Unit 2: Greek Art

Greek Art is considered as the origin and source of Western Art. It is idealized in the Western World and provided inspiration to the subsequent Roman and European art and architecture.

From my reading, Greek Art can be divided into 3 distinct periods: Archaic, Classical and Hellenistic. Each period is defined by historical events. And one can see the evolution of art through these periods.

One good example is the free standing sculpture. The Kouros boy statues are from the Archaic period around 600BC. The Kouros boy statue shows a nude young man in a stiff attitude with head held high, eyes to the front, arms hanging at the sides with fists clenched. His facial expression is an impassive stare or a knowing look. The Kouroi varied greatly in their anatomical accuracy.

Anavysos Kouros, funerary statue of Croisos (560-546 BC)

 
The Kritios boy (circa. 480 BC) from the Classical Period, on the other hand, has a more relaxed pose; the right leg is slightly bent at the knee, the weight is supported by the left leg, the head is turned slightly to the right. The Kritios boy is the most natural sculpture up to that time and this is achieved with an accurate understanding of human musculature and bone structure.

The Kritios Boy, (c.480 BC)

 
In the documentary “Greek Sculpture” in “How Art Made the World” produced by BBC, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88gXWW3qN7o, it is postulated that the Greeks were not satisfied with natural realism of the Kritios boy and wanted to created something that is not real, something that is “more human than human”. The example used is the bronze warrior statue A from Riace: the crest of muscles across the waist (external abdominis obliques) are exaggerated, the legs are made artificially long, the centre groove of the chest is impossible deep (because the pectoralis major muscles are too hypertrophied) as well as the centre channel of the spine (because of overdevelopment of the trapezius and latissimus dorsi muscles) and there is no coccyx bone at the base of their spine. The conclusion was this is unrealistic body.

Riace Warrior A , (5^th century BC)

I don’t agree with Professor Ramanchandran’s opinion that the Greeks were bored with the Kritios boy and that is the reason why they made subsequent unrealistic statues. I think it is human nature to make something different and original rather than motivated by boredom and the need for unrealism. The evolution of Greek art is an illustration of the evolution of art by human in the subsequent periods.

There is still a lot about Greek Art besides the free standing sculptures. Below I provide a brief summary of the various works of art according to the periods.

Period	Free standing sculpture	Architecture	Relief sculpture
Archaic (8th to 6th century BC)	Kouros	Temple of Hera, Paestum	Treasury of Siphnians, frieze
Classical (5th to 4th century BC)	Kritios boy Discobolus Riace warriors	Parthenon	Parthenon frieze
Hellenistic (3rd to 2nd century BC)	Nike from Samothrace Venus de Milo	Pergamum	Alexander sarcophagus

Bibliography

Boardman J, (ed.) (1993) The Oxford history of classical art. New York: Oxford University Press

Dunlop G. (1989) The legacy of Greece. [DVD] United Kingdom: T.V.S. Television Ltd

Greek (6^th century BC) Anavysos Kouros, funerary statue of Croisos [marble]. [online image] Place: National Archaeological Museum, Athens, Greece. Available from: http://www.bridgemaneducation.com [Accessed: 26 December 2010]

Greek (5^th century BC) The Kritios Boy [marble]. [online image] Place: Acropolis Museum, Athens, Greece. Available from: http://www.bridgemaneducation.com [Accessed: 26 December 2010]

Greek (5^th century BC) Riace Warrior A [bronze]. [online image] Place: Museo Nazionale, Reggio Calabria, Italy. Available from: http://www.bridgemaneducation.com [Accessed: 26 December 2010]

Honour, H. and Fleming J. (2009) A world history of art. Revised 7^th ed. London: Laurence King

Varchol D. (2005) How art made the world: Episode 1: More human than human [online] available from <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88gXWW3qN7o > [26 December 2010]

Unit 1: Project 1: Write down what your aim is: why are you taking this course and what do you want to get out of it?

Art is a subjective matter. Anyone can look at art and have an opinion about it. They can like or dislike it, they may find it interesting or boring, but such an opinion is a superficial one based on one passing look. I believe that to understand art better and deeper, one must have knowledge on how to look at art in a more objective manner.

Art history is a subject that has accumulated ideas and opinions from people who have looked at art in the past and in the present. This knowledge is an essential ‘language’ needed to understand art.  

