Course Summary
The legacy of the ancient Greeks is still as strong today as it ever was, and no more so than in the area of art. The art of ancient Greece has inspired many artists – painters, poets, potters, sculptors, architects, and more – over the centuries, and is still admired by connoisseurs today for its beauty, intricacy, and for the reflection it offers of the people who created it.
Yet the topic of ‘ancient Greek Art’ is as broad as the period of the ancient Greeks itself, a period that spans not only time but also place, and which saw many separate peoples and regions flourish throughout the Greek and Mediterranean world. A study of ancient Greek Art also spans multiple disciplines, as the art of the ancient Greeks served far more than just an aesthetic function, providing functionality in the case of pots, stability in the case of architecture, and symbolic meaning in the case of sculpture, and much more besides.
This course will attempt to offer an overview of the evolution of ancient Greek Art from the Protogeometric period to the end of the Hellenistic period. You will examine a whole range of art forms including vases, paintings, architecture, and sculpture, looking at each from a variety of different perspectives. You will also explore some of the methods used by the creators of these works of art. This course lays the foundation for further study of the topic at university, whether as part of a classics, history or art degree, or for anyone with a keen interest in Art and ancient Greece.
