(AM2) Module Overview

Ancient Mediterranean II

Introduction

Image of Ancient Greek Painting In the Classical world, this Ancient Mediterranean II Module will address how Ancient Greek and Roman art provides the foundation for the later development of European and Mediterranean artistic traditions. The art will cover the tradition of storytelling that glorified the exploits of gods, goddesses, and heroes as well as the idealized figurative representation characterized by idealized proportions and spatial relationships, expressing societal values of harmony and order.

The birth of the Classical Greek civilization marks the birth of many of the elements that are characteristic of Western civilization. We will examine the art and architecture of Greece through the early Greek societies discussed in Homer's Iliad and Odyssey to the development of an innovative and very identifiable style of art known for conveying the beauty of the human form and conveying traditional heroic stories.

The land of Greece is divided into a series of islands that kept early Bronze Age cultures separate and very distinct. Three vastly different cultures emerged: the highly skilled craftsmen and traders known as the Cycladic; the peaceful, religious Minoans, known for their beautiful palaces and frescoes; and the warring Mycenaean, known for their powerful military and massive fortifications.

With the development of powerful city-states like Athens, the Greeks began to create works of art that has exercised great influence on the cultures of many countries from ancient times to the present. Scholars divide the art of Greece into three distinct periods: the Archaic (ca. 750 BCE), the Classical (ca. 480 BCE), and the Hellenistic (ca 323 CE). The ancient Greeks established many of the most enduring themes, beliefs, and forms of Western culture in terms of art, literature, and even popular culture. The aesthetics and high technical standards of Greek art inspired the art of the West and is evident in every art classroom today.

The Romans are best known for conquering vast territories. Adding diverse cultures from these conquered lands to the Classical influences of Greece and the skills absorbed by the Etruscans, the Romans adapted many techniques and skills to their repertory. The impression of Roman art as unoriginal or a "copycat" of Greek art is a harsh one. Roman art forms that are powerful and lasting are their contributions to architecture and engineering. New technology, like the creation of concrete, was used to create marvelous architectural structures like the Pantheon and the Colosseum. The development of vaulted architecture, mosaic decoration, still life painting, and a large segment of Western language come from the efforts of the Romans. Some of their roads and buildings are still in use today. Like the Greeks, Romans aimed for realism, and most sculpture was often used for the glorification of the emperor or portrait busts. To their credit, much of the love and respect of Greek art and architecture exhibited by the Romans has resulted in the preservation of much of what historians know of Greek culture today.

Module Lessons Preview

In this module, we will study the following topics:

Why and how does art change?
How do we describe our thinking about art?
How does religion influence art and architecture?
How has art been utilized to foster political beliefs?
Is art a reflection of its culture or a force to form or shape culture?

Key Terms

In this module, we will study the following key terms:

Black-figure Painting - In early Greek pottery, the black-figure technique is the silhouetting of dark figures against a light background of natural, reddish clay, with linear details incised through the silhouettes.
Canon - A canon is a rule. For example, the ancient Greeks considered beauty to be a matter of “correct” proportion and sought a canon of proportion, for the human figure and for buildings.
Cella - The cella is the chamber at the center of an ancient temple; in a classical temple, the room (Greek, naos) in which the cult statue usually stood.
Concrete - Concrete is a building material invented by the Romans and consisting of various proportions of lime mortar, volcanic sand, water, and small stones.
Contrapposto - Contrapposto is the disposition of the human figure in which one part is turned in opposition to another part (usually hips and legs one way, shoulders and chest another), creating a counter positioning of the body about its central axis. Sometimes called “weight shift” because the weight of the body tends to be thrown to one foot, creating tension on one side and relaxation on the other.
Encaustic - Encaustic is a painting technique in which pigment is mixed with wax and applied to the surface while hot.
Fresco - A fresco is a painting on lime plaster, either dry (dry fresco or freso secco) or wet (true or buon fresco). In the latter method, the pigments are mixed with water and become chemically bound to the freshly laid lime plaster. Also, a painting executed in either method.
Greek Orders - There are three distinct orders in Ancient Greek architecture: Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. These three were adopted by the Romans, who modified their capitals. The three ancient Greek orders have since been consistently used in European Neoclassical architecture .
Frieze - A frieze is the part of the entablature between the architrave and the cornice; also, any sculptured or painted band in a building.
Lost-wax Process (cire perdue) - The lost wax process is a bronze casting method in which a figure is modeled in wax and covered with clay; the whole is fired, melting away the wax and hardening the clay, which then becomes a mold for molten metal.
Portico - A portico is a roofed colonnade; also an entrance porch.
Red-figure Painting - In later Greek pottery, the silhouetting of red figures against a black background, with painted linear details is known as red-figure painting. It is the reverse of black-figure painting.

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