Download Comparison of Art from Classical Greece through the Roman Empire

Comparison of Art from Classical Greece through the Roman Empire
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Abstract
The impact of culture is explored in the art of the Classical Greek, Hellenistic Greek,
Etruscan, Roman Republic and Roman Empire periods are explored. The impact of the genre of
art on the culture and the culture on the genre is also looked at for each of the periods discussed.
Each culture of human civilization’s art has not only impacted the people and culture of
the time, the art itself is impacted in both genre and style by the culture. The impact of this can
be seen in the artwork of each time frame. The genre of the artwork is also chosen by cultural
norms of the time and the artisan’s choices are impacted by that culture. Likewise, cultures were
impacted by the art of the time as new form reflected new thinking. This paper will explore the
periods of the Classical Greek, Hellenistic, Etruscan, Roman Republic and Roman Empire. The
discussion of chosen sculptural pieces of each of these periods and the impacts of the culture in
relationship to this art will be explored.
Classical Greek Sculpture: The Statue of Zeus at Olympia
The Classical Greek period was from 490 to 323 BC. It was known by its style that is
thought to come out following a period of democracy after aristocracy. This style may be best
known in structures like the Parthenon for its classical style. The culture in the period was born
out of a new allegiance between the Athenians and the Spartans during this period.
Prior to this period, the style had been similar to that seen in depictions of Egyptian gods.
The period reflected on a very upright stance, typically depicting the god Apollo or other male
gods in a very upright, unnatural pose. The Classical Greek period ushered in a new form that
changed this structure.
The Classical Greek period was known for its evolution to a more naturalistic form. The
technical skill of the period also gave rise to a more realistic depiction of the human form.
For the discussion of a piece of art from this period, the author has chosen the statue of
Zeus at Olympia that depicts the god, Zeus in the temple at Olympia. During the Classical Greek
period, there were a number of temples built and the requirement for statuary was greater than
the prior period. As part of the new democracy, the form of the gods used in these temples
reflected the look of the natural man. Culturally, the democracy of the times began to allow men
to reflect on god as a form more like men. For the first time, the names of the most prolific
sculptures are also known, showing a cultural trend to recognize the individual versus just the
aristocracy or the gods.
Additionally, the affluence of everyday culture among all gave way to large, elaborate
structures. The temples for the average citizen were larger and more prolific. The size of the
statue of Zeus is a great example.
The Statue of Zeus at Olympia was created in 432 BC by the Greek sculptor, Phidias.
The statue was utilized in the Temple of Zeus in Olympia, Greece. The seated statue is 39 feet
tall created in ivory and gold. It depicts the natural man as Zeus and those who visited the
temple commented on the feeling that they had seen the face of Zeus. The sculptor created the
statue based on the account of Zeus in Homer’s Iliad (Richter, 1966).
The statue reveals the cultures ideals of both natural man and god. It reflects the classical
period’s new direction of the democracy of men with a respect for the gods. The grandeur
reflected in the piece is culturally part of the thought of seeing Zeus as the natural form of man,
while the size and materials create grandeur for the average man of seeing the gods on their visit
to the temples.
Hellenistic Period: Winged Victory of Samothrace
The Hellenistic Period is from 323 to 146 BC. This period follows the death of
Alexander the Great. The major change in the culture of the time was that the Greeks had now
traveled throughout the world and cultural aspects from as far away as India were now felt.
Elements of Buddhism were first seen in the art during this period and the art of places
like Alexandria influenced the artists. In addition to these changes, the continued democracy of
the Greeks was reflected in art that reflected the common man more than ever before. As the
empire expanded to places like Egypt and Syria, the need to show strength in culture and religion
was seen by the continued building of temples to the gods, requiring statues.
The impact of the culture on the genre and vice versa can be seen in the influence of new
cultures and art impacted the still popular art form of temple art. As seen in the Winged Victory
of Samothrace, depicting the god Victory in motion, the stance and detail is much more
naturalistic while the structure of the wings shows new cultural influences that have improved
the technical skills of the artisan as it reflects movement in the draping of the clothing and the
form of the wings. The treatment of the sculptures is more sensual and realistic than before
(Bell, 2007).
