- Hellenistic art
The
art of theHellenistic period has long been the victim of the relative disdain attached to the period. "Cessavit deinde ars" ("then art disappeared") remarksPliny the Elder in his "Natural History" (XXXIV, 52), after having described the sculpture of the classical period. However, a number of the best-known works of Greek art belong to this period, such as Laocoön of the Vatican andVenus de Milo , as well asWinged Victory of Samothrace .The renewal of the historiographic approach as well as some recent discoveries, such as the tombs of
Vergina , allow a better appreciation of this period's artistic richness.One thing which must be remembered, however, is that the term "Hellenistic" is a modern invention; the Hellenistic World not only included a huge area covering the whole of the Aegean, rather than the
Classical Greece focused on thePoleis ofAthens andSparta , but also a huge time range. In artistic terms this means that there is huge variety which is often put under the heading of "Hellenistic Art" for convenience sake and because it has traditionally been seen as the poor cousin of the "Golden Age" of Classical Athens. This has also led to the18th Century termsBaroque andRococo being applied, inappropriately, to this complex and individual period.Architecture
One of the defining characteristics of the
Hellenistic period was the division ofAlexander the Great 's empire into smaller dynastic empires founded by thediadochi : the Ptolemies in Egypt, the Seleucids inMesopotamia and Syria, the Attalids inPergamon , etc. Each of these dynasties practiced a royal patronage which differed from those of the city-states. In the architectural field, this resulted in vast urban plans and large complexes which had mostly disappeared from city-states by the 5th century BC. This city planning was quite innovative for the Greek world; rather than manipulating space by correcting its defaults, building plans conformed to the natural setting. One notes the appearance of many places of amusement and leisure, notably the multiplication of theatres and parks. The Hellenistic monarchies were advantaged in this regard in that they often had vast spaces where they could build large cities: such as Antioch,Pergamon , andSeleucia on the Tigris .Pergamon in particular is a characteristic example of Hellenistic architecture. Starting from a simple fortress located on the
Acropolis , the variousAttalid kings set up a colossal architectural complex. The buildings are fanned out around the Acropolis to take into account the nature of the terrain. Theagora , located to the south on the lowest terrace, is bordered by galleries with colonnades or "stoai". It is the beginning of a street which crosses the entire Acropolis: it separates the administrative, political and military buildings on the east and top of the rock from the sanctuaries to the west, at mid-height, among which the most prominent is that which shelters the monumentalPergamon Altar , known as "of the twelve gods" or "of the gods and of the giants", one of the masterpieces of Greek sculpture. A colossal theatre, able to contain nearly 10,000 spectators, has benches embedded in the flanks of the hill. It was the time of gigantism: thus it was for the second temple ofApollo atDidyma , situated twenty kilometers fromMiletus inIonia . It was designed by Daphnis of Miletus and Paionios ofEphesus at the end of the fourth century BC, but the construction, never completed, was carried out up until the 2nd century AD. The sanctuary is one of the largest ever constructed in the Mediterranean region: inside a vast court (21.7 metres by 53.6 metres), the "cella " is surrounded by a double colonnade of 108Ionic columns nearly 20 metres tall, with richly sculpted bases and capitals.Sculpture
repeats the innovations of the "
second classicism ": perfect sculpture-in-the-round, allowing the statue to be admired from all angles; study of draping and effects of transparency of clothing; suppleness of poses. Thus,Venus de Milo , even while echoing a classic model, is distinguished by the twist of her hips. One seeks, above all, expressivity and atmosphere. This search is particularly flagrant in the portraits: more than the precision of the traits represented, the artist seeks to represent the character of his/her subject. In the great statuary, the artist explores themes such as suffering, sleep or old age. One such is theBarberini Faun of Munich, representing a sleepingsatyr with relaxed posture and anxious face, perhaps the prey of nightmares. The "drunk woman", also at Munich, portrays without reservation an old woman, thin, haggard, clutching against herself her jar of wine.Laocoön , strangled by snakes, tries desperately to loosen their grip without affording a glance at his dying sons.Pergamon did not distinguish itself with its architecture alone: it was also the seat of a brilliant school of sculpture called
Pergamene Baroque . The sculptors, imitating the preceding centuries, portray painful moments rendered expressive with three-dimensional compositions, often V-shaped, and anatomical hyper-realism.Attalus I (269-197 BC), to commemorate his victory at Caicus against theGauls — called , they were very numerous in the Roman period. The expression of sentiments, the forcefulness of details — bushy hair and moustaches here — and the violence of the movements are characteristic of the Pergamene style.These characteristics are pushed to their peak in the friezes of the Great Altar of Pergamon, decorated under the order of
Eumenes II (197-159 BC) with agigantomachy stretching 110 metres in length, illustrating in the stone a poem composed especially for the court. TheOlympians triumph in it, each on his side, over Giants most of which are transformed into savage beasts: serpents, birds of prey, lions or bulls. Their mother Gaia, come to their aid, can do nothing and must watch them twist in pain under the blows of the gods.Another phenomenon appears in Hellenistic sculpture: privatization, which involves the recapture of older public patterns in decorative sculpture. This type of retrospective style also exists in ceramics. Portraiture is tinged with naturalism, under the influence of
