The Culture of Ancient Greece
Art
The Ancient Greeks most used form of art is through sculpture. As religion heavily influenced their lifestyle, religion also is apparent within art. There are roughly three periods of Ancient Greek art: the Archaic, the Classical, and the Hellenistic. During the Archaic, art was rather primitive and lacking; the Classical times become more realistic; and the Hellenistic becomes highly decorative.
Archaic
In the Archaic period, sculptures, sat atop pedestals, were lined along a temples entrance. Sculptures were also meant to mark graves. A typical stature would be either a man or a woman's figure in a rather stiff pose. Male statues, called kouroi represent gods, warriors, and athletes. Female statues, called korai depict priestesses, goddesses, and nymphs.
These statues show their influence from Egyptian art in its stiffness and gracefulness; the artists weren't quite comfortable with achieving naturalism yet. Style techniques such as the archaic smile, outstretched palm, clenched fist, and straight posture compensate for an inability to portray a figure in realistic full action.
Classical
During this period, Greece reaches cultural and artistic heights. In times of rivalry with Sparta, Corinth, Thebes, and Syracuse, gone is the dreamy Archaic smile. Said smile has been replaced by a solemn face.
The most exquisite sculptures the world has ever seen was produced within the Classical period. The style of Classical Greece is shaped by ideas of free expression. The ideal beauty, artists seek that. This lead to the depictions of human figure in a more natural manner. They replaced the stiff ways of old a created forms true to life. The most significant change is the counterbalance, or s-curve, of the body, known as controposto. This is when one foot comes forward so that one leg is relaxed and the other bears the weight of the body; a naturalistic pose.
Remember that Archaic smile? It has been replaced by a solemn facial expression. Statures depicting violent scenes bear no expression; however, their enemies have dramatic facial expressions. Even in the most dramatic of situations, logic and reason should be the dominant human quality. The Ancient Greeks believed that the suppression of emotions is a noble characteristic of civilized men. However, the public display of human emotion is a sign of barbarism.
Considered the golden age for the arts, literature, and philosophy, the Classical period continue to influence western civilization today.
Hellenistic
This period was during Alexander the Great's conquests. A prosperous time that encourages art of a more secular nature. Instead of depicting ideals and beauty, the artists now explore reality. For instance, a sculpture of a boxer will show his bleeding knuckles after the fight. Humane themes such as childhood, old age, and suffering are of interest.
The Hellenistic period incorporate all sorts of views on art. Artists expand their work with dramatic poses and portraying deep emotions using contrasts of light and shadow. This kind of experimentation can create wonderful works of art.
Archaic
In the Archaic period, sculptures, sat atop pedestals, were lined along a temples entrance. Sculptures were also meant to mark graves. A typical stature would be either a man or a woman's figure in a rather stiff pose. Male statues, called kouroi represent gods, warriors, and athletes. Female statues, called korai depict priestesses, goddesses, and nymphs.
These statues show their influence from Egyptian art in its stiffness and gracefulness; the artists weren't quite comfortable with achieving naturalism yet. Style techniques such as the archaic smile, outstretched palm, clenched fist, and straight posture compensate for an inability to portray a figure in realistic full action.
Classical
During this period, Greece reaches cultural and artistic heights. In times of rivalry with Sparta, Corinth, Thebes, and Syracuse, gone is the dreamy Archaic smile. Said smile has been replaced by a solemn face.
The most exquisite sculptures the world has ever seen was produced within the Classical period. The style of Classical Greece is shaped by ideas of free expression. The ideal beauty, artists seek that. This lead to the depictions of human figure in a more natural manner. They replaced the stiff ways of old a created forms true to life. The most significant change is the counterbalance, or s-curve, of the body, known as controposto. This is when one foot comes forward so that one leg is relaxed and the other bears the weight of the body; a naturalistic pose.
Remember that Archaic smile? It has been replaced by a solemn facial expression. Statures depicting violent scenes bear no expression; however, their enemies have dramatic facial expressions. Even in the most dramatic of situations, logic and reason should be the dominant human quality. The Ancient Greeks believed that the suppression of emotions is a noble characteristic of civilized men. However, the public display of human emotion is a sign of barbarism.
