Cycladic Burial Figurines (c2500 BCE)

Ancient Aegean Period

Cycladic

Location: Cyclades

• Made of marble. Very stylized depictions of the human form. Appeal to modernist sensibilities.
• Made up of geometry - rectangle bodies, oval heads, rectangle feet/toes.
• Pelvic triangle and breasts illustrate female figure. Meaning is unknown. Theories that are fertility figures, earth goddesses, or priestesses.
• Not clear if made just for marking burials (only few graves had these). Hinted that they were painted. Heads are always tilted back like they were lying in death.
• Some natural curve on the thighs. Plays w/ repeated angles and forms which unify the sculpture.

Palace Complex of Knossos (c1700-1400 BCE)

Ancient Aegean Period

Minoan

Location: Crete

• No evidence of centralized structure of power. But believed to have throne rooms. Administrative center of island. Storage place for trade. 
• Built in New Palace Period (1700 BCE). Rebuilt after earthquake. Possibly cultural or religious center (nothing here says "temple"). 
• Initial palace was made out of stone/earth, but after earthquake, stone/earth was used again but added wood (beams, columns). 
• Covered 6 acres. All centered around main plaza. Originally thought to have grown from the plaza, but plans reveal a North to South plan.
• Elite villas on hills overlook this complex. Believed to be the palace of King Minos, w/ the plans of the palace being mazelike. Multi-story complex. Seems to be sponsored by the govt. 

Mycenae Lion Gate (c1300 BCE)

Ancient Aegean Period

Mycenaen

Location: Mycenae, mainland Greece

• Made of stone. Out gateway to the fortified stronghold of Mycenae.
• Massive post and lentil. Also used corbelling over post and lentil. Used triangular relieving stone in order to take stress off of lentil. 
• Lions on either side to show power. Heads are missing, but used as psychological guardians of the citadel.
• Lions standing on either side of tapered column shows ideas borrowed from Minoans. 
• Idea of placing monstrous guardian figures at entrances to palaces, tombs, and sacred places originated in the Near East and Egypt.

Beehive Tombs (c1250 BCE)

Ancient Aegean Period

Mycenaean

Location: Mycenae

• Made of stone. Also known as tholos. Post and lentil vaults. Missing relieving stone. 
• Purported to be the tomb of the father of Agamemnon, King Atreus.
• Stone-lined tomb approached by a long passageway (dromos). The tomb is composed of a series of stone corbeled courses laid on a circular base to form a dome.
• 9 of these found in Mycenae. Hundreds found on Greek mainland.
• Holds records for largest uninterrupted space until Romans build Pantheon. 

Dipylon Krater (c750 BCE)

Greek

Geometric Period

Location: Dipylon cemetery, Athens, Greece

• Made of clay with clay slip. Funerary vase. Found in cemetery because it marked grave of impt. member of Athenian society. 
• Bottom of vessel is open to permit visitors to grave to pour libations or to provide drain for rainwater.
• Earliest Greek example of representational painting – showed animals and humans.
• Narrative of the deceased seen. Military precession in honor. Men marching w/ shields and horse-drawn carriages.
• The human figures are geometrically stylized with triangular torsos with a singular, large eye.

Exekias, Ajax and Achilles (c540 BCE)

Greek

Archaic Period

Location: Found in Etruscan tomb in Vulci, Italy

• Made of clay. Name of artists shows roles of artists increasing in society. Exekias was both potter and painter.
• Shows Ajax and Achilles playing a dice game. Achilles calls out tesara (four) and Ajax calls out tria (three).
• Althoug Ajax's helmet is removed, both men hold spears and their shiels are close at hand. Shows how they are both ready for battle.
• Black figure style. Figures first painted in silhouette using slip, reduced firing (firing w/o oxygen), then artist goes in and scrapes w/ metal stylus.
• Shape of the vase is echoed in the shapes of their rounded shoulders and the negative space between the men.

