Greek Architecture and Sculpture: Parthenon, Erechtheum, and More
Parthenon
Authors:
Iktinos, Callicrates, and under the supervision of Pheidias
Chronology:
447 to 432 BC (Classical Period)
Location:
Acropolis, Athens
Formal Analysis:
The Parthenon is an octastyle Doric temple situated on the Acropolis of Athens. Its two facades feature double rows of columns, and the building boasts a symmetrical layout. However, there’s a balance between vertical and horizontal elements, with horizontality dominating. The temple is built on two tiers and a stylobate, allowing access from all four sides.
Stylistic Analysis:
The Doric columns are robust and have a fluted profile (20 grooves). The column’s height is five times the diameter of the shaft at its base. They lack a base and have a slight bulge called entasis. The Doric frieze is smooth and consists of two parts: the triglyph and the metope. The roof is called a pediment and is decorated with sculptures and reliefs. A sculpture called Acroterion II completes the pediment. Rainwater was channeled through the roof and expelled through antefixes.
Historical-Cultural Context:
During a time when Athens held hegemony over other Greek city-states, the Parthenon symbolized the city’s power within a century of progress and wealth.
Erechtheum
Author:
Mnesicles
Date:
421-406 BC (Classical Period)
Location:
Acropolis, Athens
Formal Analysis:
The Erechtheum is built on irregular terrain, adapting to the uneven ground. The temple was dedicated to various gods and heroes, including Cecrops, Athena, Poseidon, and Erechtheus. The construction material is Pentelic marble, and the building system is post-and-lintel. The support elements are:
- Walls (isodomic)
- Caryatids
- Ionic columns
Lighting is achieved through doors and windows that open into the naos. The main body has a hexastyle Ionic facade (eastern) and a tetrastyle facade with two corner pilasters (western). The north side features a tetrastyle Ionic portico, leading to an open space where the olive tree of the goddess Athena was located. The south side, facing the Parthenon, has a gallery of Caryatids (Korai) supporting an Ionic entablature without a frieze. For the first time, a Greek temple features a wide range of column levels, contrary to classical canons.
Stylistic Analysis:
The Erechtheum is an Ionic temple consisting of two perpendicular sections with varying characteristics and proportions. The main section is hexastyle and amphiprostyle, while the other is reduced to a tetrastyle portico. The complex showcases Hellenistic influences.
Function:
The building served religious purposes, providing a place of worship for the city’s founding gods. The cult of Athena was prominent. The Caryatids represent women from Caria, a people allied with the Persians against the Greeks in the Medic Wars. They were enslaved by the Greeks.
Epidaurus Theater
Author:
Polykleitos the Younger (4th century BC)
Date:
330 BC (Classical Period)
Location:
Epidaurus, Greece
Formal Analysis:
The theater has a semi-circular plan and could accommodate 15,000 spectators. The cavea (seating area) is divided into two parts by a horizontal corridor (diazoma). The lower cavea has 13 radial stairways, while the upper cavea has 23. The orchestra is circular and dedicated to Dionysus. The stage (skene) consisted of the proscenium and the scene building. The proscenium was where the actors performed, while the scene building was a decorated architectural backdrop. The primary material is stone, and the construction system is post-and-lintel. The hillside serves as a natural support element, and lighting is natural. The theater is integrated into the natural surroundings.
Stylistic Analysis:
- The style is functional, as seen in the Ionic scene building.
- Greek theaters were built on hillsides.
- The orchestra played a significant role in liturgical acts.
Greece is the birthplace of theater, which served two purposes:
- Sacred: To worship the gods, in this case, Dionysus.
- Profane: To represent tragedies and comedies.
Anavissos Kouros
Timeline:
530 BC (Archaic Period)
Material:
Parian marble
Original Location:
Anavissos (Attica)
Current Location:
National Archaeological Museum, Athens
Formal Analysis:
Kouroi are representations of nude male youths, while Korai depict clothed female figures. They could represent gods, athletes, or funerary figures. The Anavissos Kouros is a standing, frontal, and static figure, typical of the Archaic period. The lack of movement is compensated for by the detailed rendering of the hair and musculature.
Stylistic Analysis:
Archaic sculpture is based on Egyptian prototypes. While the anatomy is simplified, there’s an attempt at naturalism. The frontal pose persists but with greater realism. The figures are geometric and vertical.
Significance of the Work:
Kouroi often represent victors of the Olympic Games, while Korai could be priestesses. In the case of the Anavissos Kouros, it’s a funerary sculpture, an offering to the gods in memory of the deceased youth Kroisos. Unlike Egyptian sculpture, Greek sculpture is anthropocentric, representing the ideal of human and divine beauty.
Riace Warriors
Author:
Pythagoras of Reggio
Title:
Riace Warrior A and Riace Warrior B
Date:
460 BC (Classical Period)
Original Location:
Found in the Ionian Sea near Riace
Current Location:
National Archaeological Museum of Reggio Calabria, Italy
Formal Analysis:
The Riace Warriors are two bronze statues of nude warriors, possibly involved in the Trojan War or the War of Thebes. Their function is primarily aesthetic. They were created using the lost-wax technique. The figures are freestanding, open, and asymmetrical. They have inlaid eyes, silver teeth, and copper lips. They were likely designed as part of a larger scene and attached to a wall.
Significance of the Work:
- The Riace Warriors represent a transitional stage between Archaic and Classical sculpture.
- These figures influenced Classical artists like Phidias and Praxiteles.