GREECE & ETRURIA

By t145139
  • Period: 900 BCE to 700 BCE

    Geometric Period

    Geometric patterns, Stylized human figures made of simple shapes, Narrative scenes on pottery, Funerary vessels common, Cultural / Historical Context, Period after the Greek Dark Age, Pottery used in burial rituals
  • Geometric Period, Unknown Artist, Dipylon Amphora, 750 BCE, Terracotta, approx. 61 in., National Archaeological Museum, Athens
    750 BCE

    Geometric Period, Unknown Artist, Dipylon Amphora, 750 BCE, Terracotta, approx. 61 in., National Archaeological Museum, Athens

    This was used as a grave marker and depicts mourning figures around the deceased. Its highly stylized geometric figures and patterns show the decorative focus of the Geometric Period. The vessel also shows the beginning of narrative storytelling in Greek art.
  • Period: 700 BCE to 300 BCE

    Etruscan Art

    Terracotta sculpture and sarcophagi, Skilled bronze casting and metalwork, Lively, expressive figures, Funerary art, Strong influence from Greek and Near Eastern art
  • Period: 700 BCE to 600 BCE

    Orientalizing Period

    Influence from Near Eastern cultures, Exotic animals
    , Floral patterns and curving lines, Increased naturalism
  • Orientalizing Period, Unknown Artist, Regolini-Galassi Fibula,. 650 BCE, Gold jewelry, Gregorian Etruscan Museum, Vatican City
    650 BCE

    Orientalizing Period, Unknown Artist, Regolini-Galassi Fibula,. 650 BCE, Gold jewelry, Gregorian Etruscan Museum, Vatican City

    This gold brooch represents the wealth and craftsmanship of Etruscan metalworkers. Its detailed technique reflects Near Eastern influences. The piece shows the importance of luxury goods in Etruscan elite culture
  • Orientalizing Period, Unknown Artist, Corinthian Olpe (Chigi Vase), 650 BCE, Terracotta, 10.4 in., Villa Giulia National Etruscan Museum, Rome
    650 BCE

    Orientalizing Period, Unknown Artist, Corinthian Olpe (Chigi Vase), 650 BCE, Terracotta, 10.4 in., Villa Giulia National Etruscan Museum, Rome

    It depicts mythological and military scenes painted in friezes. It also shows the adoption of Near Eastern motifs and more complex storytelling. The work reflects increased trade and cultural exchange during this period.
  • Period: 600 BCE to 480 BCE

    Archaic Period

    Includes Rigid standing figures, “Archaic smile”, Egyptian influence in pose, Development of monumental sculpture
  • Archaic Period, Unknown Artist, Anavysos Kouros, 530 BCE, Marble, approx. 6 ft 4 in., National Archaeological Museum, Athens
    530 BCE

    Archaic Period, Unknown Artist, Anavysos Kouros, 530 BCE, Marble, approx. 6 ft 4 in., National Archaeological Museum, Athens

    Represents an young male used as a grave marker. Its symmetrical stance and archaic smile show early Greek attempts to depict the human body. Compared to earlier, it shows increasing naturalism and anatomical detail.
  • Archaic Period, Unknown Artist, Sarcophagus of the Spouses, 520 BCE, Terracotta, approx. 3 ft 9 in., National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia, Rome
    520 BCE

    Archaic Period, Unknown Artist, Sarcophagus of the Spouses, 520 BCE, Terracotta, approx. 3 ft 9 in., National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia, Rome

    This depicts a married couple reclining together at a banquet. The sculpture reflects Etruscan beliefs about the afterlife and the social role of women. Its lively expressions and gestures differ from the more rigid Greek Archaic style
  • Classical Period, Unknown Artist, Capitoline Wolf, 5th century BCE (traditional date), Bronze, Capitoline Museums, Rome
    500 BCE

    Classical Period, Unknown Artist, Capitoline Wolf, 5th century BCE (traditional date), Bronze, Capitoline Museums, Rome

    The bronze wolf symbolizes the founding of Rome by Romulus and Remus. The sculpture reflects Etruscan skill in bronze casting. It became one of the most famous symbols of Roman identity and mythology
  • Period: 480 BCE to 450 BCE

    Early Classical Period

    Includes, Greater realism, Introduction of contrapposto
    Calm, rational expressions, Greek victory in the Persian Wars, Rise of Athens as a powerful cultural center
  • Early Classical Period, Unknown Artist, Riace Warriors, 460–450 BCE, Bronze, life-size, National Archaeological Museum of Reggio Calabria
    460 BCE

    Early Classical Period, Unknown Artist, Riace Warriors, 460–450 BCE, Bronze, life-size, National Archaeological Museum of Reggio Calabria

    These bronze statues show warriors in contrapposto, showing a new naturalistic approach to the human body. The sculptures also represent advancements in bronze casting and realism. They represent the early shift toward idealized yet lifelike human forms.
  • High Classical Period, Polykleitos, Doryphoros (Spear Bearer), 450–440 BCE, Roman marble copy of Greek bronze, approx. 6 ft 11 in., National Archaeological Museum, Naples
    460 BCE

    High Classical Period, Polykleitos, Doryphoros (Spear Bearer), 450–440 BCE, Roman marble copy of Greek bronze, approx. 6 ft 11 in., National Archaeological Museum, Naples

    Polykleitos created this sculpture to show his theory of perfect proportions known as the Canon. The statue represents ideal balance through contrapposto and harmonious ratios. It became a model for Classical sculpture for centuries
  • Period: 450 BCE to 400 BCE

    High Classical Period

    Includes Idealized proportions, Balance, Mathematical approaches to beauty
  • Period: 400 BCE to 323 BCE

    Late Classical Period

    Includes More emotional expression, Graceful poses, and an increased interest in individual experience
  • Late Classical Period, Praxiteles, Aphrodite of Knidos, 350 BCE, Marble (Roman copy), life-size, Vatican Museums
    350 BCE

    Late Classical Period, Praxiteles, Aphrodite of Knidos, 350 BCE, Marble (Roman copy), life-size, Vatican Museums

    This sculpture is the first monumental female nude in Greek art. Praxiteles introduced a more naturalistic depiction of Aphrodite. This work reflects the Late Classical interest in human emotion and beauty
  • Period: 323 BCE to 31 BCE

    Hellenistic Period

    Includes Dramatic movement, Intense emotion, Realism including age and suffering
  • Hellenistic Period, Unknown Artists, Laocoon and His Sons, c. 2nd century BCE, Marble, life-size, Vatican Museums
    200 BCE

    Hellenistic Period, Unknown Artists, Laocoon and His Sons, c. 2nd century BCE, Marble, life-size, Vatican Museums

    This sculpture depicts the Trojan priest Laocoon and his sons attacked by sea serpents. The twisting bodies and dramatic expressions show the intense suffering and movement. This work represents the emotional intensity and realism characteristic of Hellenistic art