Roman art .Paintings and mosaics
Few examples of Greek wall paintings have survived the centuries. It has long been necessary to content oneself with studying the Hellenistic influences in Roman
fresco es, for example those ofPompeii orHerculaneum . Certain mosaics, however, provide a pretty good idea of the "grand painting" of the period: these are copies of frescoes. An example is theAlexander Mosaic , showing the confrontation of the young conqueror and the Grand KingDarius III at theBattle of Issus , a mosaic which adorns the walls of theHouse of the Faun at Pompeii. It is believed to be a copy of a painting described byPliny the Elder (XXXV, 110) which had been painted by Philoxenus ofEretria for KingCassander ofMacedon at the end of the 4th century BC, or even of a painting byApelles contemporaneous with Alexander himself. The mosaic allows us to admire the choice of colours, the composition of the ensemble with turning movement and facial expressivity.Recent archeological discoveries at the cemetery of
Pagasae (close to modernVolos ), at the edge of thePagasetic Gulf , or again atVergina (1987), in the former kingdom ofMacedon ia, have brought to light some original works. For example, the tomb said to be that of Philip II has provided a great frieze representing a royal lion hunt, remarkable by its composition, the arrangement of the figures in space and its realistic representation of nature.The Hellenistic period is equally the time of development of the
mosaic , particularly with the works of Sosos of Pergamon, active in the 2nd century BC and the only mosaic artist cited by Pliny (XXXVI, 184). His taste fortrompe l'oeil (optical illusion) and the effects of the medium are found in several works attributed to him such as the "Unswept Floor" in the Vatican museum, representing the leftovers of a repast (fish bones, bones, empty shells, etc.) and the "Dove Basin" at theCapitoline Museum , known by means of a reproduction discovered inHadrian's Villa . In it one sees four doves perched on the edge of a basin filled with water. One of them is watering herself while the others seem to be resting, which creates effects of reflections and shadow perfectly studied by the artist.Ceramics
The Hellenistic period is that of the decline of painting on vases. The most common vases are black and uniform, with a shiny appearance approaching that of varnish, decorated with simple motifs of flowers or festoons. It is also the period when vases in relief appeared, doubtless in imitation of vases made of precious metals: wreaths in relief were applied to the body of the vase, or again the one shown here received veins or gadroons. One finds also more complex relief, based on animals or mythological creatures. The shapes of the vases are also inspired by the tradition of metal: thus with the lagynos (pictured here), a wine jar typical of the period.
Hellenistic pottery designs can be found in the
Pakistan i city ofTaxila which was colonized with Greek artisans and potters after Alexander conquered the city. The tradition continues to this very day, with the city of Taxila, Pakistan being famous for its "unique" pottery and ceramic designs.In parallel there subsisted a tradition of polychromatic figurative painting: the artists sought a greater variety of tints than in the past. However, these newer colours are more delicate and do not support heat. The painting occurred therefore after firing, contrary to the traditional practice. The fragility of the pigments preventing frequent use of these vases, they were reserved for use in funerals.The most representative copies of this style come from
Centuripe inSicily , where a workshop was active until the 3rd century B.C. These vases are characterized by a base painted pink. The figures, often female, are represented in coloured clothing: blue-violet chiton, yellow himation, white veil. The style is reminiscent of Pompei and is situated much more on the side of the grand contemporary paintings than on the heritage of thered-figure pottery .Minor arts
Metallic art
Progress in bronze casting made it possible for the Greeks to create large works, such as the
Colossus of Rhodes , with a height of 32 meters. Many of the large bronze statues were lost - with the majority being melted to recover the material. Because of this, only the smaller objects still exist. Fortunately, during Hellenistic Greece, the raw materials were plentiful following eastern conquests.The work on metal vases took on a new fullness: the artists competed among themselves with great virtuosity. At
Panagyurishte (now inBulgaria ), skillfully sculpted gold vases have been found: on anamphora , two rearing centaurs form the handles. InDerveni , not far from Salonica, a tomb has provided a greatkrater with bronzevolute s dating from approximately 320 BC and weighing 40 kilograms (Derveni krater ).It is decorated with a 32-centimetre-tall frieze of figures in relief representingDionysus surrounded byAriadne and her procession ofsatyr s andmaenad s.The neck is decorated with ornamental motifs while four satyrs in high relief are casually seated on the shoulders of the vase. The evolution is similar for the art of jewellery. The jewellers of the time excelled at handling details and filigrees: thus, the funeral wreaths present very realistic leaves of trees or stalks of wheat. In this period the insetting of precious stones flourished.The figurines were equally fashionable. They represented divinities as well as subjects from contemporary life. Thus emerged the theme of the "negro", particularly in Ptolemaic Egypt: these statuettes of Black adolescents were successful up to the Roman period. Sometimes, they were reduced to echoing a form from the great sculptures: thus one finds numerous copies in miniature of the
Tyche (good luck) ofAntioch , of which the original dates to the beginning of the 3rd century BC.Terra cotta figurines
Previously reserved for religious use, in Hellenistic Greece the terra cotta figurine was more frequently used for funerary, and even decorative, purposes. The refinement of molding techniques made it possible to create true miniature statues, with a high level of detail.
