35. Acropolis

   

Acropolis
Athens, Greece. Iktinos and Kallikrates. c. 447-410 B.C.E. Marble 

The most recognizable building on the Acropolis is the Parthenon, one of the most iconic buildings in the world, it has influenced architecture in practically every western country.

General Parthenon Info:

• Iktinos and Kallikrates are credited with the architectural design of the Parthenon
• artists begin to sign their names to their work for the first time in Ancient Greece
• move from artisans to artists
• Parthenon housed the treasury
• civic purpose rather than religious, ritual purpose
• written inventory discovered
• kept record of valuables
• Phidias responsible for Athena Parthenos (tall statue of Athena featured in interior of Parthenon)
• worship happened OUTSIDE greek temples at individual altars or smaller neighboring temples
• visible from far away, visual focal point of city
• symbol of ritual power and political power
• perfect proportions and harmony
• columns carved exactly the same
• entasis: slight bulge in the taper of the columns
• affect perfection by tricking the imperfect human eye
• allusion of perfection
• x=2y+1
• was pretty well preserved for almost 2000 years
• only in the modern era that it became a ruin
• balance between theoretical and physical
• architects designed this building to elicit a specific response from the people who visit it

Plaque of the Ergastines, East Side Frieze, Parthenon

<https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/Egastinai_frieze_Louvre_MR825.jpg> Basic Information: Phidias (?), "Plaque of the Ergastines," 445 - 438 B.C.E., Pentelic marble (Attica), 0.96 x 2.07 m, fragment from the frieze on the east side of the Parthenon (Musée du Louvre, Paris) Sources Consulted: "Western sculpture". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.     Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2016. Web. 18 Oct. 2016     <https://www.britannica.com/art/Western-sculpture/Ancient-Greek>. https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/ancient-mediterranean-ap/greece-etruria-rome/v/parthenon-ergastines	(Detail) <https://smarthistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/14296258020_99dd5076bf_k.jpg>
Form: fragment from the frieze on the east side of the Parthenon Pentelic marble 0.96 x 2.07 meters high relief (?) higher relief towards the to of the frieze shallower carving (bas-relief) towards bottom of frieze This is because people looked up at this sculpture, so the gradient depth made the sculpture visible from the angle from which it was intended to be viewed. "frieze," in this case, according to Khan Academy = a band of sculpture that's about 3 feet tall, that wrapped around the entire Parthenon, just inside the first colonnade. to view the frieze, visitors to the Parthenon had to look up frieze was originally located above columns, harder to see from the ground this indicates the Plaque of Ergastines was an important part of the sculptural program, but not the main attraction. would have been easier to see when painted with bright colors This frieze was originally painted in bright colors Paint faded or wore away with time, now plain marble This inner frieze is an Ionic element of the Parthenon, which is on the exterior, a doric temple isocephalism heads of figures are all aligned at same height	Function: To impress the glory of Athens upon those who see it depicts a scene of the Pan-Athenaic Procession Dedicated to the goddess Athena, patron of the city of Athens Decoration/beautification of the Parthenon temple To tell a story that is relevant and important to the Parthenon/the Acropolis, Athens, and Athena
Content: Historians generally agree that this scene depicts the Pan-Athenaic Procession people of Athens gathered in procession up to the Acropolis (highest and one of most important points in the city) procession was to honor the goddess Athena, the patron saint of the city of Athens, to whom the Parthenon was dedicated Who were the Ergastines? Young women from notable families brought peplos—a woven, dress-like garment worn by women—to clothe an olive-wood sculpture of Athena the olive wood sculpture does not survive today was not located in the Parthenon itself, but in an adjacent temple called the Erechtheion this ritual was part of the Pan-Athenaic procession frieze shows procession of the Ergastines, along with animals being brought for sacrifice; libations figures stand in contrapposto most women put weight in left leg, right knee is bent slightly in front fabric of dress hugs and drapes around the bent knee shows movement of figure and artist's mastery of naturalistic human form figures are serene, confident, relaxed, and graceful paragon of Athenian democratic ideal There is another theory that the scene on the frieze does not actually feature the Pan-Athenaic Procession, but a mythological event this theory is not commonly accepted by art historians however it does fit better with the usual greek focus on mythological subject matter	Context: High Classical style (GOLDEN AGE) acute awareness of human figure, how drapery folds and hangs around the shape of the body very intricate, curvilinear folds and drapery of cloth Phidias was one of the leading sculptors of the period helped define the classical style the height of idealized beauty we see mastery of human anatomy life, movement, and emotion represented in these figures perfection of the athenian figures depicted on this frieze reflects the idealized "perfection" of Athens and athenian democracy Athenian Renaissance of sorts end of Greco-Persian wars (499-449 BCE) once greek states were secure from Persian threat, funds from Delian League being used for military defense were turned towards the rebuilding and beautification of Athens attracted many artists (especially sculptors) to the capitol city new temples were built, old temples renovated Mythology was the subject of the vast majority of ancient greek art this frieze is an exception the choice to represent a scene of civic importance rather than mythological is significant perhaps marks the nationalistic, pro-athens zeitgeist? in wake of the Athenian victory over Persia, artist(s) now view the athenian people as worthy of being immortalized in art (?) Current controversy: Greek government is trying to get these sculptures back from museums around the world some fragments are still in Greece, some at the Louvre, but most are at British Museum Greece wants them returned to their native country British originally procured the "Elgin Marbles" from the Ottomans, who were occupying Greece at the time both sides (greek government and british) are being very tenacious tense, controversial situation

