Greek Art #10

The Greeks are still to this day admired for their remarkable skill and creativity in architecture, sculpture and paintings. The Greeks have continued to inspire many things that still exist today. During the Hellenistic period is where some of my favorite art in the Greek world was created. Hellenistic art was the last phase of Greek art, which refers to the time after Alexandra the Great, and how Greek culture spread to new areas. This period of art was most known for its Greek sculptures such as Laocoon, Aphrodite of Melrose or Venus de Milo, and Athena battling Alkyoneos.   

            In this period I have noticed a repeating quality in most pieces of art composed during the Hellenistic period. It is the way they show great drama, violence and emotion in their art. Just by looking at the work you can see it tells a story, most often relating to Greek mythology and the gods and goddesses themselves. The stories of Greek mythology have always captured my interest an imagination in a way the stories sometimes make me wish these myths had occurred in reality, considering the vivid detail each story contains.

            One of my favorite pieces is the sculpture of Athena battling Alkyoneos, which dates back to 2^nd Century BCE. It is a good example of Hellenistic art that was inspired by Greek mythology. This work of art depicts a scene from the battle of Zeus along with the gods fighting against the giants for control of the world. This battle was apparently a popular subject in Greek art, but this piece was the most detailed that exists. It shows Athena pulling the hair of a giant to the left while to the right Nike (the goddess of Victory) tries to crown Athena. This piece was made of marble using a technique that was popular amongst the Greeks called relief sculpting. Early on when the Greeks started to become interested in sculpture they actually picked up this technique form the Egyptians. It is done by chipping away at the stone and creating a raised effect that makes the subject look like its half way coming off the surface. These deep carvings create dark shadows, which add to the lifelike effect. This piece is only one of the many intricate works of art created by the Greeks during the Hellenistic period. The Greeks were truly skilled at their craft and I consider them to be the most impressive artists that existed.

The Three Goddesses, Greek sculpture made in marble, 438-432 B.C.E.

Athena battling Alkyoneos, Greek sculpture made in marble, 2^nd Centre B.C.E. 

Aphrodite of Melrose, Greek sculpture made in marble, 150 B.C.E.

Matisse and Picasso #9

At first people are always unsure how to react to something new even so in the art world. When a new style of art arises it can be hard for people to appreciate it when they are used to a certain norm of art. The two most revolutionary art movements that people had a hard time understanding and adjusting to at first were Fauvism and Cubism. These movements were formed by two very famous artists, Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso.

            Henri Matisse became aware to his love for art in a very different way than most artists. When he was 21 he had an appendicitis attack, which is when he got his first set of paints from his mother. He then realized he was meant to paint and went on to formulate a new art style called Fauvism. Fauvism came about during the expressionistic period of art from the 1900-1910. Fauvism is a style of art that used a variety of random and very vibrant colors that expressed the artist’s feelings toward nature and the world in an unfamiliar way. Matisse’s paintings are exceptionally vibrant and give a feel of happiness. His favorite thing to paint was the female figure and a home setting, which he liked to create a relaxed happy feel to the viewer.

            Pablo Picasso was a very talented artist who had the ability to do well in any style of painting. He started painting realistic and experimented with many other styles but did not stick to one until him and Braque came across the idea of cubism. Cubism was a new style that involves the use of geometric shapes, a collage, lines, and interesting compositions. This new art style was extremely unconventional and different from any art movement. I have heard some people say that they don’t understand why Picasso’s paintings are so famous considering he doesn’t seem to know how to paint realistically or it requires no visible skill. Even though I am not a huge fan of Pablo Picasso’s paintings, I definitely see why his work is so famous in a way that he was innovative and had the ability to convey things in a different view, he even inspired different movements after him such as abstract art. I have seen a few of his works in person and it always makes me wonder how people make their mind go in such an abstract direction, those are the kinds of artists I see as creative.

            Many people don’t understand that being realistic isn’t what makes a good artist it’s the amount of imagination an artist has and the ability to convert that thought onto a flat surface and bring it to life. Both Matisse and Picasso were inventive and created a new way to make art that broke away from their traditional trained skill. Apparently the two artists were aware of one another’s work and challenged each other in a way that made them seem as friendly rivals. Their styles aren’t meant to be explained and analyzed but rather to be respected.

The Dream, by Pablo Picasso, 1932

Boy with a Pipe, by Pablo Picasso, 1905

Portrait of Olga in the Armchair, by Pablo Picasso, 1917

Girl Before a Mirror, by Pablo Picasso, 1932

Red Fish, by Henri Matisse, 1911

The Joy of life, by Henri Matisse, 1905-1906, oil painting.

The Black Table, by Henri Matisse, 1919