Humanities 1101
16 September 2014
Sculpture and Architecture Essay We are often told that it is not good for us to live in the past; however, it is impossible for us to ignore the origins of our culture. Greek artist and architects are renowned worldwide, and the reasoning for that is perfectly clear. When a civilization considers themselves to be culturally advanced they seem to make strides in the arts. The Greek world is a classic example of this fact, whether we examine their sculptures, relief artwork or their architecture it is clear to see that their work was both trend setting and timeless. One of the earliest Greek statues found is the “Figurine of a woman from Cyclades. Ca. 2500 BCE” page 41 of the textbook (Sayre). This statue was found in what is called the Cyclades, a group of islands located in the Aegean Sea. The medium for the statue is marble and it is considered to be the most famous of the artifacts found. The reason for its fame is the abstract style that was used to create it. These figures have been found within burial chambers but their actual purpose still remains unknown (Sayre). In contrast to the sculpture from the Cyclades, the Greek sculptures continued to evolve and eventually took on what is called a Naturalistic form. This style developed in the sixth century and featured sculptures without clothing as seen in the above representation of the goddess Aphrodite. The above sculpture is a garden statue made in a mold out of concrete or cement, but it still follows the patterns conceived in the fifth century. For instance the turn of the head for a more dramatic effect, the slight twist on its axis, and supporting the body weight on one leg which is known as contrapposto (Sayre).

An early example of a relief carving is the Lion Gate, Mycenae, Greece. Ca. 1300 BCE. Page 45 in the text book (Sayre). The gate was discovered by Sir Arthur Evans in Knossos, the walls of the gate were 50 feet high and 20 feet thick. It was believed by the Greeks to be built by mystical monsters called Cyclopes. The relief itself was a triangle shaped stone with a pair of lionesses that stood over 9 feet tall. It is thought that the heads of the lions faced the visitors as they entered the city to humble them (Sayre). The heads of the lionesses is thought to have been made of a different type of stone than the bodies, they were attached by dowels which is probably the reason they have been taken. Here we have a relief of the green man satyr, this particular one is done in stone. Reliefs come in many different sizes and they have unlimited in their subject matter. This one in particular hangs on the New York state courthouse in Albany, this deity is found in many cultures around the world it represents rebirth and perhaps the yearly growth cycle every spring. In contrast to the relief of the lionesses which was used for intimidation, this relief is meant to pay homage to a deity. Probably one of the most recognized structures in the world The Parthenon, Acropolis, Athens 447-438 BCE. Page 60 of the textbook. It took 15 years to complete the Parthenon and it is said that it was built to give thanks to the goddess Athena (Sayre). This structure is one of the best representations of the Doric order and is considered to be one of the shining symbols of the Athenian state. The construction cost of the Parthenon was 469 Silver talents, just to put that into perspective it cost 1 Silver talent to build a Trireme which was the most advanced war ship of the time (Ancient-greece.org). The Parthenon’s foundation was made of limestone and the columns were made of marble.

This is a picture of an old home in downtown Lawrenceville. I have probably driven past this property over a thousand times. I have recognized this type of architecture all of my life, but I never really considered were this building style originated. In contrast to the Parthenon this building is on a much smaller scale, additionally it is constructed of wood instead of stone. Southern homes such as this exude the Greek architectural style and without studying the arts few would recognize that fact. In conclusion Greek architecture has had a tremendous impact on the world we live in, the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian styles are still very popular and in use today. We have to look no further than our most famous structure in America the White House to see how the Grecian influence has been incorporated into American architecture.

Works Cited
"The Parthenon." Parthenon. Web. 12 Sept. 2014. <http://www.ancient- greece.org/architecture/parthenon.html>.
Sayre, Henry M. Discovering the Humanities Books a La Carte Edition. Second ed. Pearson College Div, 2013. Print.