Victory (Nike) Adjusting Her Sandal (Acropolis) : 410 BCE

FORM Contrapposto (old greek art: one leg in front of the other) Chain Folds Pull of gravity Two other nikes or nikai Coaxing on animal to sacrifice Offering trophies to a military victory How it was made? Sculptures in stone––variety of chisels to chip away at the stone hammered blows at various angles to create their effects running drill permitted sculptors to create more expressive drapery effects Sculpture in high relief lends itself to expressive contrast effects––flat with ripples Modeling lines allow sculptures to create linear patterns in drapery reveal body beneath CONTENT Nike Adjusting Her Sandals Never been clear whether its been off or on (off because walking on sacred ground) Off balance Other leg is bent while also leaning forward Wing behind her left arm (two wings) Wing help her maintain balance *Contrapposto Intentional interest to make form out of balance Relationship between the body and the drapery––accentuated it Style of Phidias drapery that clings to the forms of the body and creates very intricate folds––cascading around it (Ex. three goddesses) In this specific sculpture=transparent Peaks giving a sense of the weight of the cloth *Chain Folds  Woman a Nike, the goddess of victory reaches down to fix the strap of a sandal relationship between drapery and the female anatomy

FUNCTION   Temple of Athena Nike Constrained space Falling off––added railing 4ft tall––with figures: Parapet Faced the walkway up High relief with figures of Nikes (figures of victory/ goddess personification of victory) CONTEXT Ionic Temple: Temple of Athena Nike A catenary is the curve a suspended line makes when hung in Greek sculpture=drapery effect created when a series of such lines are formed by fabric, often falling from the shoulders catenary pattern of parallel lines is an especially pleasing method of giving the drapery the springy qualities of actual fabric Typical of greek temples––sculpture of the goddess Athena Associated with victory and battle To show Athena's power...leading to her statue in the parthenon The Acropolis was home to several temples, one of which, the Ionic Victory against the Persian Empire (449 BCE) Peloponnesian War Athens and its allies -vs- Sparta (Athens long time nemesis) and its allies   (431-404 BCE)

Parthenon:

Function:  

• dedicated to athena
• place of worship and importance
• symbol of wealth

Context: 

• top of rocky outcropping 
• overlooking city 
• all cities had hill
• period was good for athens so they built parthenon 
• high classic 
• detailed huge 
• perfect incarnation of greek ideal 
• neo classical birth place of demo

• reforms allowed more people to let people participate in govt 
• 50,000 citizens out 300-400,000 inhabitants 
• Iquitos and kallikrates built the parthenon 
• 447-432 BCE 
• around this time artists started signing their work (not everyone but some people) 

Content/Form:

• trad greek temple (marble) - doric with ionic features 
• doric - fluting vertical indentations on the columns
• doric - vertical lines
• doric - columns go straight into the ground (styloblate) 
• doric - capitols are simple
• doric - little flare that gives way to rectangular block 
• abacus -- above triglyphs and metopes 
• friezes on all four sides 
• scultpure in peidmonts and metopes
• 4 ionic columns inside temple 
• parthenon contained giant sculpture athena
• frieze around building under — ionic on outside 
• frieze maybe showed Panathenaic Procession 
• religious procession for Athena 
• at entrance 
• had a story of athena vs poseidon 
• athena gave the olive tree (peace and prosperity) 
• poseidon gave a spring -salt water (naval superiority) 
• metope showed battles both real and not 
• greeks vs amazons 
• greeks vs torjans 
• greeks vs titans etc.  
• frieze similar to stained glass windows in churches 
• parthenon used to be full of color 
• athena made of gold and ivory 
• everything distorted to makeup for flawed perception