Etruscan Period: Sarcophagus of the Spouses
The Etruscan Period is a name given by modern historians to a period of Italian history
from 800 BC to 300 BC. The origins of the people of the area are not completely known but it is
known that it was a society primarily based on trading and merchants. This gave rise to the
middle class having more power and money.
The society’s art reflects a respect for the natural form of man. The majority of art
depicts normal men and women. There is a great deal of funerary art as the cultural aspect
impacts the choice of the genre through need and choice of the people. The cultural aspects of
the afterlife were not a positive one so the mourning art reflected the happiness of life on earth
versus a reflection of the afterlife.
People were now shown as “differences of appearance as a general mode of human
existence: a key to human reality. Attention is focused on the simple observation that faces
differ as a fact, prior to all social or moral interpretations one might apply to their difference.
(Brendel, Etruscan Art, p. 131)”.
The Sarcophagus of the Spouses is a reflection of these thoughts. It depicts a normal
husband and wife reclining at a dinner party on top of the sarcophagus they would be laid to rest
in. It reflected a happier time in life of normal men and women. The cultural aspect of the
religion, the respect of the average man and the wealth of the merchant class helped create the
funerary art of the time.
Roman Republic: Bust of Julius Caeser
The Roman Republic period began after the overthrow of the Roman monarchy and
began in the year 509 BC and lasted about 500 years. This period of Roman history was
characterized by constitutional law in Rome. In addition to the constitutional culture, the impact
of the Etruscan art was also felt in the natural representation or portrait style of the period (Pacal,
1984).
The art of the period was influenced by depictions of war victories and rulers of the time.
It was greatly influenced by Greek art of the time and previous eras. The Roman art also
reflected a need to honor their ancestors. The cultural aspect of this time was to show the
strength and power of the Roman Republic.
The bust of Caesar is a depiction of a care worn face. It is a portrait of the man and a real
life style depiction in a natural manner. Done in stone, it relies greatly on the influences of
Hellenistic style dominating the Roman Republic Art of the time. Highly influenced by the
Roman Republic culture of the time, it depicts a ruler of the time rather than a god as seen in the
Greek style.
Roman Empire: The Portrait of the Four Tetrarchs
The Roman Empire began around 44 BC. The culture of the time was strongly
influenced by the appointment of emperors and a wider array of religion. Not only was the
worship of Roman gods common, the emperors themselves were looked on as gods by some and
Christianity was now commanding a presence in the empire.
The art of the empire is strongly architectural born out of the construction of the arch and
aqueducts of the previous Roman period. Art was part of civil projects and buildings. The
Portrait of the Four Tetrarch is a sculpture of four Roman emperors that was used in the façade
of a building in Venice, Italy (MacDonald, 1982).
It depicts portraits of each, but in a more industrial or construction style does not depict
them with individual characteristics as seen in the Republic art. They are depicted alike, joined
together as one. This piece is influenced by the style of the periods previous to the classic Greek
period, and the emperors are reflected in a more unnatural god-like way. This was due to the
cultural influence of worship of the emperor as a deity and the influence of Greek art as seen in
all Roman periods. The use of art to deify natural man in construction was more common during
this period. The tendency to the abstract representation was a reflection of the culture of the
empire at the time.
Conclusion
Each period of history discussed in this paper has seen the cultural aspects of the time
impact the art as well as the influence of other cultures on the art. The art of the day was also
influenced by the importance of such trends as religious aspects, respect for ancestors, victory,
rulers and the thought of the afterlife. Greek art had an impact on the Romans as did the
Etruscan style. The Greek style was also impacted by other cultures with the expanding Greek
empire of Alexander the Great. The influences were felt for many generations and cultures and
could still be seen in the Roman Empire.
References
Bell, Julian. (2007) Mirror of the World: A New History of Art. London. Thames & Hudson. 72
Brendel, Otto. (1978) Etruscan Art, Yale University Press. New York. 131.
MacDonald, W. L. (1982). The Architecture of the Roman Empire. Yale University Press, New
Haven. 92, 93
Pacal, Nanette, R. (1984, April-May). The Legacy of Roman Education (in the Forum). The
Classical Journal, 79, (4).
Richter, G. M. A. (1966, April-June). The Pheidian Zeus at Olympia. Hesperia, 35(2), 166, 170