Parthenon, Athens, 447-437 BCE) (5) If the colonnade encircling
the building comprised a double row of columns, it was known as a dipteral temple. (Example: The Heraion of
Samos, 550 BCE; or Temple of Apollo, Didyma, Asia Minor, 313 BCE.)
Entablature and Pediment
The temple's columns support a two-tier horizontal structure: the "entablature" and the "pediment". The entablature - the first tier
- is the major horizontal structural element supporting the roof, and encircles the whole building. It is made up of three sections.
The lowest section is the "architrave", made up of a series of stone lintels which span the spaces between the columns. Each
joint sits directly above the centre of each capital. The middle section is the "frieze", consisting of a broad horizontal band
of relief sculpture. In Ionic and Corinthian temples, the frieze is continuous; in Doric temples sections of frieze (metopes)
alternate with grooved rectangular blocks (triglyphs). The top part of the entablature immediately under the roof is the "cornice",
which overhangs and protects the frieze.
The second tier is the pediment, a shallow triangular structure occupying the front and rear gable of the building. Traditionally,
this triangular space contained the most important sculptural reliefs on the exterior of the building.
Title: Temple of Hera I, Paestum (Ancient Poseidonia) and Hera II (In Foreground)
Date: c. 550–540 BCE (Hera I) & c. 470–460 BCE (Hera II)
Source/Museum: Italy
Temple of Hera I
Paestum, Italy
ca. 550 B.C.E.

Columns in the
middle make this
an unusual
configuration as
well as the 9
pillars in the front
(odd numbers).
 Caryatids

Title: Reconstruction Drawing of the Treasury of the Siphnians, Delphi Sanctuary of Apollo, Delphi. c. 530–

525 BCE
Excavations reveal that Delphi was first inhabited in late Mycenaean times (15th century BC) and that
priests from Crete brought the cult of Apollo to central Greece in the 8th century BC. The version of
Apollo worshipped on the island was Apollo Delphinios - the god in the form of a dolphin - and it
was from this that the holy city derived its name.

As the center of the world and the dwelling place of Apollo, Delphi was thronged with pilgrimsfrom
across the ancient world. Generals, kings, and individuals of all ranks came to the Oracle of Delphi to
ask Apollo's advice on the best course to take in war, politics, love and family. After the inquirer made
a sacrifice, a priestess uttered cryptic pronouncements which were then translated by a pries

The 6th century BC saw the political rise of Delphi and the reorganization of the Pythian Games,
ushering in a golden age that lasted until the arrival of the Romans in 191 BC.
Numerous treasuries were built in the Sanctuary of Apollo to house votive offerings of grateful
pilgrims. In the 4th century BC, atheater accommodating 5,000 spectators was constructed nearby. It
was restored in 159 by the Pergamene king Eumenes II and later by the Romans.

