Ancient Greece Sample Paper

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Why does the style of Greek sculpture in this period deviate so radically from pre-classical examples?

The Greek sculptures have changed over the years into more modern and simple sculptures. In the pre-classical periods, the sculptures and structures were enormous and defined great architectural prowess combined with complexity. The buildings of the pre-classical period were huge and one that is important in preservations of cults such as the Erechtheion and Parthenon temples. The latter or the classical designs were, however, small and were developed to communicate important messages to the public. The design or the way the sculptures were presented is of great importance while looking at the differences between these two periods. The pre-classical artistic touch was one that was developed around symmetrical aspects, while classical art was a freestyle that involved twisting the bodies of sculptures and one that can be viewed from different angles. The changes to these periods are one that came as a result of gradual changes due to war and diseases, and which reduced the decorative aspects and also minimized sizes of formerly exaggerated features of the sculptures into more straightforward and appealing designs Ancient Greece Sample Paper.

Essential changes are evident from the pre-classical period with the classical period sculptures. In most instances, these sculptures deferred slightly in terms of colors, texture, materials used and general characteristics. For example, the pre-classical sculptures were hugely influential as they overwhelmingly explored the aspect of social status. This is the situation the classical period art tried as much to avoid the mythological use of imagery while the pre-classical period overly used representation. The roles of men and women in the classical period came to be better defined where men were now brought out as athletes or hunters, an aspect that helped define gender and social roles. Besides, the two-period were marked by considerable differences in terms of people’s beliefs and practices during occasions. For instance, in the pre-classical period, the use of objects such as stelai and lekythos was fascinating as these items were buried with the death during the funeral ceremonies. However, the classical use of these iconographic was different as they were used as public markers. The importance of funerals in the pre-classical period is evident, as many of the artwork could be located to the tombs with the names of the artists inscribed on them.

The later sculptures, as mentioned, were meant for public places and ones that were creatively developed for this purpose. For instance, the Hegeso garments were used in the sculptures were revealing and had certain points more defined than others. This was to make the passers-by get a good look at the statue. The intention of these revealing and attractive sculptures of the classical period was to exemplify the powers held by the aristocratic governments that were common in the time.

The changes between these two periods are also expressed as a result of war and disease of the pre-classical periods. The political landscape was able to change significantly due to the Peloponnesian war and the plague. This war affected many of the stelai arts in Athens and their use in funerals for commemoration. After the war, it was noted that the artists were less occupied, and little economic benefits were valuable to them. They thus, resorted to creating elaborate works and sculptures as they had enough time and concentrate on the work they wanted to do. In addition, this time gave them the independent and flexible to try out anything they wanted for impression. The Peloponnesian war was in place for 27 years and which left Athens and the allies exhausted. The effects of this war during the pre-classical period were immense and ones that came to affect in a big way the religion, cultural attitudes, and daily life of people. The changes in the art industry during the classical period were due to interest in the intimate, private, and erotic realms. The sculptures in the classical period were emphasized the individual aspects in the Greek world and which was to recognize the critical roles that women played during the war. The women sculptures in the latter period were fascinating and revealed their breasts, legs, and the beautiful poses from these women. Besides, the war had devastating effects on the pre-classical monumental buildings. This is because the Athenian monuments were no longer developed as a result of artists leaving the city due to a lack of economic benefits. They were moving to other regions to seek for better commissions for their art. For instance, one of the significant changes as a result of this shift was the works of one of the architects known as Iktinos. He was able to make a much smaller building, which also brought in place the reduced sizes of the subsequent temples Ancient Greece Sample Paper.

The style of Greek sculptures radically changed from the pre-classical period due to changes in the political, religious, and even social constructs of people. For instance, the Peloponnesian war had significant impacts on the art such that the artists and architects were rendered jobless after the war, making them try other designs on their own. Also, the effects of plagues and the effort to acknowledge the role of wives and mothers during the war brought different artworks that marked the two periods.

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