RANDOM PICTURE OF 20 CENTURY ITALIAN-BASED ART BC FUNNY
Greek Art
(a maenad was a raving lunatic madwoman)
Classical Greek art has been extremely influential in all types of art around the world. It is categorized into three periods: Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic. A few experts add another period before Archaic, called Geometric. The golden age of art in Greece began when Greek started blossoming philosophically and when famous playwrights such as Aristophanes first showcased. The defeat of Persia, and Athens' newly established democratic government caused Athens to dominate, so it's no surprise that Athenian art had a huge influence. Magnificent temples and buildings were commissioned in hopes of gaining money for tourism. The Parthenon was one of the best ever built, and many very famous Classical Greek art were created in the Parthenon, such as the "Birth of Athena" and "A Battle Between Poseidon and Athena." In Early Geometric period, ceramic vessels were mostly used for funerary purposes. They had geometric shapes and patterns on them, as well as stick figures. Later, vessels became decorative and utilitarian. In the Archaic period, vase painting became very popular, and the technique of incision scratching was used. It was called the black figure technique, in which a black silhouette was formed out of scratching out an orange clay background. This was later replaced by red figure painting, in which a black background was painted using a 3 step complex fire process. In the Classic Period, Greek pottery became very important because they were windows into Greek life. There were many scenes of mythology, daily life, and 5th century comedians. Bronze sculptures also became very popular, and sculptors started moving away from the tradition of sculpting glorified men and women. More realistic sculptures were made, and the Contrapposto pose was used (weight on one leg, torso turned to one side, gave off a relaxed and dynamic vibe). Architecture during the Classic Period involved fancy Corinthian columns that were more decorative than any type of column before. In the Hellenistic period, unflattering features were added onto still-perfectly-proportioned sculptures. These sculptures were often used for propaganda purposes. It was during this period that the two most famous pieces of Greek art came into existence: the "Venus de Milo" and "Winged Victory."
Roman Art
The most significant aspects of Roman art was the architecture, with many different types of columns as well as busts of famous people. However, there was much more to Roman art; they put an artistic touch to almost everything they made: coins, walls, sculpture, metalwork, glasswork, and jewelry. It was during this time that authors such as Cicero and Virgil created a legacy of philosophical thought and influential ideas. They drew much of their influence from the Greek style, as well as the Etruscan style (centered around funerary purposes because of firm belief in the afterlife). Clay sculpting and bronze work were specialties of Roman, and the Romans were extremely realistic with their sculptures, while still being able to make the subject look dignified despite physical shortcomings. Although Greek art did get more realistic as time went on, they still kept their sculptures idealized. This was a huge difference between the two styles. Augustus realized art could promote his position as a powerful ruler, as a representative of the gods, and he had many reliefs made of him interacting with gods and of memorable scenes of his rule. The discovery of concrete in Rome made the widespread construction of arches, domes, and vaulted ceilings possible. The Pantheon was constructed by Emperor Hadrian to honor all the gods, and it had one of the most impressive domes in Rome. The dome was constructed with more than 5,000 tons of concrete, and it had an oculus (opening in the center of the dome) that drew attention towards the heavens and illuminated the marbled material of the Pantheon. It is known as an architectural wonder even to this day. The Colosseum, the greatest amphitheater ever built in Rome, showcases the three styles of columns: Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. The Doric columns were the most basic, the Ionic columns had scroll designs, and the Corinthian columns were the most complex. It had trap doors, drainage doors, a retractable room, and underground passages. A lot of Roman art from later times, such as the 3rd century, has been found in the underground catacombs of Nero's palace; there many scenes of battles and punishment. Roman art began to decline with the fall of Rome the city in significance, as Constantine shifted the capital to Istanbul. More than 800 years later would influences from Roman art resurface in the Italian renaissance (whoot Leonardo DiCaprio jk)
Early Christian Art
Early Christian art started after the death of Christ and lasted until 313 A.D. when it changed styles. Christianity spread, as Rome declined, and early Christian art emerged. There was rule in Christianity that did not allow representational imagery of the divine. All religious images were not prohibited; only the most idolatrous art forms were prohibited. There was a flexible interpretation with this idea, so Christian artists had a variety of material and ideas to work with. Christian art was highly diverse, with several different styles such as Roman, Greek, and Jewish, because the artists came from a large range of cultures and backgrounds. The first examples of Christian art were found in the Roman catacombs. Christian converts buried their dead in separate Christian catacombs after non-Christians started burying their dead instead of cremating them. Artists decorated the catacombs, providing the first glimpse of Early Christian art. Frescoes gave an impressionistic style rather than realistic, with quick brush strokes one on top of the other without blending. Many Christian symbols, such as the Good Shepherd, were painted. A famous mural of Jesus teaching his disciples is painted in one of the catacombs. Sarcophagi were covered with depictions of Biblical scenes representing salvation and traditional Roman symbols on all four sides. No crucifixion art was found however; most early Christian art was lighthearted and allegorical. Although the art was detailed and proportional, some figures had different sizes according to status. Big figures were the important ones, and they were placed towards the top. Less important figures were smaller and near the bottom. Due to intolerance of monotheism, the cross symbol was often hidden into the paintings as an anchor or Egyptian ankhs. Early Christian art is divided into two periods: before and after the Edict of Milan, which legalized Christian worship. After this legalization, there was no need for disguising Christian material in art. Many churches were built with a 5-isle design, and colorful mosaics depicted scenes of guiding the faithful to righteousness. Despite struggles and limitations during the beginning, the early Christian artists managed to express themselves and make a huge impact on art in coming years.
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