In
Tanagra , inBoeotia , the figurines, full of lively colours, most often represent elegant women in scenes full of charm. AtSmyrna , in Asia Minor, two major styles occurred side-by-side: first of all, copies of masterpieces of great sculpture, such asFarnese Hercules in gilt terra cotta. In a completely different genre, there are the "grotesques", which contrast violently with the canons of "Greek beauty": the "koroplathos" (figurine maker) fashions deformed bodies in tortuous poses — hunchbacks, epileptics, hydrocephalics, obese women, etc. One could therefore wonder whether these were medical models, the town ofSmyrna being reputed for its medical school. Or they could simply be caricatures, designed to provoke laughter. The "grotesques" are equally common at Tarsus and also atAlexandria .Glass and glyptic art
It was in the Hellenistic period that the Greeks, who until then only knew molded glass, discovered the technique of glass blowing, thus permitting new forms. The art of glass developed especially in
Italy . Molded glass continued, notably in the creation of intaglio jewelry.The art of engraving on gems hardly advanced at all, limiting itself to mass-produced items that lacked originality. As compensation, the
cameo made its appearance. It concerns cutting in relief on a stone composed of several colored layers, allowing the object to be presented in relief through the effects of color. After that it is mounted on a pendant or as a ring. The Hellenistic period produced some masterpieces like the [http://www.hermitagemuseum.org/html_En/03/hm3_1_5g.html Gonzaga cameo] , now preserved at theHermitage Museum .See also
*
Alexander the Great
*Hellenistic civilization
*Hellenistic Greece
*Hellenistic period
*Art in ancient Greece
* Hellenistic works:Barberini Faun ,Laocoön and his Sons ,Stoa of Attalos ,Venus de Milo ,Winged Victory of Samothrace ,Boxer of Quirinal ,Derveni krater .Bibliography
*"This article draws heavily on the article in the French-language Wikipedia, which was accessed in the version of 10 November 2006.
*cite book| author=Boardman, John | title=Greek Art | publisher=Thames and Hudson | location=London | year=1989 | id=ISBN 0-500-20292-3
*cite book| author=Burn, Lucilla | title=Hellenistic Art: From Alexander The Great To Augustus | publisher=J. Paul Getty Trust Publications | location=Los Angeles | year=2005 | id=ISBN 0-89236-776-8
*cite book| author=Charbonneaux, Jean, Jean Martin and Roland Villard | translator=Peter Green | title=Hellenistic Greece | publisher=Braziller | location=New York | year=1973| id=ISBN 0-8076-0666-9
*cite book| author=Havelock, Christine Mitchell |title=Hellenistic Art| publisher=New York Graphic Society Ltd.| location=Greenwich, Connecticut | year=1968| id=ISBN 0-393-95133-2
*cite book| author=Holtzmann, Bernard and Alain Pasquier |title=Histoire de l'art antique: l'art grec | publisher= Réunion des musées nationaux | year=2002 | id=ISBN 2-7118-3782-3
*cite book| author=Pollitt, Jerome J. | title=Art in the Hellenistic Age | publisher=Cambridge University Press | year=1986 | id=ISBN 0-521-27672-1External links
* [http://www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/compass/ixbin/hixclient.exe?%7BUPPER%7D%3Av2_free_text_tindex=hellenistic&_IXDB_=compass&_IXSPFX_=graphical%2Fsummary%2F&_IXFPFX_=graphical%2Ffull%2F&_IXNOMATCHES_=graphical%2Fno_matches.html&%24+%28with+v2_searchable_index%29+sort=.&_IXsearchterm=hellenistic&submit-button=summary Selection of Hellenistic works] at the
British Museum
* [http://www.louvre.fr/llv/oeuvres/oeuvres_choisies.jsp;jsessionid=Dk7GYq9Wry2kPVZS6TJwn0bhTShz3vxDdLchGys2DhDf1X6HR62h!78639621?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302023711&CURRENT_LLV_DEP%3C%3Efolder_id=1408474395181059&CURRENT_LLV_DIV%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302023711&bmUID=1134869383083 Selection of Hellenistic works] at theLouvre
* [http://www.insecula.com/us/salle/EP0052.html Hellenistic Art] , Insecula.com
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