Ch. 5 The Art of Antiquity

The Dying Gaul, 1st or 2nd century AD, marble.  Source.

 When we talk about Antiquity, we are referring to the "Classical" era (note that is Classical with a capital C; classical with a lowercase c refers to a specific period in ancient Greece):  the times of Ancient Greece and Rome.

Western Art (Source Encyclopedia Britannica):

Western Art is the literary, performing, and visual arts of Europe and regions that share a European cultural tradition, including the United States and Canada.

Diverse as the European continent is, the artistic traditions of its nations share many common traits. The antecedents of most European arts lie in the artistic production of ancient Greece and Rome. These bases were developed and spread throughout the continent with the advent of Christianity. In the late 15th century, European artistic styles began to spread to the New World, creating American and Canadian traditions that were intertwined with those of Europe (Native American arts retained their own distinctive qualities, however). At the turn of the 21st century, Western artistic production was often marked by its ability to cross national boundaries in style and message, although elements of national traditions were also retained.  


 Techniques:

Most of the works we have from ancient Greece and Rome are sculptures - clay vessels and carved marble or cast bronze figures. Let's begin by reviewing the techniques used to create these three-dimensional works.

 Carving marble with traditional tools (video - 2:48)

 Direct lost-wax method (video - 8:37)

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