The famous oracles of Delphi were given in a small chamber in the Temple of Apollo called
the adyton, which only the Pythiacould enter. The Pythia (named for the Python slain by Apollo) was
a priestess who spoke as a possessed medium for Apollo, the god of prophecy. Usually a middle-
aged peasant woman, she was specially selected and trained for her role. She practiced sexual
abstinence and fasting before giving oracles
.
Questions were submitted to the Oracle on a tablet, some examples of which survive. When she was
delivering oracles, the Pythia was said to be in a mild trance. The Pythia spoke for Apollo in an
altered voice and often chanted her responses. The response was then written down and sealed by a
priest and given to the inquirer. No copies of any answers have yet been found.
The Siphnian Treasury was a building at the Ancient Greek cult centre of Delphi, erected to host the offerings of the polis,
or city-state, of Siphnos. It was one of a number of treasuries lining the "Sacred Way", the processional route through the
Sanctuary of Apollo, erected to win the favor of the gods and increase the prestige of the donor polis. It was one of the
earlier surviving buildings of this type, and its date remains a matter for debate, with the most plausible date being around
525 BC.
Title: Battle Between The Gods and the Giants
Medium: Marble
Size: height 26" (66 cm)
Date: c. 530–525 BCE
Source/Museum: Fragments of the north frieze of the Treasury of the Siphnians, from the Sanctuary of Apollo,
Delphi
Title: Temple of the Olympian Zeus, Athens; Acropolis in Distance
Size: Height of columns 55"5" (16.89 m)
Date: Building and rebuilding phases: foundation c. 520–510 BCE using the Doric order; temple designed by
Cossutius, begun 175 BCE, left unfinished 164 BCE, completed 132 CE using Cossutius’s design and the
Corinthian order
Title: Apollo with Battling Lapiths and Centaurs
Medium: Marble Size: height of Apollo 10'8" (3.25 m) Date: c.470– 460 BCE
Source: Fragments of sculpture from the west pediment of the Temple of Zeus, Olympia
Title: Athena, Herakles, and Atlas
Medium: Marble
Size: height 5'3"
Date: c. 460 BCE
Source/Museum: Metope relief from the frieze of the
Temple of Zeus, Olympia
THE ACROPOLIS
Archiac
 PARTHENON
Classical- Doric
Title: Photographic mock-up of the east pediment of the Parthenon
Size: The pediment is over 90 feet (27.45 m) long; the central space of about 40 feet (12.2 m) is missing
The Parthenon
The supreme example of Doric architecture of the Classical Period (c.480-323 BCE) is of course the Parthenon (447-437 BCE) on
the Athens Acropolis. It was a Greek sculptor, not an architect, who said that "successful attainment in art is the result of meticulous
accuracy in a multitude of arithmetical proportions"; but the Parthenon is the aptest illustration. Every esoteric scholar delving into
the mysteries of "the divine proportion" or "the golden mean" claims the Parthenon as his first example: it has so unfailingly pleased
millions of eyes, and it measures out so exactly to a mathematical formula. In the whole aspect there are calculated proportionings
of parts and rhythmic correspondences. Then on from the whole to the parts: the areas of the entablature are divided on logical and
harmonious ratios; and of course there is the equally refined relationship of column and capital. Perfection within perfection! The
Greek builders, in their search for "perfect" expressiveness, went on to optical refinements unparalleled elsewhere. The entasis, or
slight swelling and recession of the profile of the column, is but one of the mathematical tricks to ensure in the beholder's eye the
illusion of perfect straightness or exact regularity. Another is that the tops of the columns lean slightly toward the centre at each side
of the colonnade, the inclination increasing in proportion as they are farther toward each end, because a row of columns which are
actually parallel seems more widely spaced at the top corners. (The Parthenon columns of the outer colonnade are inclined,
curiously enough, at such angles that all their axes would meet, if continued, at a point one mile up in the air.) Another concession to
the eye is the slight curve upward at the centre of the main horizontal lines, made because straight steps or straight-set series of
columns seem to sag slightly at the centre.

