Pithoi

Large storage containers for grain, honey, oils or wine.

From the Palace at Knossos on Crete

Minoan

Minoan Column

from Palace at Knossos

Top circular nub called the capitol

Minoan

Dolphin Fresco

c. 1500 BC

Dolphins are stylized

From Queen's megaron at Knossos

Minoan

King Minos's Throne Room

From Palace at Knossos

Freaky hybrid animals

Spirals Prevalent

Minoan

Cup Bearers Fresco

c 1500 BC

From Palace at Knossos

Figures in procession creates ongoing narration

Minoan figure style: mostly in profile, deemphasized eyes, fluid figure, thin waists, jewelery, curly hair

Minoan

La Parisienne

Fresco fragment from Knossos

Minoan

Toreador Fresco

Bull ritual depicted

c 1500 BC

Bull is revered and prevalent in their art

Minoan

Octopus jar

From Gournia in east Crete

c 1600 BC

Composition: design adjusted so tentacles follow contours of vase

Minoan

Snake Goddess

From Knossos

c. 1600 BC

Domineering posture

Open form (arms extended from body)

Dress depicts contemporary fashion

Minoan

Lion Gate

From Mycenae (Palace of Agamemmnon)

c 1300 BC

Corbeled arch: bricks slanted to form triangular wedge at top

Stones were 20 feet thick

Mycenaean

Treasury of Atreus

Tomb

Beehive ceiling structure - multiple concentric circles

Tholos: Round architectural plan

Corbeled arch

Mycenaean

Entrance to Treasury of Atreus

Dromos: Entrance to a tomb flanked by stone walls

Mycenaean

Funeral Mask (of Agamemmnon)

c. 1500 BC

Placed on the face of the deceased in funerary ritual

Repousse: Malleable metal (gold) is hammered into relief from reverse side

Mycenaean

Warrior Vase

c. 1300-1200 BC

Style + figure dress similar to art of Asia Minor

Supports theory of migration

Mycenaean

Altar of Zeus

c. 530 BC

Caryatid (female sculpture) supports

From Treasury of Siphnians at Delphi

Continuous frieze at top

Hellenistic

Battle of Gods & Giants

c. 530 BC

From Altar of Zeus in the Treasury of the Siphnians

Has something to do with watching Trojan War?

Hellenistic

Temple of Aphaia

From Aegina

c. 500-490 BC

Pedimental sculptures: turning point between Late Archaic and Early Classical

Cult of Aphaia worshipped here

Late Archaic

Archer (Herakles)

From pediment of Temple of Aphaia at Aegina

c. 500-490 BC

Heroic pride manifested in artistic styles

Late Archaic

Dying Warrior

From Pediment of Temple of Aphaia at Aegina

c. 500-490 BC

Cult of Aphaia worshipped here

Heroic pride of Archaic culture

Late Archaic

Poseidon (Bronze)

c. 460 BC

Made using cire perdue or 'lost wax' process

Open form

Exhibits Classical 'severe style': strong + intense igure, rigid posture, stern expression

Early Classical

Charioteer of Delphi

c. 470 BC

Naturalistic, greater detail than before

Calm expression

Early Classical

Pediment of Temple of Zeus

Center: Apollo calmly ordering centaurs to stop

Left of Apollo: Hippodamia and Centaur exemplify ideal of calm Greeks vs. angry + vicious Barbarians; composition example of dynamic balance

Symbolized 3 things:

1) Greek victory over Persians

2) Sacred Truce of Olympia (during Olympic games)

3) Responsibility of men to acknowledge laws

Early Classical

Acropolis of Athens

On giant hill in center of Athens

Gateway: Propyleae

Parthenon: main temple; designed and constructed in 9 years by architects Iktinos & Kallikrates

Peripteral: a temple that has a single row of columns on all four sides

Cella (Latin)/Naos (Greek): center, innermost chamber of a temple, usually containing main statue

High Classical

Apollo from Parthenon pediment

Marble

Sculpted by Phidias

High Classical

Three Goddesses

From Parthenon pediment

c. 438-432 BC

Demeter, Persephone and Isis

Modeling line: squiggly line that (allegedly) ties the three figures together

Illusion of transparency: floaty gauze fabric worn by figures

High Classical

Lapith & Centaur (fighting)

From metope of Parthenon

South wall

High relief

High Classical

Temple of Athena Nike

c. 425 BC

On Acropolis, near Parthenon (Athens)

Designed by Iktinos & Kallikrates

Amphiprostyle: Porticos (porch with roof) in front and rear of temple, with flat, columnless walls on the sides

High Classical

Nike (Victory) Fastening Her Sandal

c. 425 BC

Somewhere around Temple of Athena Nike

Marble relief

Illusion of floaty fabric

High Classical

Erechtheum

c. 421-405 BC

Also on Acropolis

Asymmetrical: built on 5 different levels

Southern porch: Porch of Maidens, has caryatids for columns

Somehow related to struggle between Athena and Poseidon

High Classical

Discobolos

c. 450 BC

Twisted counterbalance

Symbol of the perfect Greek man: sound mind with a sound body

Sculptor: Myron

Severe style

On 2-D plane - only one view to properly appreciate piece

High Classical

Doryphoros

c. 450 BC

Bulky figure

Motion implied at rest

Contrapostal stance - "Kritios Boy grown up"

Sculptor: Polykleitos (canon for male figure)

High Classical

Hermes with Infant Dionysos

c. 330-320 BC

Increased humanization: double weight shift, elongated torso and legs

Sculptor: Praxiteles

Open form

First instance of true interaction between figures

Late Classical

Apoxyomenos (Scraper)

c. 330 BC

Even taller, more slender, + more flexible figure

Sculptor: Lysippos

Occupies 3-D space (not just in a single plane), multiple interesting viewing perspectives

Late Classical

Aphrodite of Cnidos

c. 350 BC

First life-size female nude

Scupltor: Praxiteles (canon for female nude figure)

3-D space

Late Classical

Nike of Samothrace

c. 190 BC

Spirals created by agitated flowing cloth on figure

Meant to be on prow of a ship

Hellenistic

Dying Gaul

c. 240 BC

Body follows single long diagonal - creates tension in figure

Twisted at shoulders + hips - spiral

Example of reach of Greek conquest

School of Pergamon

More diversity in idea of beauty

Depicted as nude: sign of dignity in Greek sculpture

Hellenistic

Laocoon

Anguished expressions

Snake + twisted bodies create spiral and tension

Hellenistic

Venus de Milo

S Curve of body - more drastic weight shift than contraposto

More diversity in perceived idea of beauty - not just male Greek warriors + gods who are being sculpted

Hellenistic

Kritios Boy

Contraposto stance - weight shift on one foot creates dynamic, relaxed appearance

Signal of end of Archaic period

Early Classical