Nalette Rondon (Redbud Group)
Art History I (pre-1300)
Art and Culture
Reading through chapter five of the book was a real adventure! The different periods in
Greek art, and the incredible pieces of art on the pages has made this my favorite chapter thus
far. As I was reading through the chapter and admiring the works within, I noted that the Greek
really seemed to value strength, and grace, especially when it came to the human body. Almost
every piece of art and architecture in the chapter captures one or both of those traits.
Strength is evident, directly and indirectly in many pieces in chapter five. The hard,
angled lines and sharp features of the Figure of a Woman on page 95. The display of
fearlessness of the people depicted in Bull Leaping on page 98. The powerful, monumental
buildings, temples and various other structures they built, and in the many paintings and
sculptures depicting men, gods, and goddesses. Each muscle and proportion is carefully made
to show the subject at their prime, full of strength, life, and beauty. The Sculpture of the West
Pediment of the Temple of Aphaia is a perfect example of strength, showing the powerful
muscles of the men, and their large, solid shields, but also the strength of Athena, the warrior
goddess, who stands in the center of the fray, taller than the rest, and boldly holding her spear
and shield.
The series of sculptures are also an amazing example of the grace the Greek seemed to
value. Even fallen and on their last breaths, the men depicted in the sculptures from the West
Pediment look flawless and hold so much gentle detail and grace, that one almost feels
compelled to try to help them to their feet. The artist(s) managed to capture grace, even in the
suffering of a dying soldier.
While this is all very beautiful, there is a slight hiccup when it came to using many of
these works of art to compare to the people of the time- proportions. One of the major things
altered by artist to create “the ideal representation of the human body,” was proportion. A very