Architectural Sculptures of the Parthenon

In general the bases of the structure, the weight-bearing members, and the first horizontals, were kept clear of elaboration or
figurative sculpture. In the Parthenon and earlier structures, it was deemed that the proper place for exterior sculptures was in the
spaces between the triglyphs, or surviving beam-ends, and in the pediment. On the roof, single figures might be set in silhouette
against the sky, at gable top and especially gable ends. Within the colonnade in some late Doric temples a continuous frieze ran like
a band around the cella's exterior wall, and was seen in bits from the outside, between columns.
 The Parthenon Marbles also known as the Elgin Marbles, are a collection of
Classical Greek marble sculptures made under the supervision of the architect
and sculptor Phidias and his assistants. They were originally part of the temple
of the Parthenon and other buildings on the Acropolis of Athens.
The marble sculpture on the Parthenon originally appeared on the building in two series, the continuous frieze within the
colonnade and the separated panels between the triglyphs; and the two triangular compositions in the pediments. The best
preserved of the figures were taken to England early in the nineteenth century, and are universally known, from the name of the
man who carried them away in battered remnant form, as the "Elgin marbles."
There is grandeur in the pediment figures. They are among the world's leading examples of monumental sculpture. As in the case
of the architectural monument of which they were decorative details, they doubtless have gained in sheer aesthetic value by the
accidents of time. The grand votive statues, such as the outdoor Athena on the Acropolis and the colossal image of the same
goddess in the cella of the Parthenon, were big enough, by all report, but they seem to have been distressingly and distractingly
overdressed, and their largeness and sculptural nobility were lost in excessive detail. The magnitude of the pediment figures is the
magnitude of the powerful in repose, of strength kept simple. In terms of narrative, the east pediment group represented the
contest of Athena and Poseidon over the site of Athens. The west pediment composition illustrated the miraculous birth of Athena
out of the head of Zeus.
The technical problem of fitting elaborate sculptural representations within the confined triangular space of a low pediment
challenged the inventiveness and logic of sculptors collaborating on temple projects. At Aegina, Olympia, and Athens the solution
balanced nicely with the architecture. There was a related flow of movement within the triangle, which was lost in later examples
and certainly in every attempted modern imitation.
The panels between the triglyphs under the Parthenon cornice, known as the "metopes," originally ninety-two in number, have
been even more disastrously defaced or destroyed than have the pediment groups during their twenty-three centuries of neglect.
Each panel, almost square, bore two figures in combat. Sometimes the subjects were taken from mythology, while others are read
today as symbolic of moral conflict.
The low-relief frieze which runs like a decorative band around the outside of the cella wall, within the colonnaded porch, is of
another range of excellence. The subject is the ceremonial procession which was an event of the Panathenaic festival held every
fourth year. The figures in the sculptural field, which is a little over four feet high and no less than 524 feet long, are mainly those
of everyday Athenian life. Even the gods, shown receiving the procession, are intimately real and folk-like, though oversize. To
them goes all the world of Athens: priests and elders and sacrifice-bearers, musicians and soldiers, noble youths and patrician
maidens.
There is a casualness about the sculptured procession, an informality that would hardly have served within the severe triangles of
the pediments. Everything is flowing and lightly accented. Particularly graceful and fluent are the portions depicting horsemen.
The animals and riders move forward rhythmically, their bodies crisply raised from the flat and undetailed background. The sense
of rhythmic movement, of plastic animation within shallow depth limits, is in parts of the procession superbly accomplished.
Title: Lapith Fighting A
Centaur
Medium: Marble
Size: height 56" (1.42 m)
Date: c. 447–432 BCE
Source/Museum: Metope
relief from the Doric frieze on
the south side of the
Parthenon
Title: Marshals and Young Women
Medium: Marble
Size: height 3'6" (1.08 m)
Date: c. 447–432 BCE
Source/Museum: Detail of the Procession, from the Ionic frieze on the east side of the Parthenon /
Musée du Louvre, Paris
Artist: Alan LeQuire
Title: Athena, the Parthenon, Nashville
Tennessee. Recreation of Pheidias’s Huge Gold
and Ivory Figure.
Medium: Gypsum concrete and chopped
fiberglass on structural steel, Painted to simulate
marble with lapis lazuli eyes by Alan LeQuire
and gilded under the direction of master gilder
Lou Reed.
Size: height 41' 10"
Date: 1982–1990
Classical- Iconic

Artist: Kallikrates
Title: Temple of Athena Nike
Date: c. 425 BCE
Source/Museum: Acropolis, Athens
Title: Nike (Victory) Adjusting Her Sandal
Medium: Marble
Size: height 3' 6" (1.06 m)
Date: Last quarter of the 5th century (perhaps 410–405) BCE
Source/Museum: Fragment of relief decoration from the
parapet (now destroyed), Temple of Athena Nike, Acropolis,
Athens
 Title: Erechtheion. View From The East. Porch of The Maidens
At Left; North Porch Can Be Seen Through The Columns of The
East Wall
Date: 421–406 BCE
Source/Museum: Acropolis, Athens