Considered the golden age for the arts, literature, and philosophy, the Classical period continue to influence western civilization today.
Hellenistic
This period was during Alexander the Great's conquests. A prosperous time that encourages art of a more secular nature. Instead of depicting ideals and beauty, the artists now explore reality. For instance, a sculpture of a boxer will show his bleeding knuckles after the fight. Humane themes such as childhood, old age, and suffering are of interest.
The Hellenistic period incorporate all sorts of views on art. Artists expand their work with dramatic poses and portraying deep emotions using contrasts of light and shadow. This kind of experimentation can create wonderful works of art.
Regular Life
Housing: Most Greek houses were small yet had either a walled garden or yard in the middle. Made of sun-dried mud brick, this makes the home vulnerable to crumbling away in just a few years, resulting in another construction. Clay tiles made the roof, small windows here and there with no glass, but wooden shutters to shield away the scorching sun.
Rich Greeks had slaves - sometimes 50 slaves worked for a rich family. Slaves did the hard work, on the farm, in the fields and workshops and in the house too.
Women at Home: Married women stayed at home most of the time. They spent their days spinning thread and weaving cloth, also looking after the children and prepared food.
Wealthy Women: Rich women would never leave the house without a slave or a male companion along. They'd bring them along when visiting friends, eating out, and even shopping. In Athens, only poor women left on their lonesome. When going out, the rich frequently worked alongside their husbands, fetched water, and did the family washing in a stream. They could chat with friends while they worked.
Very few Greek women had this much freedom.
Clothing: Young men wore short tunics while the older folks preferred a longer variant. All women wore a long tunic that reached the ankles; made from cotton or linen material. That garment was called a chiton. Over it, draped over their shoulder is a cloak. Size varies on season.
Food:Bread dipped in wine with a side of fruit, breakfast will be something like that. The meal for lunch might be bread and cheese. For dinner, people would porridge made from barley. Cheese, fish, vegetables, eggs and fruit will complement the feast. Nuts, figs and honey-glazed cakes were eaten for dessert. Just like other old civilizations, only rich people ate much meat. Did you know: Wealthy people always ate at home; only slaves and poor people ate in public?
Olives: Olives trees were the most valuable kind of tree in Greece as it has many uses. The fruit could be eaten, but crushing them creates olive oil. This oil was used for for cooking, in oil lamps, and cosmetics. These trees are important enough that uprooting one would charge you for criminal offense
~Dave's Article
Rich Greeks had slaves - sometimes 50 slaves worked for a rich family. Slaves did the hard work, on the farm, in the fields and workshops and in the house too.
Women at Home: Married women stayed at home most of the time. They spent their days spinning thread and weaving cloth, also looking after the children and prepared food.
Wealthy Women: Rich women would never leave the house without a slave or a male companion along. They'd bring them along when visiting friends, eating out, and even shopping. In Athens, only poor women left on their lonesome. When going out, the rich frequently worked alongside their husbands, fetched water, and did the family washing in a stream. They could chat with friends while they worked.
Very few Greek women had this much freedom.
Clothing: Young men wore short tunics while the older folks preferred a longer variant. All women wore a long tunic that reached the ankles; made from cotton or linen material. That garment was called a chiton. Over it, draped over their shoulder is a cloak. Size varies on season.
Food:Bread dipped in wine with a side of fruit, breakfast will be something like that. The meal for lunch might be bread and cheese. For dinner, people would porridge made from barley. Cheese, fish, vegetables, eggs and fruit will complement the feast. Nuts, figs and honey-glazed cakes were eaten for dessert. Just like other old civilizations, only rich people ate much meat. Did you know: Wealthy people always ate at home; only slaves and poor people ate in public?
Olives: Olives trees were the most valuable kind of tree in Greece as it has many uses. The fruit could be eaten, but crushing them creates olive oil. This oil was used for for cooking, in oil lamps, and cosmetics. These trees are important enough that uprooting one would charge you for criminal offense
~Dave's Article