It has broken down the subjectivity of art into more manageable, classifiable and objective portions: lines, tones, textures, colours; themes and purposes; techniques; movements; history. Having a knowledge that is more objective enable one to view art in a more purposeful and standardized manner.

The development of art in the past follows the history of the world. It is a reflection of man and his creativity and their interaction with the society and the environment. Such an understanding not only can enable a person to understand more about the past but also about himself and his present society.

An art work is a physical view or object. However, understanding an art work must go beyond its physical boundaries. The knowledge of its artist, history, meaning and symbolism is also needed to have a deeper understanding.

I believe that knowledge in art history also enables one to communicate his ideas in a universal language. For example, when one talks about ‘sfumato’, it will be understood as an Italian painting technique whether one is in China or in North America. Thus, a subjective idea such as art can be communicated effectively with such knowledge.

An understanding of the history of art enables one to look at and critique art of the present and the future. This ability is useful to understand the present society, their motivation and their social evolution.

My aim in taking this course is to gain knowledge that would enable me to understand art in a more deeper and objective manner, to learn more about art in the past, to enjoy art in the present and to have the ability to communicate about art in the future.

Unit 1: Project 1: Write questions that can be asked about works of art

Questions that can be answered by looking at the work

Questions that have to be answered by other means

What is this work of art? (Painting? Sculpture? Building? Textile?) What is the work of art about? (Still life? Portrait? Figures? Animals? Landscape? Religious scene?) What type of paint is used? (Pencil? Charcoal? Oil? Acrylic? Gouache? Tempera?) What is this painting painted on? (Paper? Canvas? Wall?) What type of material is used? (Ceramic? Bronze? Plastic? Concrete?) Who is the artist? Is there a signature? What technique is used? What movement does this work of art belong to? Does this work of art depict real-life? Is this work of art accurate in a perspective sense? Or is this distorted? Are the objects proportionate to real life and to each other? Is there a geometric arrangement of the items/people in the work of art? Is the painting smooth or textured? Are there other materials used besides paint? (Wax? Paper? Plastic?) Is the tone of this work of art predominantly dark, light, grey or complementary? Are there outlines/ underpainting that guide the artist initially? How is the paint applied? (Brush? Palette knife? Stick? Splash?) Are the brush strokes visible? Are they large or small? Are the lines thick or thin? Are the outlines distinct or do they blur into the colours and tones? What is the shape of this work or art? (Square? Rectangle? Round? Diamond-shape?) Is this work of art balanced? Or does it appear crowded in one area? Are the colours accurate? Or is it different from real life?

When was this work of art completed? Where was this work of art painted? Are there meanings behind the objects depicted? Is this work of art commissioned by someone else? (Individuals? Government? Church?) Why was it commissioned? Is this work of art depicting an actual scene or is it just an imagination or a combination? Is this work of art part of a series or is it stand alone? What were the inspirations of this work of art? Are there sketches and studies done prior to the commencement of the work of art? Are there previous works of art by other artists that are similar? Where is this artist from? What are his beliefs? What happened to the artist during the execution of this work of art? Did the artist change his initial intention during the execution of the work of art? Is this work of art a highlight in the painter’s life? Where is this work of art now? Who owned this work of art previously? What has been written by art critics and art historians about this work of art? Are these descriptions and analysis accurate? Did this work of art inspired other artists? Is this work of art restored/repaired prior to this? Has this work of art been altered by other people? Who is the sitter of this portrait? Is it a real person? Is he/she related to the painter? Is the portrait done in the presence of the sitter or is it done from a photograph/ sketches/ memory? Is this landscape painted outdoors or is it painted from memory? Are there missing portions in this sculpture? Has this building been added by other people? What is the function of this building initially? Is this work publicly accessible or is it privately owned?

Beginning Understanding Art 1: Western Art

Finally I got down to create my learning log for Understanding Art 1: Western Art.

I received my study materials about a month ago. I have been looking through the whole course, watching some videos and also reading 'A World History of Art'. I also bought some books recommended from online shops.

I also have been busy planning my trip to London and Paris to fulfil the required visits and also to complete some of assignments with actual art work instead of copies. This have all been exciting. But now I shall get down to finishing the projects and assignments.