The Erechtheion (421-406 BCE) is representative of the special

features of the Ionic Order at its best. The almost fragilely graceful
columns are there, the less severe massing, the breaking up of the
entablature into more delicate units, and the general lightening of effect
and greater enrichment by applied ornamentation. The East Porch (now
restored) is, like the Parthenon, Greek architecture at its purest. The
doorway within the North Portico has served a thousand architects as
the classic model. The South Porch of the Erechtheion follows an
innovation already seen at Delphi. Six statues of maidens, known as
caryatids, took the place of the conventional columns. The experiment
leaves the building somewhere between architecture and sculpture, and
the result is interesting as a novelty rather than for any defensible
daring or good purpose in the art of building. The statues very likely
serve their purpose as supports today with more architectural
plausibility than they could have done in the days when their arms,
noses, and other members had not been shorn off.
Title: Dying Warrior
Medium: Marble
Size: length 6' (1.83 m)
Date: c. 500–490 BCE
Source/Museum: Sculpture from the left corner of the east pediment of the Temple of Aphaia, Aegina / Staatliche
Antikensammlungen und Glyptothek, Munich
 Title: Theater, Epidauros
Date: 4th century BCE and later
The Asklepieion of Epidaurus (Ασκληπιείον τής
Επιδαύρου) as an important healing center,
considered the cradle of medicinal arts and the
mother sanctuary of the plethora of other
Asklepieia that were built throughout the Hellenic
world.
The sanctuary of Epidaurus (Επίδαυρος, also
transliterated as Epidaurus) was named after the
god of medicine, Asklepios, and pilgrims came
from all over the Mediterranean seeking healing
for their ailments through physical and spiritual
means. The god was present at the sanctuary
where the faithful underwent treatments ranging
from purification with water to feasting with the
divine after offering sacrifice. Additional activities
such as baths and "enkoimeses" (incubation)
were central in the healing process and allowed
Asklepios to heal the patients.

There is evidence of habitation as far back as the 3d

Millennium BCE, and chamber tombs indicate robust
activity during the later Mycenaean Era (2nd c. BCE),
but it was in the early 1st millennium BCE that the cult
of Apollo Maleatas developed as the first therapeutic
center that flourished in the 7th c. BCE. Shortly
thereafter Asklepios appeared as the son of healing
Apollo and was worshiped alongside Apollo Maleatas.
The sanctuary reached its zenith in the 4th and 3d
centuries BCE with monumental buildings like the
Enkoimeterion (dormitory) the Hestiatorion (the dining
hall), the famous Theatre, the hospice, the temple, and
the stadium.
THOLOI
Tholos 365 and 335 BCE
The Tholos at Delphi
The sanctuary of Athena Pronaia, and the Tholos.
The tholos is a circular building which was created between 380 and 360 BC at the center of the
sanctuary of Athena Pronaia. It is constructed with 20 Doric columns on its exterior diameter which
measures 14.76m.
The building stands 13.5 meters tall at the center of the Athena Pronaia sanctuary, and its interior
columns were of the Corinthian order.

The archaeological site of Delphi is one of the most important one in Greece, second only to the
Acropolis of Athens. The magnitude of the Delphi contributions to the entire ancient civilization cannot be
overstated.
Many political decisions were taken after consultation of the Oracle, and no colony was founded around
the Mediterranean without the consent of the sanctuary at Delphi. In proportion with its immense
influence, the settlement at delphi grew from a small village to a imposing depository of fine Architecture
and Art.

At the Delphi sanctuary excavations have unearthed settlements that date as far back as the Neolithic
era. However evidence of the site's importance dates back to the Mycenaean period (1600-1100 B.C).
Most of the ruins that survive today are witness to the site's pinnacle which was reached in the 6th c.
B.C., and are testament to the diverse cultural influences that hovered over the sanctuary for a nearly a
millennium.

The functions of the Oracle of Delphi grew over the centuries to include athletic games and cultural
events and Delphic festivals, the most important of which was the Pythian Games which were held every
four years in memory of Apollo's slaying of the Python Dragon. To accommodate the gratitude that each
city/state was eager to express, and all the cultural affairs, the sanctuary evolved to include major temple
complexes, a theater, a stadium, and a number of ornate treasuries.
Some of the most prominent edifices on the sacred slopes of Delphi are the temple of Apollo, the ancient
theater, the stadium, the sanctuary of Athena Pronaia with the Tholos, the Kastalia spring, and the
various treasuries that adorn the sacred way.
SCULPTURE OF LATE CLASSICAL
PERIOD
HELLENISTIC PERIOD
Artist: Praxiteles
Title: Aphrodite of Knidos
Medium: Marble
Size: height 6'8" (2.04 m)
Date: Composite of two similar Roman copies after the
original marble of c. 350 BCE
Artist: Praxiteles or his followers
Title: Hermes and The Infant Dionysos
Medium: Marble, with remnants of red paint on the lips and hair
Size: height 7'1" (2.15 m)
Date: Probably a Hellenistic or Roman copy after a Late Classical 4th-
century BCE original
SCULPTURE- HELLENISTIC
 Title: Grave Stele of Hegeso
Medium: Marble
Size: height 5'2" (1.58 m)
Date: c. 410–400 BCE
Source/Museum: National Archaeological Museum, Athens

