In the fifth century before Christ, the creative spirit of Greece touched the new horizons of architecture, art, drama, literature, and philosophy, well shaping the Western Civilization, and influencing the culture of several other countries as well. Where art was on its new high with the then joie de vivre reflected through several tremendous sculptural & pictorial delineations, architecture was climaxing the depths of finesse & technical soundness.
The art of Greece in the initial fifth century is awed for its famous “Korai” and “Kouros” statues, a landmark of the Archaic period (600-480BC). While “Kouros” portrayed nude males, the “Korai” statues, being the feminine counterparts of “Kouros,” were clothed. The “Korai” were a case study for the development in dress as well as facial expressions. The “Kouros,” on the other hand, reflected creative physical evolution in sculpting, and were therefore, observed more for their morphology. Approximately life-size, except a few, most “Kouros” were made of marble. They exhibited a strict anatomical symmetry with the help of simple geometric forms. A standard format followed was the standing front pose with the left leg moved forward and arms close to the bodies, touching the sides of thighs.
The Greek Art of the fifth century BC primarily manifests the creative voyage from ‘Archaic Period’ to the ‘Classical’ one. The statues created at the beginning of the fifth century embodied real people, as is evident from the statues of “Harmodius” and “Aristogeition” (477 BC – now lost), in Athens, to mark the overthrowing of oppression. The sculpting wonders testified as the first public monuments.
“Charioteer of Delphi” (470 BC) is one of the finest sculpting works of this period. The bronze cast statue dramatically represents the artistic transition from ‘Archaic’ to ‘Classical’ patterns, and the shift from stone & marbles as art materials to bronze. Terracotta too was an occasional sculpting material such as the statue of “Zeus & Ganymede” (470 BC), in Olympia. Another sculpting milestone, the bronze statue of “Poseidon or Zeus” (460 BC), stands around 7 feet tall. “Statue of Zeus at Olympia” (approximately 432 BC), a 39 feet tall sculpture (now in ruins), by the sculptor Phidias, and placed in the temple of Zeus, Olympia, forms one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Sculpting as the fifth century Greek Art, counterbalanced the conventional geometric representation and idealized ‘Realism.’ In fact, where these historical splendors incessantly enthralled its viewers, the Western Civilization took a forward leap, setting them as one of the creative foundations for the next millennia.
Fifth century Greek artistry touched other creative wings too. The paintings of the artist “Polygnotous of Thasos,” and the meticulous and dignified wall painting, “Minoan Art” such as “The Symposium View in the Tomb of the Diver,” (480 BC) in Paestum, are some brilliant examples. The architectural wonders include the graceful temples, “Parthenon” (447-31 BC), of Greek goddess Athena, in Athens, one of the greatest cultural symbols of Ancient Greece and a mark of Athenian Democracy; and “Temple of Hephaestus and Athena Ergane” (449-15 BC), Athens. Pottery gifted the world with the likes of “Tondo portraying Herakles & Athena” (around 480-70 BC) by Phoinix (potter) & Douris (painter), and “White-ground lekythos” (420-10 BC) by the Reed Painter. Inscribed coins, such as “Athenian Tetradrachm, with the head of Athena and Owl,” (post 449 BC) and “Drachm of Aegina with Tortoise & Stamp” (404 BC), had reached an impressive level of artistic maturity.
Despite all the excellence, unfortunately enough, very few exemplary of the fifth century art of Greece remain today. Marbles could not stand the tides of time, architectural wonders were destroyed in natural calamities such as earthquakes, and metal works were mostly melted for other uses, while several others were devastated in wars, ravages, and by fanatics. Still with whatever is preserved today, the fifth century art of Greece stands broad and impressive, well outlining the ‘golden period’ in the history of Greek culture.
Annette Labedzki received her BFA at the Emily Carr College of Art and Design in Vancouver, B.C. Canada. She has more than 25 years experience. She is the founder and developer of an online art gallery featuring original art from all over the world. It is a great site for art collectors to buy original art. Is is also a venue for artists to display and sell their art . Artists can join for free and their image upload is unlimited. Please visit the website at http://www.labedzki-art.com
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