WRITE A SHORT CRITIQUE ON CLASSICAL GREEK ART WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO EITHER GREEK POTTERY OR GREEK SCULPTURE. .
Behind the art of the golden age, lay a long period of experimentation. Art historians trace Greek art far back from the 7th to the 1st century, noting that an early date foreign models, especially Cretan, Asian & Egyptian, exercised a strong influence. They have their roots in Aegean civilization, but their unique qualities have made them among the strongest influences on subsequent Western art and architecture. (Britannica Encyclopedia) Working on a monumental scale, they brought to perfection. By the beginning of the 7th century, Greek artists began to create works distinctively Greek. Within two centuries, architects had established a basic style centering on simple rectangular buildings surrounded by columns. Sculptors had focused their attention on portrayal of human form, seeking to endow the natural forms of the human body with a quality of idealism. They had a growing desire to beautify cities & of elaboration of religious worship. Greek art became predominantly public art, dedicated to the life of the city & to the gods who protected the city. Athens was the home of great artists during the 5th & 4th centuries: her monuments offer the best examples of Greek art. The crowning glory of Athens was the Aeropolis, the temple built to please goddess Athena. .
Greek art is characterized by the representation of living beings. It is concerned both with formal proportion and with the dynamics of action and emotion. Its primary subject matter is the human figure, which may represent either gods or mortals; monsters, animals, and plants are secondary. The chief themes of Greek art are taken from myth, literature, and daily life. (Societies & culture in World history).
The Ancient Greeks are known for four main art forms; their architectural forms mainly temples; sculptures; pottery & paintings.