Harvest Vase

1. Grecian Sculpture in ContextWhat is Beauty? What about the portrayal of beauty and the human form in Grecian art is a reflection of Grecian culture and thinking?

2. Harvest Vase The subject matter of this relief sculpture and its style differs greatly from Egyptian relief sculptures, such as the one below. How would you describe each style? What does the subject matter and style of the Harvest Vase tell us about how Minoan Culture differed from other ancient cultures?

3. Ancient Greece • Cultural Value of the Greeks is humanistic: “MAN IS THE MEASURE OF ALL THINGS” • This worldview lead to groundbreaking contributions in the arts, literature, science, philosophy and politics • Made up of various regional peoples of the Aegeans, and Indio-European – United by the Olympian Games in 776 BCE • The Greeks regarded themselves as citizens of Hellas and everyone else as barbarians • Greek Gods differed from only in that they were immortal – they made their Gods into humans and their humans into Gods • The perfect individual became the Greek ideal, and lead to the portrayal of “beauty” in Greek art • For the Greeks the mind and body were linked -A SOUND MIND A SOUND BODY

4. Slavery • Women were restricted to the home • The Symposium – a dinner party for only men and prostitutes • Every heart sings a song, incomplete until another heart whispers back. Those who wish to sing always find a song. At the touch of a lover, everyone becomes a poet. – Plato • The first recorded appearance of a deep emotional bond between adult men in ancient Greek culture was in the Illiad

5. ARCHAIC SCULPTURE 600 BCE - The perfect individual became the Greek ideal – The seeking of a perfect being lead to a focus on the portrayal of “beauty” in Greek art DESCRIBE THE STYLISTIC QUALITIES OF EACH ARTWORK

6. What are the facts? (F) Artist: Unknown, Tradespeople Patron: Family of the Deceased Title: Kouros, from Attica Date: 600BCE Period/Style: Archaic Size: life size Location / findspot: Attica MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES Carved Marbel SUBJECT MATTER / CONTENT Young Boy – not a portrait but a type

7. How is the subject matter visually represented / presented? (FA) Appropriated Egyptian style Rigid, frontal and nude Stiff arms and clenched fists Taking a stiff foot forward – lacks movement Liberated from the rock signifies their interest in finding a a way to convey movement – not preoccupied A eternal afterlife like in Egypt Patterned hair and pattern-like lines of the body WHY WAS IT CREATED (CA) Location – Grave marker / funerary object. Patron – family Also served as votive offerings

8. What are the facts? (F) Artist: Unknown, Tradespeople Patron: Family of the Deceased Title: Kroisos(Kouros Statue) Date: 600BCE Period/Style: Archaic Size: life size Location / findspot: Anavysos MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES Carved Marbel SUBJECT MATTER / CONTENT Young Boy – not a portrait but a type Inscribed – STAY AND MOURN AT THE TOMB OF DEAD KROISOS, WHOM ARES DESTROYED ONE DAY AS HE FOUGHT IN THE FORMEOST RANKS

9. WHY WAS IT CREATED (CA) Location – Grave marker / funerary object. Patron – family BIG IDEA – “STAY AND MOURN AT THE TOMB OF DEAD KROISOS, WHOM ARES DESTROYED ONE DAY AS HE FOUGHT IN THE FORMEOST RANKS” WHAT MEANING DOES THE INSCRIPTION LEND THE STATUE THAT IS MISSING FROM THE OTHER? CAN YOU THINK OF ANY OTHER ARTWORKS THAT ARE HEROICALLY INSCRIBED?

10. How is the subject matter visually represented / presented? (FA) Rigid, frontal and nude Stiff arms and clenched fists Taking a stiff foot forward – lacks movement Liberated from the rock signifies their interest in finding a a way to convey movement – not preoccupied With an eternal afterlife like in Egypt Patterned hair and pattern-like lines of the body are replaced With a sense of roundness or flesh, naturalistic, youthful

11. MEANING / FUNCTION • COMMEMORATION – Why is an idealized figure favored over a heroic portrait • Idealizes the dead hero through the portrayal of the body • - The perfect individual became the Greek ideal = The portrayal of “beauty” in Greek art

12. Classical Period • Rational • Idealized • “Perfect” • Detached • Self Contained • Unemotional • Balanced • Unified, Ordered and Calm

13. What are the facts? (F) Artist: Polykleitos Patron: NA Title: Spear Bearer Date: 450BCE Period/Style: Classical Size: l6’ 11” Location / findspot: Pompeii, Italy (reproduction) MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES Carved Marbel SUBJECT MATTER Warrior

14. LOOK AT AND DESCRIBE THE STYLE OF THIS ARTWORK IN WHAT WAYS IS IT Rational Idealized “Perfect” Detached Self Contained Unemotional Balanced Unified, Ordered and Calm

15. WHY AND HOW WAS HE CREATED • NUDE – not about warfare • About the perfection of human form • Reflects the idea that humans are not perfect but the body is • Canon of proportion is used to determine the perfect proportions of the body – mathematical proportion (Pythagoras geometry) • Stands in calm, balanced and harmonious contrapposto • S-curve of the stance makes him feel fully alive in our world – he exists in our world as an ideal mirror of rational detachment • He is the result of the power and rationality of the human mind – not a result of religious belief or practice

16. Homework • Read the spark notes on Plato’s The Symposium • What are the types of love presented in The Symposium • What link(s) can you make between the types of love that are discussed in The Symposium, the Greeks’` idea of beauty, and the subject matter, visual qualities and ideas behind Classical Greek Sculpture?