Who is portrayed in this relief sculpture, and what was the purpose of
this stele?
A young woman (named Hegeso), and her servant or maid are portrayed, and
it was a grave stele, to mark a young woman's grave.
In what ways is the young woman's father present in the work?
His name is included in the inscription of Hegeso as the daughter or
Proxenos, and in the symbolism of her dowry (which represented her father's
wealth) in the jewelry box.
To which sculptor is the grave stele attributed, and what other Greek
artform shows influence in this work?
It is attributed to Kallimachos, and it shows a similarity to Greek vase painting,
in the flat background that forms negative shapes as it interacts with the
foreground subjects.
How is this work significant in its portrayal of a young woman in a
private setting?
Greek women were rarely allowed out of their homes or seen in public, so this
is a rare scene of the private life of a young woman in a culture where
women's lives were secluded and not usually considered worthy of recording
in art or writing.
Form: Detailing of Drapery
Stele (upright slabs with relief sculptures) (like a modern day grave stone) naturalistic
5'2" closely follows the fold of the
Marble and paint body
Function: resembles the carving we see
grave stones on the figures of the parthenon
frieze
Content: has its own motion
Relief sculpture of Hegeso and servant girl pools around belly area, very
servant holds a jewelry box, and Hegeso hold and looks at a necklace detailed
now we cant see the necklace because it was painted on the stele and has worn off
might represent a dowry Perception of depth with
drapery drapery
elaborate forms and swirls delicate veil around her head
very close to her body that is further away
She does not touch the ground drapery near her feet goes
her foot is on a pedestal behind the leg of the chair
Composition of the drapery drapery at her hips hangs in
Inscription on top says Hegeso, daughter of Proxenos front of the chair
shallow space with full
Context: width of the body in the
in the Dipylon cemetery in Athens carving
410 BCE: end of fifth century BCE (High classical moment) vivid imagery, but
resurgence of funerary sculpture in Athens somehow still quiet and
same time as the sculpture of the Parthenon and other buildings of acropolis appropriate for a stele.
Big time for public sculpture, but moving into private sculpture
during period of democracy the state was the most important, nobles were not, sculpture showed that
Hegeso
woman
domestic
basically in a house on the stele: two walls and a roof
not citizens of Athens
women were defined by their relationships to men (daughter of __, or wife of __)
noble, her family grave plot was super magnificent
attributed to the sculptor Kallimachos
Artist: Lysippos
Title: Alexander The Great
Medium: Marble fragment
Size: height 16 ⅛" (41 cm)
Date: Head from a Hellenistic copy (c. 200 BCE) of a
statue, possibly after a 4th-century BCE original.
Title: Gallic Chieftain Killing His Wife and Himself
Medium: Marble
Size: height 6'11" (2.1 m)
Date: Roman copy after the original bronze of c. 220 BCE
In Greek art, the term "Pergamene School" describes a type
of Greek sculpture associated with the city of Pergamon in Asia
Minor, during its golden age when it was ruled by the Attalid dynasty
(241-133 BCE). Like Hellenistic art in general, the Pergamene style
of sculpture was marked by a high degree of emotion as well as a
pronounced naturalism, which helped to create a vivid sense of
reality in the spectator. Examples of Hellenistic Greek sculpture
created at Pergamene, include: a series of statues of Dying
Gauls (the most famous examples of which are in the Capitoline
Museum and the National Museum, Rome) that experts have
identified as copies of works commissioned by Attalus I (reigned
241-197 BCE) to celebrate his victory over the Gauls; and the
action-packed relief sculpture of the Pergamon Altar of Zeus, built by
King Eumenes II of the Attalid dynasty, during the period 166 to 156
BCE.
Artist: Epigonos (?)
Title: Dying Gallic Trumpeter (front)
Medium: Marble
Size: height, 36½" (93 cm)
Date: Roman copy after the original bronze of c. 220 BCE
The Temple of Athena Nike (Greek: Ναός Αθηνάς Νίκης, Naós Athinás Níkis) is a temple on the Acropolis
of Athens, dedicated to the goddess Athena Nike. Built around 420 BC, the temple is the earliest
fully Ionic temple on the Acropolis. It has a prominent position on a steep bastion at the south west corner
of the Acropolis to the right of the entrance, the Propylaea. In contrast to the Acropolis proper, a walled
sanctuary entered through the Propylaea, the Victory Sanctuary was open, entered from the Propylaea's
southwest wing and from a narrow stair on the north. The sheer walls of its bastion were protected on the
north, west, and south by the Nike Parapet, named for its frieze of Nikai celebrating victory and sacrificing
to their patroness, Athena Nike.
Nike means "victory" in Greek, and Athena was worshipped in this form, representative of being
victorious in war. The citizens worshipped the goddess in hopes of a successful outcome in the
long Peloponnesian War fought against the Spartans and their allies.
 Title: Aphrodite of Melos (Also Called Venus de Milo)
Artist: Alexandros of Antioch-on-the-Meander
Medium: Marble
Size: height 6'8" (2.04 m)
Date: c. 150–100 BCE
Source/Museum: Musée du Louvre, Paris
One of the most famous examples of sculpture from Ancient Greece,
the Venus de Milo is an armless marble statue of Aphrodite - the Greek
goddess of love and beauty - which was sculpted during the Hellenistic
period between about 130 and 100 BCE. A little larger than life size, it is
believed to be the work of the sculptor Alexandros of Antioch, after an
inscription on its plinth (now lost). This graceful figure of a goddess has
fascinated art lovers for almost two centuries, ever since its discovery, in
1820, on the small Greek island of Melos in the Aegean. Arguably the
most well-known statue in the history of sculpture, it is on public display in
the collection of Greek sculpture at the Louvre Museumin Paris.

