Hellenistic Art

Powerpoint slide presentation

1. Hellenistic Art: The Altar of Zeus at Pergamon

2. The Hellenistic World After Alexander’s death, his empire was divided into kingdoms by his generals

3. This period is called “Hellenistic” because of the Greek (or “Hellenic”) influence that Alexander’s conquest set in motion

4. The Hellenistic World Hellenistic kings built magnificent cities at Antioch, Alexandria, and Pergamon

5. The Hellenistic World We will focus on Pergamon , which is located in modern Turkey – a region that had once been part of the Persian empire

6. The site is in ruins today, but when it was built it was conceived to be a “new Athens,” indicating that Hellenistic kings continued Alexander’s legacy of importing Greek culture into conquered territories

7. The acropolis at Pergamon included an altar that was dedicated to Zeus

8. The altar was erected to commemorate the king’s victory over a neighboring barbarian tribe

9. It is now located in a specially built museum in Berlin Altar of Zeus, Pergamon , c . 175 BCE Staatliche Museen , Berlin

10. Altar of Zeus, Pergamon , c . 175 BCE Staatliche Museen , Berlin The altar represents a fusion of Greek and Near Eastern elements

11. The grand staircase leading to the altar recalls the monumental ramps that led to the top of the Mesopotamian Ziggurat

12. But t he ionic columns are clearly Greek in influence

13. The reliefs that decorate the base of the altar on either side of the stairway recall the reliefs along the stairway to the Apadana at Persepolis. Altar of Zeus, Pergamon , c . 175 BCE Staatliche Museen , Berlin

14. The base of the altar is decorated with a frieze depicting a “gigantomachy” — a battle between the gods and giants, a race of creatures known for their great strength

15. The gigantomachy theme had been a feature of the Parthenon where, like the story of the Lapiths and Centaurs, it symbolized the theme of good triumphing over evil, and served as a political allegory of the Greek victory over the Persians

16. So the King of Pergamon was borrowing the Greek strategy, for the relief decorations were intended to celebrate his recent victory over a neighboring barbarian tribe

17. The figures are carved in very high relief, so that they are almost free-standing statues

18. As we round the corner, the figures seem to “spill out” onto the stairs, so that it feels like the battle is bursting into our space

19. The giants are burly and brutish figures, some of them having legs that morph into coiling serpents

20. The drama is explosive and action-packed, animated by flailing limbs, billowing drapery, strained muscles, and agonized facial expressions

21. In this scene, we see Zeus taking on a group of giants – his torso is rippled by powerful muscles, as his wind-swept drapery creates the impression of unimpeded forward motion

22. To the right, we see Athena battling with another group of gods

23. Athena can be identified by the Medusa head on her chest

24. She carries a shield, and strides boldly forward, as her drapery clings to her body, creating a powerful sense of surging motion

25. With her right hand, she clutches the head of a giant by his hair, while a serpent encircles his body and bites at his chest

26. We can see the agony on his face, as his eyes roll back into his head – even his hairr seems to be writhing in pain

27. To the right, the primordial goddess Gaia (mother of the giants) seems to raise her arms in surrender

28. And above her, a winged Nike is already crowning Athena is the victor

29. What makes this work Hellenistic?

30. There is certainly Greek influence the idealized muscular bodies, and the extraordinary naturalism of the drapery (clearly, we see the influence of Phidias’ wet drapery style here)

31. But what is new, and distinctly Hellenistic, is the drama, violence, and emotion of the scene

32. Greek Classical art is renowned for its serenity and grace – in battle scenes such as this, it seems more like a graceful ballet than a real battle

33. And remember the Lapith women at the Temple of Zeus at Olympia? They showed no sign of emotion, in spite of the violence of the theme

34. But in the Hellenistic period, artists began to explore the full range of human emotion, in action-packed scenes of violence and drama

35. Thanks for listening!

36. Hellenistic Art: The Dying Gaul

37. This was another monument that was set up by the king of Pergamon to commemorate his victory over the Gauls , a neighboring barbarian tribe

38. The original monument was made of bronze, and is now only known through Roman copies

39. Unlike the Altar of Zeus, this monument dispensed with mythological allusions and focused instead on a realistic (and sympathetic) portrayal of the “barbarian” foe

40. Ludovisi Gaul and his wife. Marble, Roman copy after an Hellenistic original from a monument built by Attalus I of Pergamon after his victory over Gauls , ca. 220 BC. Wikimedia The centerpiece was a group representing a Gaul warrior committing suicide after slaying his wife to avoid the shame of slavery and defeat

