Aegean Art: The Early Greeks
• Cycladic‐ 3000‐1000BCE
• Minoan 1700‐1400 BCE (Crete) "Palace Culture"
 Palace of Minos at Knossos
"The Labyrinth"
Myth of Theseus and Minotaur Mycenaean 1600‐1200 BCE ( Mainland Greece) Palace of Mycenaean

The Trojan War 1200 BCE

1. Figurine of a Woman, Cycladic, 2500 BCE
Carved from marble

A couple of feet tall
Several hundred Cycladic sculptures

Not much information about them, no writing, some found in tombs others not, may represent an ancestor or goddess

Abstract (abstraction): not realistic, implies the figure Is somehow exaggerated, distorted or manipulated Heads are elongated, not many facial features, figures are simplified

Palace Culture: Palaces were the economic, religious and political centers
Centers of power

"The Labyrinth": Maze‐like

Stone and wooden beams: For earthquake safety
Multistories
Lavishly decorated with wall paintings
Had no defenses‐ no defensive walls

2. Bull Jumping fresco, Minoan, Crete, 1500 BCE One male and two females The male is the darker one
More movement, more curvilinear art
Fresco: technique of all painting to decorate a wall and the paint is a king of watercolor on plaster

True Fresco: when the plaster is wet when the artist paints on it

3. Snake Goddess, Minoan, Crete, 1500 BCE
Small sculpture, painted cat on top of the head, not original dressed in typical Minoan clothing long layer skirt jacket that exposes breast could be a priestess or Goddess herself exposition of breast may symbolize nurture snake= Earth Mother (snakes penetrate Earth) resemble temple votive statues by the eyes
4. Lion Gate, Mycenaean, Greece, 1200 BCE
Post and Lintel structure
2 lions flanking a Minoan column (top lintel) lion head were bronze (metal)
Function= protection and intimidation
Lion is the king
Iliad and Odyssey- By Homer
Iliad-Detailed events related to Trojan War (1200 BCE)
Odyssey- what happened to one Hero after the war

Greek Art (Art in the Service of Humanism) Worth and dignity of the individual
Archaic period 700-500 BCE
Archaic period- first monumental sculpture and architecture
Classical period 500-300 BCE
“Golden Age”
Hellenistic period 300-100 BCE
Hellenes- Greeks called themselves this
Each city state was called a Polis
Humanism
Archaic sculptures
Kouros
Kore
Greece
Democracy
Theater
Art and Architecture
Mythology
Athletics (Sound mind and sound body)
Astronomy and Medicine

5. Kouros, Greek civ., Archaic period, 600 BCE
Kouros- A sculpture of a young man of boy
Function- usually stood on the graves or tombs of young men that died in battle
Represent the ideal of young Greek manhood
Carved from marble
Close to life-size
Originally painted- the hair, eyes, and lips
Nipples and genitalia usually painted in bright colors
Inspiration from the Egyptians, that’s were the Greeks learned to carve and build stones
Stiffness, hands are attached to the body, idealized, frontal, cubic looking (tall rectangular form) – Egyptian influence
NOT Egyptian but Greek- Nudity, hairband
Nudity means Hero
Hairband means Athletic Victory, Athletic Warrior Hero

6. Peplos Kore, Greek civ., Archaic period, 600 BCE
Kore- Young women, or daughter
Not grave markers
Votive status given to temples of goddess
Has a hand extended out. Usually had a small bird, perfume, or small gift
Long belted skirt, loose blouse
Originally painted
Always have a little smile- Kouros and Kore

Characteristics of Classical Style Sculpture
Realism (anatomical accuracy)
Idealism
Contraposition pose
Nudity
Calm restraint
Nobility and dignity
Anatomically accuracy and physical beautiful= humanism

7. Krittios Boy, Greek civ., Archaic period, 600 BCE
First known evidence of artists signing their artwork
Humanistic style, artist signed it his artwork
Krittios made this sculpture
Carved marble sculpture
The first example that we have in world