Ancient Greek Tradition and Influence on Modern Art

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There is no doubt that Ancient Greeks can be regarded as one of the groups which have made the most significant contributions to the development of different types of art. Speaking about the particular spheres which have been influenced by inventions made by Ancient Greeks, it is necessary to list the sculptural arts, figures made of clay, traditional and theatrical costumes, stone ornamentation, literature, and architecture (Damala, Hornecker, Van Der Vaart, Van Dijk, & Ruthven, 2016). The latter can be seen as the area of expertise of Ancient Greeks the architectural decisions proposed by them were so convenient and spectacular that some of their traditional architectural elements are still used all over the world to make buildings more attractive and create the unique atmosphere for people visiting them. Within the frame of the assignment, we were supposed to visit the Met Archive in order to get acquainted with Ancient Greek art and establish links between ancient trends and practices which are popular among architectures nowadays. In fact, there is a range of interesting pictures in the archive but, due to my interest in ancient stone sculpture, I have decided to analyze the column from the temple of Artemis (Pic.1).

Marble column from the Temple of Artemis at Sardis. — Pic. 1. Marble column from the Temple of Artemis at Sardis, n.d.

The example of the cultural heritage of Ancient Greeks that I have chosen was created in Hellenistic period. Speaking about the general knowledge concerning the column, it is necessary to say that the discussed element presents one of the most recognizable artefacts related to Ancient Greece. The column is made of marble, which has always been regarded as expensive material used in temples and other buildings to glorify them. In reference to the size of the given artefact, it needs to be said that it is more than three meters high. Being one of the most famous stone sculptures, the artefact presents only one section of the entire column. The Temple of Artemis was located in Sardis. The excavations in the territory were initiated by a few researchers at the beginning of the twentieth century, and the discussed artefact was found more than ninety years ago. Speaking about its appearance, it is important to note a range of decorative details located on the top of the column. Considering that each detail was carved without the use of modern equipment, one needs to assume that the techniques of ancient architectures were extremely sophisticated for the time.

Speaking about the influence that Ancient Greek culture still has on modern art, it is important to note that its hint can be found even in those cultures which have nothing in common with Ancient Greeks. In fact, modern people often see Ancient Greece as the country where the outstanding talents of the time were developed. Coupled with the popularity of modern Greece among tourists from different parts of the world and the global interest in Greek mythology, recognizable artefacts act as the things that will always be associated with the country. Apart from that, Ancient Greece often acts as a symbol of education, and this is why this style is particularly good for modern educational institutions. Thus, if we have a look at the Rotunda at the University of Virginia, it is possible to notice a row of high columns, the style which was inspired by Greek and Roman cultures (Donald, n.d.).

In fact, understanding that architectural decisions of Ancient Greeks are simple and sophisticated at the same time, people in many countries imitate this famous style to feel the atmosphere and increase the number of beautiful places in their cities.

References

Damala, A., Hornecker, E., Van Der Vaart, M., Van Dijk, D., & Ruthven, I. (2016). The Loupe: Tangible augmented reality for learning to look at Ancient Greek art. Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry, 16(5), 73-85.

Donald, D. (n.d.). Greek architecture on modern buildings in the U.S. Web.

Marble column from the Temple of Artemis at Sardis [digital image]. (n.d.). Web.

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