41. At the four corners of the monument were dying Gaul soldiers, portrayed with remarkable realism and emotion — one of the distinguishing characteristics of Hellenistic art

42. Dying Gaul, Roman copy of a bronze original from Pergamon , c . 230-220 BCE The Gaul is portrayed seated on the ground, with his trumpet and sword beside him, as he draws his last breath

43. Dying Gaul, Roman copy of a bronze original from Pergamon , c . 230-220 BCE The fatal wound can be seen just above his right rib cage, with carved drops of blood dripping from it

44. Dying Gaul, Roman copy of a bronze original from Pergamon , c . 230-220 BCE Although his physique is highly idealized, there are remarkably realistic elements in the way the sculptor has endowed the figure with recognizably “ethnic” attributes

45. He has bushy hair and wears a mustache, and the choker around his neck would have made him easily recognizable as a Gaul warrior

46. There is also remarkable realism in the facial expression

47. His forehead is furrowed, and his mouth is grimacing, making us sympathize with his pain

48. The Greeks had a word for this: p athos refers to a quality that evokes pity or sadness

49. Hellenistic realism invites us to relate to the figure on deeply emotional level, enabling us to empathize with his suffering

50. Which raises an interesting question: why would the king want us to take pity on his enemies?

51. In fact, this monument seems unusual as a victory monument since it does not even portray the victor; instead, it features only his defeated enemies, who are nonetheless depicted as worthy adversaries

52. Noble Foe The strategy actually recalls the dead and dying lions that decorated Assyrian palaces, which only served to amplify the king’s power, since only a great man could conquer such a powerful beast

53. Dying Gaul, Roman copy of a bronze original from Pergamon , c . 230-220 BCE The sympathetic treatment of the dying Gaul warrior serves a similar purpose

54. Dying Gaul, Roman copy of a bronze original from Pergamon , c . 230-220 BCE It is an indirect tribute to the king’s great accomplishment, since only a powerful king could defeat such a worthy adversary!

55. Thanks for listening!

56. Hellenistic Art: The Seated Boxer and Other Social Types

57. Let’s start by reviewing some of the differences between Greek Classical and Hellenistic art

58. While Greek art is characterized by ideal beauty, serenity, and calm, Hellenistic art if full of action, drama, violence and emotion

59. Dying Gaul, Roman copy of a bronze original from Pergamon , c . 230-220 BCE And while Greek Classical statues typically portrayed ideal heroes who were distant and aloof, Hellenistic sculptors explored more realistic characters that invite pity and emotion

60. In fact, Greek Classical sculpture portrayed a very limited range of humanity: their statues depicted athletes, warriors and gods – the super-heroes of society, rather than ordinary people

61. Marble statue of an old fisherman, Roman copy of a Greek statue of the 3 rd c . CE 1 st or 2 nd c . CE Metropolitan Museum Marble statue of an old woman, copy of a Greek work of the 2 nd c . BCE Metropolitan Museum But during the Hellenistic period, sculptors began to explore a wide range of social types – ordinary people, who were neither beautiful nor heroic

62. Marble statue of an old fisherman, Roman copy of a Greek statue of the 3 rd c . CE 1 st or 2 nd c . CE Metropolitan Museum Marble statue of an old woman, copy of a Greek work of the 2 nd c . BCE Metropolitan Museum There are images of elderly people, such as the old fisherman and market woman seen here

63. Young Slave, Late 2nd, early 3rd century CE Louvre Bronze statuette of an Ethiopian, 3 rd -2 nd c . BCE Met Museum And ethnic types, such as Africans make their appearance – likely a response to the multi-cultural atmosphere of Hellenistic cities which were much like our modern cities in their ethnic diversity

64. Seated Boxer, Bronze , c . 100-50 BCE National Museum, Rome This statue represents a seated boxer – a male athlete that had been a popular theme in the Classical era

65. However, unlike the Olympic champions of the Classical age, he is far from being the “perfect” male

66. Seated Boxer, Bronze , c . 100-50 BCE National Museum, Rome Seated on a rock, he seems exhausted from the years he has spent competing in this brutal sport

67. He wears leather knuckle straps on his hands, and while his body still seems fit, it seems weighed down by exhaustion

68. His face is scarred and badly misshapen (his nose has clearly been broken multiple times), and his expression is one of weary resignation

69. And so we have a dramatic contrast between Hellenistic realism and Greek idealism

70. While Greek Classical statues invited us to admire the physical prowess of ideal warriors and athletes who were almost godlike in their perfection, Hellenistic statues explored more real-life individuals, and invite us to empathize with their humanity

71. Marble statue of an old woman, copy of a Greek work of the 2 nd c . BCE Metropolitan Museum This statue is another example of Hellenistic realism. It represents an elderly woman on her way to market

72. Marble statue of an old woman, copy of a Greek work of the 2 nd c . BCE Metropolitan Museum Her face is wrinkled with age, and her expression seems haggard.  Her clothes appear disheveled, and her frame seems small and emaciated.

