Overview
This lecture covered the development of art and architecture in Athens from the Archaic through Hellenistic periods, with a focus on major civic and religious sites, significant historical events, and innovations in sculpture.
The Civic and Religious Centers of Archaic Athens
- The Agora was Athens’ central marketplace, political, and civic hub, marked by boundary stones around 500 BC.
- The altar of the 12 gods, dedicated in 522 BC, marked the city center and served as a place of asylum.
- The old Bouleuterion (assembly house) housed the Boule, a council of 500 men who set the agenda for the democratic assembly.
The Classical Period and Pericles' Building Program
- Athens led the Delian League, using its treasury to fund large-scale building projects.
- Pericles, a central political figure, oversaw the construction of major monuments: Parthenon, Propylaia, Erechtheion, and Hephaisteion.
- The Acropolis, Athens’ high citadel, became the focal point for monumental temple construction.
Parthenon: Architecture and Sculpture
- The Parthenon, dedicated to Athena Parthenos (the virgin warrior goddess), is the epitome of the Doric temple with internal Ionic columns.
- Doric refinements include upward-curved stylobate, inward-tilting columns, outward-tilting entablature, corner contraction, and entasis (bulging columns).
- The sculptural program, overseen by Phidias, included pediments (birth of Athena, contest with Poseidon), metopes (mythological battles), a continuous Ionic frieze (Panathenaic procession), and a colossal chryselephantine statue of Athena.
Erechtheion and Other Athenian Monuments
- The Erechtheion honored Athena Polias (city protector) and housed multiple cults; features included Caryatid porch and complex asymmetrical plan.
- The Hephaisteion, temple to Hephaestus, was built in the Agora among metalworkers.
- The Agora expanded with new stoas and civic buildings in later periods.
Hellenistic Athens
- After defeat by Sparta (404 BC), Athens declined in power but remained a cultural and educational center.
- Hellenistic rulers, like Attalus II, dedicated stoas and monuments, notably the Stoa of Attalus.
Freestanding Sculpture: Evolution and Innovations
- High Classical sculptor Polykleitos developed the canon of proportions and introduced contrapposto (natural weight shift pose).
- Late Classical period emphasized more human, approachable gods; Praxiteles was known for the first nude Aphrodite and tender representations.
- Lysippos introduced more slender proportions and dynamic figures; statues required viewing from multiple angles.
- Hellenistic sculpture, like the Nike of Samothrace, emphasized emotion, movement, and theatricality.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Agora — Central public marketplace and civic center of Athens.
- Bouleuterion — Assembly building for the Boule (council of 500).
- Acropolis — Fortified hilltop; site of major temples in Athens.
- Pericles — Influential Athenian statesman and building program patron.
- Parthenon — Doric temple dedicated to Athena Parthenos.
- Erechtheion — Multicultic Ionic temple on the Acropolis.
- Phidias — Master sculptor of the Parthenon's sculptures.
- Panathenaic Procession — Religious festival and parade honoring Athena.
- Chryselephantine — Statue made of gold and ivory on a wooden core.
- Freestanding Sculpture — Sculpture carved in the round, viewable from all sides.
- Polykleitos — High Classical sculptor, creator of the canon and contrapposto.
- Contrapposto — Sculptural stance with weight shifted onto one leg.
- Praxiteles — Late Classical sculptor, known for sensual and humanized deities.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review assigned readings on the Parthenon and Acropolis monuments.
- Prepare for in-person visits to Athens sites during the Greece trip.
- Study key terms and be able to identify architectural refinements and sculptural innovations.