Kouros (c600 BCE)

Greek

Archaic Period

Location: near Athens

• Means "young man." 6.4 ft tall marble sculpture. Quarried off of Cycladic islands.
• Power stance commonly seen in both Egyptian and Greek artwork showing rigid arms by side w/ left foot forward.
• Funerary statue. Stood over a grave in the countryside somewhere near Athens.
• Depictions of idealized youths in the heroic nude. Attempt to create figure as naturally as possible. 
• Freestanding sculpture. Not trying to be a symbol of eternity. Trying to capture a moment in life. Archaic smile to attempt to animate sculptures

Kritios Boy (c480 BCE)

Greek

Early Classical Period

Location: Athens

• Half life size – 3 ft. Found on temple side in Athens. Marble. Slightly oversized eyes and stylized hair caused it to be in "severe" style. 
• Figure that marks beginning of classical figure. Follows natural axis of human spine. Introduction to implied movement. Gets rid of Archaic smile due to contrapposto.
• Once thought that the sculptor Kritios carved it. One of the most important pieces of Greek sculpture.
• Figure has slight dip to the right hip, indicating shifting of weight onto his left leg.
• Head also turns slighty to the right, breaking unwritten rule of frontality that dictated the form of all earlier statues.

Charioteer (c470 BCE)

Greek

Early Classical Period

Location: Delphi

• Hollow bronze sculpture.Thought sculpture represented 3-time winner of Delphi Olympic Games.
• Set up to commemorate the victory of the tyrant Polyzalos of Gela in a chariot race at Delphi.
• Very rare example of Greek bronze due to bronze being recycled for weapons.
• Almost stands in Archaic pose, but turn of the head, feet in opposite directions, and slight twist at waist keep it in Severe Style.
• Figure is all that remains of what was once the chariot driver, the team of horses, and a young groom.

Doryphoros (Spear Bearer) by Polykleitos

(c450 BCE)

Greek (Roman copy)

High Classial Period

Location: Athens

• Roman copy made about 400-500 yrs later. Unknown fate of the original. Once holding a spear. Made of marble. 7 ft tall.
• Bridge between wrist and waist and stump not needed in original bronze. Those included to support weight of marble. 
• Best replica stood in a palaestra at Pompeii, where it served as a model for Roman athletes
• Becomes the High Classical canon. Culmination of the Archaic Kouros ti the Kritios Boy to the Riace Warrior.
• Contrapposto is intended to show "perfect" human movement. Achieved through a system of cross balance.

Parthenon by Iktinos and Kallikrates

(447-438 BCE)

Greek

High Classical Period

Location: Athens

• Built in Doric style. Sits on the acropolis in Athens.Sculptures by Phidias and the patron was Pericles.
• Built out of marble. Only temple w/ marble roof. It was said that 22,000 tons of marble was hauled up to rebuild everything. 
• Thought to be only domain of citizens and priests. Also memorial to defeat of the Persians, as well as temple to Athena. Also symbol of strength & economic stability of Athens.
• Parthenon architects were kindred spirits in their belief that beautiful proportions resulted from strict adherence to harmonious numerical ratios.
• Temple quite irregular in shape. The stylobate curbes upward at the center on the sides and both facades to accomodate viewing from a distance.

Aphrodite of Knidos by Praxiteles (c350 BCE)

Greek (Roman copy)

Late Classical Period

Location: Knidos

• Lost original was carved from Parian Marble and is only known through Roman copies.
• Placed in temples where young lovers would go to be "blessed." Hand hovering above genitals draws attention toward fertility.
• Unprecedented step of representing the goddess in the nude. Before, nude female figures tended to be slave girls or courtesans. 
• Aphrodite was shown dressing after taking a bath. Other goddesses not shown in the nude.
• Knees held together to accentuate hips. Smaller head, longer proportions, deeper carved hair was stylistic of Late Classical.

Mural of Hades Abducting Persephone

(350-320 BCE)

Greek

Late Classical Period

Location: Vergina, Greece

• Placed in the tomb of Alexander the Great's brother. Exterior of tomb painted to look like architecture.
• Piece was painted fresco style using watercolor.
• Piece is remarkable for its intense drama and for the painter's use of foreshortening and shading.
• The painting is a precious document of the totally lost art of momumental ancient Greek painting.
• Picture shows Hades, the god of the underworld, abducting Persephone, the daughter of Demeter, who was the goddess of the hearth and harvest.

