Archaic And Classical Greek Art

Product Description

This fascinating new account of what happened in Greece from c.800 to 323 bc shows how sculptors & painters responded to the challenges they faced in the extremely formidable & ambitious world of the Greek city-state. The numerous symbols & images employed by their eastern Mediterranean neighbours on the one hand & the explorations of what it was to be human embodied in the narratives with which Greek poets worked on the other helped produce the rich diversity of forms apparent in Greek art. The drawings & sculptures of this period referred so intimately to the human form as to lead both ancient & modern theorists to talk in terms of the mimetic role of art. The importance of what occurred still affects the way we see today. Ranging widely over the fields of sculpture vase painting & the minor arts this book provides a clear introduction to the art of archaic & classical Greece. By looking closely at the context in which & for which sculptures & paintings were produced Robin Osborne demonstrates how artistic developments were both a product of & contributed to the intensely competitive life of the Greek city. brilliantly illustrates the purpose of this new series by focusing on the social & political context of Greek art.. .a different approach suggesting new perspectives & original connections.. .eye-opening & thought-provoking Professor Francois Lissarrague Ecoles des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales Paris brings all that is best in the new Classical art history to this exciting interpretation.. . No reader of Osbornes stimulating & engaging book will come away with their vision of Greek art unchanged Jeremy Tanner Institute of Archaeology University of London