Aegean Culture and Minoan Civilization

Greek Art from the Bronze Age to the Classical Period

• Greek geography prevented the creation of a large, united empire. Instead, numerous small city-states were formed.
• Seas connected Greeks to the outside world, leading to skilled seafaring and trade across the Mediterranean.
• The Minoans established a brilliant early civilization on Crete.
• Minoan culture influenced the development of early Greek civilization and art.
• Minoan art focused on daily life, beauty, and entertainment, unlike Egyptian and Mesopotamian art which emphasized death and warfare.
• Minoans practiced bull-leaping.
• Minoans worshipped a snake goddess and animals (such as bull, dove, and snake)
• Minoan palaces, decorated with murals, exist.

The Prehistoric Aegean: The Minoans

• Aegean culture, not starting with the Greeks, emerged first with the Minoans during the 3rd millennium BCE.
• Minoans lived on Crete.
• Trade with Egyptians and Mesopotamians existed.
• Minoans lived in relative isolation and developed unique culture.
• Minoan art differs from that of Egyptians and Mesopotamians, focusing on life, beauty, and entertainment.
• Minoans were a peaceful people.
• Their palaces were characterized by intricate layout and lavish murals.

Palace of Knossos

• The Palace of Knossos was a significant Minoan palace on Crete.
• It was the legendary home of King Minos.
• The palace included a large central court, encircled by residential and administrative units.
• The palace's layout resembled a maze, potentially influencing the myth of the Cretan labyrinth and Minotaur.

Stairwell in the Residential Quarter

• The Knossos Palace was characterized by its complex layout, both in elevation and ground plan.
• The palace consisted of at least three stories on all sides of the court.
• Minoan columns tapered from top to bottom. This is opposite of Egyptian and Greek columns.

Plan of the Knossos Palace

• The palace's plan resembled a maze.
• This maze-like design contributed to the Greek myth of the Cretan labyrinth.
• The labyrinth was described as being inhabited by the Minotaur.
• The Minotaur was a half-bull, half-human monster.
• Theseus, a king of Athens, was portrayed as defeating the Minotaur.

Bull-Leaping Fresco

• Bull-leaping was a significant sporting activity depicted in murals.
• Minoan artworks show people leaping over charging bulls.

Mural Paintings

• Murals (paintings on walls) adorned the Knossos palaces.
• Murals and columns produced a rich and outstanding effect.
• Mural subjects typically relate to daily life, nature (birds, animals, flowers, and marine life)
• The subject of Knossos frescoes are often ceremonial scenes
• The people in Minoan paintings had different shades, with women generally depicted with light skin and men with dark skin.
• Minoan artists focused on the power of the bulls.

Greek Sculpture: Stark Symmetry to Delicate Balance

• Greek sculptors adopted features of Egyptian and Minoan styles.
• Their art is highly idealized but natural.
• The shift from rigid kouros statues to naturalistic Kritios boy occurred with political change.
• Kouros sculptures are stiff, symmetrical, and with a simple standing pose like the ancient Egyptians.

Archaic Period

• During the Archaic period (7th-6th century BCE), Greek sculptures resembled Egyptian statues.
• Artists spent time or studied Egyptian imports closely.
• Kouros statues, depicting young men, used an Egyptian standing pose.
• Kouros sculptures were symmetrical and rigid.
• Kouros sculptures were not clad and unadorned.

Classical Period: The Kritios Boy

• The Kritios Boy sculpture (Acropolis) displayed a more natural human pose compared to earlier sculpture.
• The figure moved away from a stiff pose and showed a weight shift from one leg to the other (contraposto), implying motion.
• The head turned slightly.
• The youth no longer smiled.

High Classical Style

• Myron's Diskobolos (Discus Thrower) is a marble copy of a bronze statue.
• Myron portrayed the discus thrower in a moment of action.
• The statue shows the body in a tense, dynamic pose.
• The sculpture represents a significant representation of a moment of action and energy.

Greek Architecture

• Early Greek temples were made of wood and mud bricks.
• Later temples used more durable materials like limestone and marble.
• Temple elevations included a platform, colonnade (rows of columns), and superstructure (entablature).
• Greek architecture introduced three architectural orders: Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian.
• Each architectural order has fixed numerical relationships.

The Parthenon

• The Parthenon, a Doric temple, was built under Pericles.
• It was designed by Iktinos and Kallikrates.
• Although quite large (8 columns wide, 17 long), it looks graceful.
• Columns are tapered (thinner at the top) and lean inward, adding to the visual appeal.

Greek Vase Painting

• Greek vase painting evolved from Geometric style to highly realistic Early Classical style (early 5th century BCE).
• Geometric style used geometric patterns.
• Black-figure technique, which appeared in the 6th century BCE, was used to add stories to pottery.
• Red-figure technique, which appeared in the 6th century BCE, was also used to tell stories through pottery.