Nike of Samothrace (c190 BCE)

Greek

Hellenistic Period

Location: on the island of Samothrace in the Northern Aegaen

• Made of Parian marble. 8 ft. copy of original Greek sculpture.
• Changes seen in Hellenistic Style: more believable movement, more emotion, much deeper carving (pockets of shadow created), more drama
• Was sculpted to commemorate a successful naval battle on the island.
• The galley Nike stands on was once placed in the upper basic of a 2-tiered fountain. The flowing water created the illusion of waves.
• Hellenistic sculptures often interact w/ their environment to appear living.

Epignosos (?), Dying Gaul (c225 BCE)

Greek

Hellenistic Period

Location: Pergamon, Turkey

• Found in Pergamon, most powerful city-state at the time. Had massive acropolis. Marble Roman copy. Found in Julius Caesar's villa. 
• Life-sized figure of a gaul. Gauls were from France. Gauls were "barbarians" by Greeks.
• Sculptor rendered male musculature in an exaggerated manner.
• Gauls were most noted in art by their long, bushy hair, mustaches, and torques they frequently wore.
• Hellenistic art explored real, emotive people. Didn't have the idealize feature of gods.

Apollo of Veii (c500 BCE)

Etruscan

Etruscan Archaic Period

Location: Etruria (present-day Italy)

• Statue was one of the first spoils when city was sacked by Romans.
• Came from the temple. 5'10". Made out of clay. Experts at working out of clay.
• Believed to be on temple roof that showed group battle of Pericles. Curved form Apollo stepping over was roof ornament, but connects him to ground.
• Has archaic smile in attempt to animate. Not in the heroic nude. 
• Vigorous striding movement, gesticulating arms, fan-like calf muscles, and animated face are distinctly Etruscan.

Sarcophagus (c500 BCE)

Etruscan

Etruscan Archaic Period

Location: Cereveteri, Etruria

• Terracotta sarcophagus of a husband and wife reclining on a banquet couch. About 6 1/2 ft. long.
• Contained only the ashes of the deceased. Cremation was most common form for disposing the dead at the time.
• Burials included everything they needed in life, including jewelry, clothes, and food.
• Woman giving equal standing to the man. Unlike Greek women, Etruc women were educated, could own land/businesses, could be in govt.
• Stylized features and unnatural bend at waist. Very animated through gestures. 

Pont du Gard Bridge and Aqueduct (1stC BCE)

Roman

Republic Period

Location: Nimes, France

• Stone bridge that spans about 900 ft and about 160 ft high. Used bridges to connect paved roads throughout the empire. Made from mortar-less stone.
• Uses barrel vault. Same exact size on 1st and 2nd tier. Massive piers take the weight of the arches. 
• The top level was the aqueduct that was carried from 30 mi away. Had enough water for 100 gal./person per day
• Each large arch spans 82 ft. and constructed of blocks weighing up to 2 tons each.
• Water was carried solely through the force of gravity. Required channels to be built w/ a continuous gradual decline over the entire route from the water source to the city.

Statue of Emperor Augustus

(15 CE, possible copy of 20 BCE bronze)

Roman

Empire Period

Location: found in Livia's villa in Primaporta

• Made out of marble. Evidence of 148 known replicas that were spread throughout the empire. 
• Made after his death because shows him as a god. 6'8" a little over life size to idealize him. Found in his wife's villa as a "cult" figure.
• Shows him roleplaying in several roles as a general, orator, and god.
• Eros riding a dolphin to ground statue to the base and shows him as a descendent of the goddess Venus
• On chest plate, relief narrative of Augustus taking standard of Parthians.

