Classical Antiquity and its Works of Art

by John Daab Ph.D., for Fine Art Registry®

Classical Antiquity and its Works of Art¹
The Museum Docent Series

Introduction

Classical Antiquity

A common thread running through much of European or Western Canon art are its roots during the period of 800 BCE to 150 CE. This period is traditionally known as the Classical Antiquity Period consisting of Greek, Persian, Etruscan and Roman historical developments of politics, literature, ethics, religion and art.² This same period was later looked upon as the Axial age since so many systems of knowledge and religion developed during the period.³ Some have noted that there was a divine instigation behind the facts that Buddhism, Confucianism, Christianity and other doctrines emerged at the same time. Most scholars would rather not accept the religious etiology of the period. It seems more to the point that trade routes and nation building forged the period rather than the hand of a divine operator. Hoving would classify the period as one of marauding, colonizing and copying the artistic works of subjugated peoples.⁴ The significance of this period for art is that it gave rise to the beginning of works which created a new life form for humanity. In addition to being a worker, warrior, one could now become a sculptor, potter, pottery painter, and builder. This period is a fountain for the themes, myths, and icons permeating later works which seem to reappear throughout the remaining periods of art history up to the 20th century. To be able to read and understand a work of art, one must know those periods providing its content.



Brief History

At the crossroads between Africa, Asia, and Europe lies Greece. Prior to the Classical Antiquity period, Greece existed in what is commonly known as the Dark Age. This age was one marked by a nomadic/pastoral life with no cultural development and little information about the period following the Iliad and the Odyssey. Following the Dark Age, there arose the Classical Antiquity era containing the Daedalic, Archaic, Classical, and Hellenic sub periods. The early part of the period was marked by the formation of the city-state polis which looked upon its citizens, foreign residents and helots (slaves) as the driving forces of a developing economy. Coexistence of its disparate classes and equality of its people was promoted and required. The polis concept spread through the areas and trade connections were made with Africa, Asia, and Europe. As the citi-states grew Athens and Sparta became the dominant players with an undercurrent of animosity based on incongruous political ideologies. The Classical Period gave birth to advances in politics, literature, art and architecture. It also brought war from the outside from the Persians and the inside between Athens and Sparta. As the Golden Age was spiraling upward, the Roman Republic was gaining momentum as a dominant power in the area ultimately subjugating the Greek kingdom following the death of Alexander. In the Hellenistic period in 31 BCE at the Battle of Actium Augustus (Octavian) defeated Greek armies and defined the end of Ancient Greece.⁵


Classical Antiquity and its Categories

The Antiquity period is further broken down into the Daedalic 700-650, Archaic, 650-500, Classical 500-323, and Hellenistic 323-150. Please note that the categories and times provided are not universally accepted. The categorization is a function of author, discipline, organization and time.

Daedalic

Daedalic 700-650⁶ BCE

The Daedalic period is named after the sculptor Daedalic who created sculptures for King Minos at Knossos. It has been noted that Daedalic's bodies "...have natural proportions, the roundness of the heads tempered by a certain slant to the cheeks, and the foreheads enclosed in a low, horizontal hairstyles."⁷ The presentation of the work is frontal full face, sculpture in the round. Other sculptures were in relief. The face is triangular, low forehead, and cascading locks reaching over the shoulder. Note the rather blunt features, little detail, and almost asymmetry of the human face. The forehead is small with the viewer wondering if the eyebrow hair was connected to the hair on top but worn off through time. Sculptures are made from terracotta and limestone during this period, with some bronzes. Few bronze works have been found due to the needs of war which melted art works into armaments to be used in battles. It is during the period of 700-500 BCE that the foundation of ancient Rome took place under the rule of Etruscan Kings.

Archaic

Archaic 650-500 BCE

As the Greek city states continued is political and economic development within and without the Greek world, art flourished. "Sculptors in the Aegean islands, notably on Naxos and Samos, carved large-scale statues in marble. Goldsmiths on Rhodes specialized in fine jewelry, and bronzeworkers on Crete fashioned armor and plaques decorated with superb reliefs."⁸ This was the era of the Kourus and Koro sculptures depicted more naturally and with greater refinement. Excursions to Asia brought back influences of the Orient. The themes in the various art media were figures, motion, references to the Gods, myths, the games, and warriors. The use of black figure was a technological advance in firing works of clay, and preceded red figure. Red figure dealt less with incising figures on vases and more on drawing them.

Classical 500-323 BCE

Classical

During the classical period sculpture moved from limestone marble to bronze. There was also a movement from covered or draped female sculpture to no covering or nude. Statues were portrayed with more vitality and motion such as contraposto positions. Red figures on vases were presented with more vitality, greater narration, more details, and more depth. Household goods now consisted of metal cups made with the repousee methods.

During the course of vase decoration which tells us much a about the culture and technology the development of the various shapes is taking place. "Painted vases were often made in specific shapes for specific daily uses--storing and transporting wine and foodstuffs (amphora), drawing water (hydria), drinking wine or water (kantharos or kylix), and so on--and for special, often ritual occasions, such as pouring libations (lekythos) or carrying water for the bridal bath (loutrophoros). Their pictorial decorations provide insights into many aspects of Athenian life, and complement the literary texts and inscriptions from the Archaic and, especially, Classical periods."⁹

Hellenistic

Hellenistic 323-31 BCE

The Hellenistic period, the last period of Classical Antiquity following the death of Alexander the Great, witnessed an upsurge of jewelry manufacture with more expensive stones and elaborate detail. The wealthy provided funds for museums and libraries, and the population of artists began moving away from the idealization of figures to representations of reality. As the Romans began to become more involved in Greek life and the Greeks became more cosmopolitan with numerous trading partners art began to reflect the differences in cultures. During this period one finds works representing Africans and the styles of different cultures. Roman art began to utilize available Greek works as exemplars for their own works. Romans frequently copied Greek sculptures for their own houses and environments.¹⁰

Conclusion

Our trip through the period of Classical Antiquity demonstrated a movement from rudimentary art in the Daedalic era to a refined, elegant depiction of figures in motion or in stasis. This was a movement from the blunt to the ideal to the real. The images will be found throughout the history of art and in various styles, movements, people and locations.


The Museum Docent - read previous articles in the series:

1.  The Museum Docent
2. The Virgin of Passion and Guanyin: A Comparison of Fine Art Female Deities
3. Modigliani: Hero or Villain?
4. The Making of Silver Gilt Roman Drinking Cups
5. George Segal, Pop Artist?
6. The Death of Socrates: Jacques Louis David, Master of Wiggle Room
7. Judith the Slayer: Saint or Sinner
8. Buddha: A Trustafarian?
9. General George Washington, Spymaster 

References:

1.  As with many historical period starting and ending points, delineations are fluid. While some scholars label a period as Archaic others may label it late Geometric. Still others may sub-categorize as early or late, or high and low. For the sake of simplicity and clarity general categories will be used.

2.  http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/antiquity/greek-sculpture.htm

3.  http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Axial_Age

4.  Hoving, T. (1997). False Impressions, New York: Simon and Shuster

5.  http://www.ancient-greece.org/

6.  http://www.all-art.org/history52.html

7.  http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/antiquity/greek-sculpture.htm

8.  http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/argk/hd_argk.htm

9.  http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=Athenian+Vase+Painting%3A+Black-+and+Red-Figure+Techniques+|+Thematic+Essay+|+Heilbrunn+Timeline+of+Art+History+|+The+Metropolitan+Museum+of+Art

10.  http://www.greeklandscapes.com/greece/athens_museum_hellenistic.html