Man as God and God as Manthe rise of Greek and Roman cultures

Apollo Belverdere, (original, c. 320 BCE, currently at the Vatican), as he was first found in the 15th century. Fig leaf and arms added in the 18th century. Michelangelo would have seen this sculpture---does it bear a resemblance to any of his works?

Greek Art---where gods and humans meet700-30 BCE

• Focus on the human body (mostly male)—a kouros is a statue of a young man, both human and godlike

• Idealized view of perfection

• Beauty and calm

• Developed proportions of human figure

• Rising status of the artist (first names)

• Strong artistic influence for many cultures

• Pantheon of deities, with mythology mixing human and god-like traits

What makes this statue appear to be so lifelike?

Discus ThrowerMyron, c. 485 BCE,Roman copy of Greek bronze; Marble statue atBritish Museum

Ancient Greece3 historical artistic

periods: Archaic (700-480 BCE) to the

conquering of Persia Classical (480-323 BCE) to the

death of Alexander the Great Hellenistic (323-31 BCE) to the

death of Cleopatra

• Athens seat of power• Democratic society (for men with

property)• Polytheistic (but no organized

priesthood or church)• Rise of humanism-man is the

measure of all things• Studied the world around them--

astronomy and other sciences, philosophy, mathematics

Greek Temples– Do they resemble any buildings in our area?

Were they places of worship?

Temple to Athena Nike,

Goddess of victory

427 BCE

Parthenon in Athens, 447-432 BCE

Classical Period

Kritios, c. 500 BCE

Roman copy in marble of Greek original -- was it an offering to the gods?

Archaic Period

Spear Bearer, c. 440 BCE Polyklettos, bronze original, Roman copy in marble

Do you see differences in

these idealized

men?

Praxiteles and the S-curve

Hermes with baby Dionysus, 340 BCE, Roman copy of bronze original

The Greek Idealwomen finally get some recognition

Praxiteles,

Aphrodite, 340 BCE

His courtesan was

his real-life goddess

of love, Phyme

Caryatids hold up the structureParthenon in Athens, 438 BCE

Athena was 38 feet tall and made of gold, stone, bronze and ivory

Hellenistic Art 323 – 31 BCE

• Rationalism and calm gave way to emotional expression

• Scenes of misfortune and suffering

• Cosmopolitan empire of many cultures emerges

• Alexander the Great (Macedonia, whose father has conquered Greece), conquers Persia, the Holy Lands and Asia Minor (Turkey)

• Spread Greek ideas; vigor, action and pragmatism replace idealism

• Period lasts from death of Alexander the Great to the death of Cleopatra

Bust of Alexander the Great, Pella Museum, Greece

Winged Victory, Pythokritos, marble, 8’, c 200-190 BCE (Louvre, Paris)

Athens

Asia Minor

“Beware of Greeks bearing gifts….”

What makes this statue active? Emotional?Laocoon Grouporiginal, c. 160 BCE marble—perhaps copy of an earlier bronze statue--- now at the VaticanDepicts priest who has warned his countrymen of the Trojan horse, but they did not believe him; he and his sons are getting swallowed by an angry sea god, favored by Athena

Arm replacement was a

wrong guess…fixed in

1950s

How do these statues represent the themes of pathos and action of Hellenistic art?

Dying Gaul, now found in Rome

Old Market Woman, now at the Met in NYC

• Greek statues of idealized men fit Roman ideas of democracy• Greek bronzes made into Roman marble copies; need to be reinforced with

supports• valuable metal from ancient Greek statues is melted down• Same gods---new names:

GREEK ROMAN

Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty= Venus

Zeus, god of the sky = Jupiter

Ares, god of war = Mars

Dionysus, god of wine = Bacchus

Poseidon, god of the sea = Neptune

Athena, goddess of agriculture = Minerva

Eros, god of love = Cupid

Hades, god of the underworld = Pluto

Apollo, god of light and truth = Apollo

Hermes, god of messengers = Mercury

Nike, goddess of victory = Victoria

Original Greek bronze of

Poseidon, 5th century BCE,

salvaged from a sea

wreck, now in the National

Museum of Greece

Roman statue of Mercury in marble, 1st century CE, now at the Vatican; copy of Greek bronze of Hermes, 4th century BCE

Greek culture is copied by the Romans

Romans (753 BCE-476 CE)• Hellenistic rule ended by Romans who defeat last empress,

Cleopatra in 30 BCE.• Rome under rule of Augustus Caesar in 30 BCE--great

conqueror who admired Alexander the Great• Ruled during a time of Pax Romana (Roman Peace)• Roman Empire ruled by emperors • Worshipped pantheon of gods• Women gained some rights--could manage family investments

and become artisans• 1st century CE--Rome became the western center of Christianity• Rome fell to the Goths in 476 CE

Etruscan Art—the peoples of Northern Italy, prior to the dominance of the

Roman Empire

Sarcophagus lid from Vulci, Italy. 4th century, BCE, volcanic stoneDescribe the line, mass and expressions of these figures. What might the choices made in crafting this sculpture be saying about their lives? The values of the Etruscan society?

Roman Art• Great temples and

secular building projects initiated by the emperors--show of power

• Art depicted people--emperors, statesmen, family portraits

• Sculpture was prized; many copies made of Greek statues

• Julius Caesar Augustus (the revered one) was the first ruler of the Roman Empire,

63 BCE – 14 CE

also known as Octavius,

declared a god upon his death by Roman senate

Augustus of Prima Porta, 15 CE., marble, perhaps a copy of a bronze original from 20 BCE, Vatican, polychromeThe Roman general is the embodiment of god Apollo, in contrapposto stance. What idealistic values are implied? Cupid, son of Venus, is at his feet. Why, do you think?

Pantheon, 120 CEOculus acts as a sundial; perfect proportions

of a sphere inside a cube

Colosseum, 72-80 CEThree levels of seating… doric, ionic and corinthian columnsUsed as: gladiator stadium, killing 8,000 wild animals; a church and cemetery; a wool factory for prostitutes; a political monument to protect the death penalty

Roman architectural advancements columns, arches, vaults and cement

Greek/Roman Columns and Capitals---

orders to know

DoricIonic

Corinthian