73. Marble statue of an old woman, copy of a Greek work of the 2 nd c . BCE Metropolitan Museum As she stoops to carry her heavy burden, her robe falls immodestly off her shoulder to reveal her breast – a detail that makes her seem all the more pathetic

74. Marble statue of an old woman, copy of a Greek work of the 2 nd c . BCE Metropolitan Museum This emphasis on pathos  – an appeal to the viewer’s emotion – along with its realism, was a characteristic of Hellenistic art

75. Bronze Statue of Eros Sleeping, 3 rd century BCE Metropolitan Museum In addition to old age, Hellenistic sculptors also mastered the representation of young children

76. Marble Grave Stele with a family group, c . 360 BCE Metropolitan Museum of Art In Greek Classical art, children were often represented as mini-adults

77. Bronze Statue of Eros Sleeping, 3 rd century BCE Metropolitan Museum But Hellenistic artists understood that children have very different proportions than adults, as seen in this delightful statue of the god Eros as a pudgy little toddler, sleeping on a rock

78. Marble statue of an old woman, copy of a Greek work of the 2 nd c . BCE Metropolitan Museum Most Hellenistic statues of common people (fishermen, boxers, exotic dancers, and old women) were not portraits — instead, they were generic social types

79. Polykleuktos , Demosthenes, Roman marble copy of a bronze original c . 280 BCE But portraiture did emerge in the Late Classical and Hellenistic periods, where artists endeavored to record the recognizable features of a specific individual

80. Polykleuktos , Demosthenes, Roman marble copy of a bronze original c . 280 BCE Many of these portraits depicted philosophers, and this one is an early example of the type

81. Polykleuktos , Demosthenes, Roman marble copy of a bronze original c . 280 BCE It portrays Demosthenes, who was a frail man who suffered from a speech impediment (so, like most of us, he could hardly meet the standards of 5th century Greek beauty and perfection!)

82. Polykleuktos , Demosthenes, Roman marble copy of a bronze original c . 280 BCE But he was a man of great courage and moral conviction.  He became famous as an orator who rallied the Athenian citizens to defend their democracy against Macedonia; later, when the city was conquered, he took his own life

83. Polykleuktos , Demosthenes, Roman marble copy of a bronze original c . 280 BCE The sculptor portrays him as a stooped and aged man, beset by inner turmoil

84. Polykleuktos , Demosthenes, Roman marble copy of a bronze original c . 280 BCE “The orator clasps his hands nervously in front of him as he looks downward, deep in thought.  His face is lined, his hair is receding, and his expression is one of great sadness.  Whatever physical discomfort Demosthenes felt is here joined by inner pain, his deep sorrow over the tragic demise of democracy at the hands of the Macedonian conquerors.” Fred S. Kleiner , Gardner’s Art Through the Ages (Backpack Edition), p . 139

85. Thanks for listening!

86. Hellenistic Art: The Nike of Samothrace

87. Nike (Winged Victory) of Samothrace c . 190 BCE Louvre One of the most beautiful works from the Hellenistic period is the Nike of Samothrace

88. Commemorated a naval battle Originally placed in a reflecting pool -- a theatrically dramatic environment

89. Phidias’ wet drapery style is taken to a new level in the wind-blown drapery that clings to the goddess’s torso

90. Her great wings stretch out behind her creating the impression that she is weightless -- in spite of the fact that the statue is made from solid stone

91. Hellenistic Art: The Altar of Zeus at Pergamon

92. Laocoön , early 1st century BCE, marble Vatican Museum Laöcoon , based on a character from Vergil’s Aeneid

93. Laöcoon warned his compatriots about a Greek plot to invade them (hidden in the Trojan horse)

94. Laocoön , early 1st century BCE, marble Vatican Museum The gods sent serpents to kill Laöcoon and his sons

95. The artist captures their extreme agony

96. The artist captures their extreme agony

97. The deep carving and expression of extreme pain is similar to the giant at Pergamon

98. Hellenistic Art Wider range of social types: old/young beautiful/ugly Ethnic and social “types Realism Drama, action, and movement