Thank You For Being Greek

1869 Words8 Pages
Thank You for Being Greek As the work rose, shining with grandeur and possessing an inimitable grace of form, and as the artisans strove to surpass one another in the beauty of their workmanship, the rapidity with which the structures were executed was marvelous…There is a certain bloom of newness in each work and an appearance of being untouched by the wear of time. It is as if some ever-flowing life and unaging spirit had been infused into the creation of them. -Plutarch The Ancient Greeks created what has become known as classical art. With that title, they are seen by many as the cornerstone to the western traditions of art and ideas, but the glory of the Greeks is not in their political philosophy or in their statesmanship, but in the fine arts. The Ancient Greeks are known for three main art forms; their sculptures, their temples, and their vase paintings; their art work embodies much of what made the Greek civilization great. The old Hellenics remain the most artistic race in the history of mankind. Fourth and fifth century Greek art is considered the cornerstone of aesthetics and principles of design. In this period, Greek gods and goddesses were usually portrayed as beautiful beings; to the Greeks beauty was determined by people’s intellect and athletic abilities. These qualities are presented through their pottery, sculpture, and architecture. What sparked the Greek’s aesthetic and where they drew their inspirations from is still being questioned but we have some idea; to create a great piece of art one must first decide the aesthetic in which s/he wants to present to the viewer. “Greek temples reflected their religious beliefs in the gods and their lives were dominated by religion and so it is not surprising that the temples of ancient Greece were the biggest and most beautiful, they also had a social purpose as they were often built to
Open Document