How can I relate classical art to my own art?

Art history has always been a fascinating subject. Reading about it and studying the many forms of art, one can gain knowledge of how modern art emerged from the influences of the classical art period. Art now is no longer confined to historical architectures or various artworks in museums but has expanded into different fields such as music, dance and literature. However, these modern forms of art would not be possible if it weren’t for the artistic legacy of Greece and Rome. The art that they passed down inspired many modern artists with their specific genre of philosophy that gives emphasis on society.

 The art of the ancient Greeks and Romans comprise what is called classical art. The term was also used during the later periods in which artists searched for inspiration from this ancient style for their craft. The Classical period of Ancient Greece, spans most of the 5^th and 4^th century BC. Greek artists of this era were able to portray the vitality of life as well as a sense of stability, clarity, and harmony in their works. In 146 BC, Rome was conquered by Greece. During this time, the Greek art was intermixed with that of Rome. Though most of the Romans’ art were borrowed, the art forms demonstrated their passion and dominating spirit especially in the area of architecture.

My brother introduced me to Greek and Roman mythology when I was 10 years old. I became really interested and amazed by their architecture. I often wondered how they were able to construct those magnificent structures during those early times. Ever since then, my artistic style was further influenced by classical art. I admired the Greeks for their extensive attention to detail as well as their idealistic preferences. The Parthenon is definitely one of my favorite. I commend the Romans for their practicality and focus on realism. An example of that would be the Coliseum. One day, I hope to create my own style that both balances idealism and practicality of the classical period. I also look forward to how classical art would influence artists of the future generations.

Classicism. (n.d.). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved January 19, 2015 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classicism

Classical Greece. (n.d.). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved January 19, 2015 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_Greece

Roman art. (n.d.). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved January 19, 2015 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_art

Various Authors. (n.d.). GREEK AND ROMAN ART. history-world.org. Retrieved January 19, 2015 from http://history-world.org/arthist.htm

Classical Art History. (n.d.). artapprenticeonline.com. Retrieved January 19, 2015 from http://www.artapprenticeonline.com/artstudies/apprentart/edacclhistory.html

Freeman, G. (2011, July 8). Classical Art: Greece and Rome. slideshare.net. Retrieved January 19, 2015 from http://www.slideshare.net/gwfreeman/classical-art

Hemingway, C., & Hemingway, S. (n.d.). The Art of Classical Greece (ca. 480–323 B.C.) . metmuseum.org. Retrieved January 19, 2015 from http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/tacg/hd_tacg.htm

Images from:
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Ancient Art

Since the dawn of mankind, art has always been part of history. Art history is a chronological sequence of different types of art ranging from the prehistoric times to the current twenty-first century. The earliest forms of art (that was found) were from the Stone Age. Time progressed and the early people started building civilizations. This paved the way to the evolution of art known as Ancient Art. According to some, Ancient Art dated back to 3000 B.C.E. up to 400 C.E., from the ancient civilizations such as those of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, China, Israel, Persia, India, Greece and Rome. These civilizations contributed many art treasures that helped shape various form of art for the future generations.

The emergence of these early civilizations, along with the use of written languages and the development of more sophisticated tools, led to the creation of countless historical arts. Ancient Egyptian art forms for example, are represented by consistent and detailed illustrations of gods, people, heroic battles and nature. Also, most of their surviving works of art were designed to provide consolation and service to the departed in the afterlife. Mesopotamia is often referred to as the cradle of civilization due to being the first area where complex society developed. Mesopotamia brought significant cultural developments, including the oldest examples of writing. The art of Mesopotamia rivalled that of Ancient Egypt as the most grand, sophisticated and elaborate in western Eurasia. Their art was centered on various, very durable, forms of sculpture in stone and clay. Chinese art is based from Chinese heritage and culture. Chinese art has arguably the oldest continuous tradition in the world. However, there were also big changes in Chinese art. For example, when Chinese people learned about Buddhism, under the Han Dynasty, they also discovered about Buddhist art styles in India, and Chinese sculptors learned to make life-size stone statues. Other ancient societies like Greece and Rome were also renowned for their art that includes pottery, sculpture as well as architecture.

Art will continue to change as time passes, which is why it is important for us to learn from the arts of our ancestors so we can develop our own aesthetic interpretations. Every one of us has their own individual perspective of what is appealing. We classified art based on what we saw from past artistic creations in terms of the design elements such as color, texture, shape and value. We also made comparisons and contrasts between different artists and their contributions to further improve our knowledge about art. By having explored the rich and fascinating history of ancient arts, we discovered millennia of wonderful compilation of human experience. I’m looking forward to what the future will bring into the world of art.

References:

Ancient Art. (n.d.). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved January 3, 2015 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_art

Art of Ancient Egypt. (n.d.). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved January 3, 2015 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_of_ancient_Egypt

Art of Mesopotamia. (n.d.). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved January 3, 2015 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_of_Mesopotamia

Chinese Art. (n.d.). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved January 3, 2015 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_art

Chinese Art History. (n.d.). Historyforkids.org. Retrieved January 3, 2015 from http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/china/art

Art History Appreciation. (n.d.). Arthistory.net. Retrieved January 3, 2015 from http://www.arthistory.net/

Ancient Art. (n.d.). Visual-arts-cork.com. Retrieved January 3, 2015 from http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/ancient-art.htm

Images from:

Google Images