Greek art
The Greeks focused on building temples and spacious outdoor courtyards, whose artists and architects excelled in highly artistic and meticulous decoration and ornamentation, in addition to a significant collection of sculptures, theaters, and pictorial paintings.
Greek Temples
Doric style temples: such as the Temple of Hera Olympia and the Patheon (454-438 BC)
Ionic style temples: such as the Temple of Abu Dhabi (430 BC)
Characteristics of Greek temples:-– Simplicity.
– Numerous columns.
– No windows, with light entering through the door.
– Built from limestone and sand, with wood used in their roofs.
– Three basic shapes: square temples, two-entrance temples, and rectangular temples.
The most important temples include the Hera Olympia, the Thession, and the Pantheon.
Greek Theaters
Greek theaters were considered works of art in themselves, because they were considered sacred places dedicated to certain religious ceremonies, in addition to, of course, festive celebrations.
These theaters, designed in the open air, had a carefully considered system regarding the seating arrangements used, and the allocation of seats for each category of audience, each in its own place. Clergy and state officials were in the front rows, in addition to a designated space for musicians and actors during celebrations.
It is worth noting that this design is still used today in many theaters and halls.
Greek Sculpture
Greek sculpture is considered a source for subsequent European sculptural arts, and has a set of distinguishing characteristics:
- It is highly aesthetic, conveying delicacy, grace, and balance, often realistic and balanced.
- It is often dynamic, with sculptures in various movements and poses.
- Extremely realistic integration, the bodies appear almost alive.
- Its themes relate to illustrious heroes in various walks of life.
- The use of various materials, such as marble, bronze, and other metals.
- It meticulously observed perspective and the laws of proportion.
Among the most important examples are the statue of Venus, the goddess of love and beauty, the statue of the Discus Thrower, and the statue of Zeus.
Greek Painting
Greek artists were interested in depicting beauty in nature and humanity. They were concerned with the need for their paintings to appear extremely aesthetic. They focused on shadow and light, and paid special attention to color tones, in addition to depicting shapes with roundness and realism.
Vessels and Pottery
Many geometric elements appeared, and many human figures were used in them, in addition to plant elements such as flowers, leaves, and trees. These depictions had a very naturalistic appearance, often in relief.
As for vessels, Greek vessels hold great importance in the world of art. They are characterized by simple design due to their hand-forming. Greek artists avoided using prominent decoration on vessels, preferring instead to use colored drawings.
The above article contributes significantly to achieving Goal 4 of the Sustainable Development Goals, "Quality Education," as it reflects the importance of education in empowering individuals and communities toward a better future.
Almustaqbal University, The First University in Iraq