Pantheon (c125 CE)

Roman

Empire Period

Location: Rome, Italy

• Commissioned by Emperor Hadrian as a worshipping place for all gods.
• A feat of engineering due to it being constructed out of concrete. Supported a dome with a drum-shaped building.
• Finally broke the record for largest uninterrupted interior vaulted space. 142 ft. high. Roughly 142 ft in diameter.
• Engineers gradually changed the recipe of the cement so that it became lighter and thinner as it neared the oculus.
• The use of coffers lessened the dome's weight without weakening the structure.

Colosseum [Flavian Amphitheater] (c80 CE)

Roman

Empire Period

Location: Rome, Italy

• Created out of concrete that was faced with marble. Was one of Vespasian's first undertakings after becoming emperor. Titus completed it.
• Used to have huge statue of Nero outside of it to remind people how they overthrew him. Also built on lands that Nero had once confiscated from the public for his own personal use.
• Became prototype of all arenas built afterwards. Figured how to direct the traffic flow of the crowd using the arch.
• One of the oldest amphitheatres. Could hold over 50,000 people.
• Columns feature doric, ionic, and corinthian orders.

Triumphal Arch of Titus (c80 CE)

Roman

Empire Period

Location: Rome, Italy

• Concrete faced w/ marble veneer. Freestanding element of architecture being used as a monument.
• Was commissioned by Domitian, Titus' younger brother. Was meant to honor Titus on the Sacred Way to the Republican Forum  Romanmum.
• Engaged columns frame the opening, but capitals are composite type, combining Ionic volutes and Corintian acanthus.
• On one side, Titus is in chariot being drawn by horses being led by military and accompanied by the gods. Historic moment of Titus returning from faraway lands
• Inscription reads ""the senate and people of Rome dedicate the arch to Titus, son of divine Vespasian."

Trajan's Column (c100 CE)

Roman

Empire Period

Location: Rome, Italy

• 128 ft. high marble column in the Doric order. Freestanding monument.
• Idea of covering freestanding column with a continuous spiral frieze seems to have been invented for this.
• Relief depicts Trajan's 2 successful campaigns against the Dacians. Story unfolds on more than 150 episodes with over 2500 figures.
• Once featured heroically nude statue of emperor at top. However, was replaced by statue of St. Peter in the 16th cen.
• Band increases in width as it winds closer to the top for easier viewing. Once painted to provide even clearer picture.

Portrait of Constantine (c330 CE)

Roman

Empire Period

Location: Rome, Italy

• Made of marble. 8 1/2 ft. tall head of Constantine. Once part of a colossal enthroned statue of emperor composed of a brick core, wood torso covered w/ bronze, & head & limbs of marble
• Modeled after seminude portratis of Jupiter.
• Emperor held an orb to symbolize global power in his extendd left hand.
• Figure is very stylized and loses realism. Large eyes are directed at no person or thing of this world.
• Constantine changed the future/religion of the Roman Empire. Est. new capital for the empire (Constantinople in Byzantium) Split the empire into the very wealthy East (later becomes Byzantine Empire, lasts over 1,000 years) and the weak West, who are sacked by the Gauls and the Goths from the North

Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus (mid 4th C)

Early Christian Period

Location: Rome, Italy

• Marble. Created for the city prefect Junius Bassus who was a pagan convert to Christianity. About 4 ft. high.
• Still in the style of Roman Imperial art. Reflects the desire of body preservation and references to Christianity.
• Stories from the Old and New Testament fill up the niches. The deceased does not appear on it.
• Shows Adam and Eve naked because they are ashamed of their sin.
• At the top, Christ shown on throne surrounded by disciples to show him as prince of Heaven.

Old St. Peter's (c325)

Early Christian Period

Location: Rome, Italy

• Reconstruction depicted. Had huge wood rafters. Made of wood and brick.
• First major Christian church. First major public place of worship for Christians. 
• In the style of a cruciform basilica. Basis of this style is on Roman basilicas bc it was a good design for huge gathering places. Becomes the prototype for most future churches. 
• Built over the purported grave of Peter, the first apostle and founder of the Christian community in Rome.
• Had exterior gatehouse that led into the atrium. Atrium seen as transition from profane world to the holy and pure. Apse is where the altar is – furthest from the entrance.