Although influenced by elements taken from High Classical Greek

Sculpture(c.450-400 BCE) as well as Late Classical Greek
Sculpture (c.400-323 BCE) - the aloofness and impassivity of the head,
for instance, derives from the 5th century BCE - the Venus de Milo makes
use of creative innovations from the 3rd-1st century BCE, known as
Hellenism. First, note the contrast between the smooth nude flesh of the
torso and the ruffled texture of the drapery covering the legs. Second,
note the the spiral composition - that is, the slight turn of the body - from
the hips to the shoulder - combined with the outward thrust of the right hip,
resulting in a fascinating S-shaped pose. Thirdly, note the relatively small
size of the torso. Finally, there is an inescapable hint of erotic tension
caused by the drapery which threatens to slip off entirely. These four
stylistic features were all developed during the late Hellenistic period.
Hence, overall, the work is seen as a subtle combination of earlier and
later styles.
http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/sculpture/venus-de-milo.htm
CROSS CULTURAL CONNECTIONS:
1. Goya, And There's Nothing to be Done
2. Kirchner, Self Portrait as a Soldier
3. Munch, The Scream
 The seated boxer was created in the style associated witt Hellenistic Greece. Created using the Lost-wax
casting to mold bronze into a hollow form of the figure. The idea of the perfect body or perfection was a
style that Greek sculptors used to portray athletes. However, The Seated Boxer shifts the style with the
inclusion of a broken nose and multiple wounds to elicit empathy from the viewer. In its naturalistic pose,
the seated boxer is most similar to Victory adjusting her sandal which shows motion and muscle.

Form: Function: Content:

