Art Hellenistic period

head of old woman, example of realism.




sculpture of cupid , psyche, example of sensualism of hellenistic art. 2nd century ad roman copy of 2nd-century bc greek original.

the term hellenistic modern invention; hellenistic world not included huge area covering whole of aegean, rather classical greece focused on poleis of athens , sparta, huge time range. in artistic terms means there huge variety put under heading of hellenistic art convenience.

hellenistic art saw turn idealistic, perfected, calm , composed figures of classical greek art style dominated realism , depiction of emotion (pathos) , character (ethos). motif of deceptively realistic naturalism in art (aletheia) reflected in stories such of painter zeuxis, said have painted grapes seemed real birds came , pecked @ them. female nude became more popular epitomized aphrodite of cnidos of praxiteles , art in general became more erotic (e.g., leda , swan , scopa s pothos). dominant ideals of hellenistic art of sensuality , passion.

people of ages , social statuses depicted in art of hellenistic age. artists such peiraikos chose mundane , lower class subjects paintings. according pliny, painted barbers shops, cobblers stalls, asses, eatables , similar subjects, earning himself name of rhyparographos [painter of dirt/low things]. in these subjects give consummate pleasure, selling them more other artists received large pictures (natural history, book xxxv.112). barbarians, such galatians, depicted in heroic form, prefiguring artistic theme of noble savage. image of alexander great important artistic theme, , of diadochi had depicted imitating alexander s youthful look. number of best-known works of greek sculpture belong hellenistic period, including laocoön , sons, venus de milo, , winged victory of samothrace.

developments in painting included experiments in chiaroscuro zeuxis , development of landscape painting , still life painting. greek temples built during hellenistic period larger classical ones, such temple of artemis @ ephesus, temple of artemis @ sardis, , temple of apollo @ didyma (rebuilt seleucus in 300 bc). royal palace (basileion) came own during hellenistic period, first extant example being massive 4th-century villa of cassander @ vergina.

this period saw first written works of art history in histories of duris of samos , xenokrates of athens, sculptor , historian of sculpture , painting.

there has been trend in writing history of period depict hellenistic art decadent style, following golden age of classical athens. pliny elder, after having described sculpture of classical period, says: cessavit deinde ars ( art disappeared ). 18th century terms baroque , rococo have been applied art of complex , individual period. renewal of historiographical approach recent discoveries, such tombs of vergina, allow better appreciation of period s artistic richness.