Rare Hellenistic Bronze original It has been suggested that the The humanity found in this work creates a
greek sculpture statue was attributed with sense of presence
Muscular, powerful, and defeated
Lost wax casting (hollow cast) healing powers
His body serves a stark contrast to his
Process by which duplicate Represents the cultural shift of
hands and face
metal sculpture is cast from an the Hellenistic period Covering his head and face is bits of copper
original sculpture Could have been a votive which posed next to the bronze resembles
Copper used to depict wounds statue dedicated to a boxer blood, covering his face and hands with
on face and hands Some have identified him as wounds
Seated posture the Boxer of Quirnal In contrast, his body is muscular and
Made in different sections that Could be made to represent idealized, as typical ancient Greek art
were then welded together the culture of boxing in depicted men
Ancient Greece This shows a connection to the original
Greek art which is combined with the new
Context: emphasis on humanity and expanding the
It was created during the Hellenistic period (100BCE) focus of art.
Which was the last phase of ancient Greek art right after His posture
By sitting with his torso collapsing inwards
alexander the great and before the Romans took over
and his head down the look of defeat on his
During this time Greek art was expanded to include a variety of art
face is supplemented by this worn down
Breaking away from the traditional idealized, heroic, male nude posture
The seated boxer embodies the culture shift of the Hellenistic Even though his face is down his gaze is
period upwards
Still holding onto the pre Hellenistic ideas his body is idealized with Sitting was not common is ancient Greek art
perfect muscle, but in contrast, his posture and face show so this was a deliberate attempt to convey
humanity humility and informality
Athanadoros, Hagesandros, and Polydoros of
Rhodes
Laocoön and his sons
1st century C.E.
marble
94 1/2 in. high
Title: Reconstructed west front of the altar from Pergamon, Turkey
Medium: Marble
Size: Height of figure 7'7" (2.3 m)
Date: c. 175–150 BCE
Source/Museum: Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Pergamonmuseum, Preussischer Kutturbesitz, Berlin
Another famous Ionic building, this time from the Hellenistic Period (323-27 BCE) is the Altar of Zeus at Pergamon (c.166-156 BCE).
As the name indicates, it was not a temple but merely an altar, possibly connected to the nearby Doric Temple of Athena (c.310
BCE). The Altar was accessed via a huge stairway leading to a flat Ionic-style colonnaded platform, and is noted for its 370-foot-long
marble frieze depicting the Gigantomachy from Greek mythology.

The Pergamene Baroque style is especially evident in the Great Altar of Zeus, with its 370-foot long marble frieze depicting
the Gigantomachy from Greek mythology. This 9-foot high tableau of reliefs is alive with figures of gods and giants locked in mortal
combat. On the surface, these images may depict the mythical victory of Zeus over the Giants, but on a deeper level it depicts the
Pergamene victories over the Celts and other invaders from the east. Indeed, some scholars believe it equates Pergamene triumphs
with those of 5th century Athens
Title: Athena Attacking the Giants
Medium: Marble
Size: frieze height 7'7" (2.3 m)
Date: c. 175–150 BCE
Source/Museum: Detail of the frieze from the east front of the altar from Pergamon
Form
35.64 by 33.4 metres
White marble remains; would've been painted brilliantly in its age
High relief sculpture creates great drama, shadow, contrast
More prominent gods and figures are in higher relief

Function
Worship of the Greek pantheon of Gods and their dominance over their enemies
Optimism of the Greek spirit in confronting the unknown and unfamiliar cultures (like the Giants)
Representation of Greek prowess and might
Sacrifices may have been offered at the top of the stairs

Content
A battle of the Greek mythological pantheon of gods vs. the Giants to determine the controller of the universe
Athena
Fights Alkyoneus, the main giant, as his mother looks on in horror
Appears confident and triumphant as she fights
Being crowned from behind by a winged Nike
Uses battle snakes to aid in defeating the giants
Earned name Athena "gigantolteira" = slayer of the giants
Zeus
Battles 3 Giants at once, with the help of an eagle (above) and his lightning bolt
Cloaked in realistically ruffled robes
2 of the three giants he has already defeated; they lie in (youthful) ruin around him

Context
Created during the Hellenistic Period (c. 200-150 B.C.E.) in Pergamon, modern-day Turkey, 20 miles from the coast.
Alexander the Great "Hellenized," or spread Greek influence, from Egypt to the Indus Valley during his reign.
When Alexander the Great died, his four generals inherited his land and reign.
One of the generals saw the hilltop of Pergamon as geographically desirable, and therefore built the city of Pergamon.
In the 1800s, the Prussians wanted to achieve/mimic French and British culture, so they created the Pergamon Museum.
The Pergamon Museum of Berlin recreated the Altar of Zeus and Athena at Pergamon very realistically (lots of artistic effort
by the Museum.)
In ancient Pergamon, the altar would've been surrounded by a library of 200,000+ scrolls, a royal palace for the king, and a
garrison for soldiers.
The altar was never fully completed because King Prusias II attacked Pergamon in 156 BCE.
The Altar of Zeus at Pergamon
The greatest example of Hellenistic Greek sculpture, the colossal Altar of Zeus at Pergamon, near Izmir
(Turkey), is a monumental work of Greek art built by King Eumenes II of the Attalid dynasty, from about 166
to 156 BCE. The altar is adorned with a 370-foot long marble frieze which depicts the Gigantomachy from
Greek mythology. Like the Parthenon in Athens - another icon of classical antiquity - the Zeus Altar was
constructed on a terrace of the acropolis overlooking the ancient city of Pergamon, situated on the west
coast of Anatolia (now Turkey) in Asia Minor. However, unlike the Parthenon, it was not a temple but merely
an altar, possibly connected to the Doric Temple of Athena which had been built 150 years earlier and which
stood above the altar on a separate terrace. Furthermore, unlike the Parthenon's High Classical Greek
sculpture (450-400 BCE), whose statues and reliefs were always calm and serene and never expressed any
particular emotion, Greek Hellenistic art (323-27 BCE) was less about harmony and serenity, and more
about achieving excitement, wild movement and strong feeling. This new approach to the art of sculpture is
exemplified in the Pergamon Altar, whose 9-foot high frieze is alive with huge figures of gods and giants
locked in mortal combat. These images were carved in such high relief that they were almost detached from
the background. The relief sculpture may portray the mythical victory of Zeus and the Gods over the Giants,
but in reality it celebrates the series of Pergamene victories over the Celts and other barbarian invaders from
the east. Some classical scholars also believe it equates these Pergamene triumphs with those of 5th
century "Golden Age" Athens under Pericles. All that remains of this extraordinary work of art - arguably the
greatest narrative relief in the history of sculpture - is part of the Berlin Collection of Classical Antiquities,
and can be seen at the Pergamon Museum, Staatliche Museen, Berlin. For more about the new style of
plastic art exemplified by the Altar of Zeus, see: Pergamene School of Hellenistic Sculpture (241-133 BCE).

The massive Pergamon Altar, designed according to the Ionic order of Greek Architecture, was roughly 115
feet wide (35 metres) and 110 feet deep (33 metres) and was accessed from the west via a huge stairway,
some 65 feet wide (20 metres). The stairway led up to a flat colonnaded roofed-platform or hall, extending to
the front and sides, the latter projecting backwards to overlook the stairs. The widely-spaced pillars or
columns which surrounded the hall had platforms with Ionic capitals. The roof was studded with numerous
types of statue, including lion griffins, a quadriga of horses, centaurs and deities, as well as gargoyles.
Through the pillars to the front, was the inner courtyard where the fire altar itself was situated. The courtyard
was decorated with an eye-level frieze, illustrating the life of Telephus, the legendary founder of Pergamon.
http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/antiquity/pergamon-altar.htm
• Themes
• Divinity
– Power of the gods, role of the gods
– Reverence towards and fear of the gods
• Religion
– Rituals and performance - sacrifice
– Worship
• Preserving history, myths, and legends - preserving culture

• Cross-Cultural Connections
• Chavin de Huántar
– Specifically the relief sculptures and carvings --> served a religious purpose to commemorate
• Sacrifices might have been performed
• Yaxchilán
– Similar to Chavin de Huántar
• Using sculpture and carvings to commemorate religion and myths
A piece of mosaic art (a 50 CE copy of an original created 300 BCE) depicts the encounter of Alexander the Great and the Persian
king Darius at the battle of Issus in 333. The accurate depiction of contemporary Persiancostume is strong evidence that the mosaic is
a faithful copy, executed in the four-colour system. The background is a white void and the single object in it is a lopped and leafless
tree, inserted to balance Darius more than to suggest landscape. The foreground too is blank, except for a little debris from the
fighting. The artist's interest is concentrated on his figures, modelled with bold light and shade, expressive of feeling and arranged in a
crowded but carefully controlled composition.
The mosaicist who made this copy in the first century must have coarsened the effect of the original picture, since its fluent lines and
gradations of colour had to be rendered by square tesserac, each of uniform tone; but even so, it is an extraordinary feat of virtuosity,
and all the more valuable because among our remains of ancient painting there is nothing comparable to this battle piece. Without this
Alexander mosaic, few students would have believed that there were pictures of this kind in Greek art from the late fourth century.