What Is Classical Art?
Classical Art can be defined by two core periods of history. These are the Greek and Roman societies that became the cornerstone for the modern world.
Each held great influence to later eras of time. Of the greatest influences seen one can look to Baroque Art to see its impact.
This impact will reach across the old world to post Medieval Europe, and remained a standard to our later Modern Era of Art.
Why Was Classical Art Important To History?
It is through the study of Classical Art that we have come to have the definitions and boundaries which we use in present day art. While through the centuries different art movements came and went, each was measured by these standards.
The roots of what we use in understanding the formal elements of art, form in art, and the beginning of art appreciation come from Classical Art.
We also discover how the elements play a direct role in forming principles of art. When speaking of Classicism it requires one to accept the foundations of art and its history are in play.
What Is Classicism?
Classicism is the study and following of the methods used within Classical Art.
This includes ideas such as following the standards of craftsmanship and art application, obedience to its structures, and is heavily invested within restraint and harmony.
This kind of art form is not about capturing emotion. Rather the focus is based in capturing the idea of what the society is, its culture, and at times a greater than life representation.
Great focus is given to intellect, beauty, and balance. By contrast later periods following the Renaissance you begin to see greater focus on science and industry.
Classicism would be reborn under Neoclassicism after the rediscovery of Pompeii and its multiple excavations from the 1700’s to the 1800’s. Yet by this point in history it was no longer the dominant force as it competed with Romanticism.
Nevertheless its impact remained strong and its influence was still felt in all matters of art. This influence included traditional arts such as painting, sculpting, and theater, to also influencing modern architecture.
Greek Influence In Classical Art
The Greek periods of history are fairly well documented today thanks to much work within archeology. Yet there are still some gaps which remain where there are no details.
Notably there are several periods of influence that stand out.
Greek influence began with the Mycenaea people in early Greek development. This period of time dates to around 1600 – 1100BC.
This Bronze Age saw many sculptures in bronze and stone which began to redefine what art would become.
It is within this period that the story of the Trojan wars, and the Trojan horse take place. It is unfortunate that many of the bronze statues have disappeared with time.
Later civilizations would melt this valuable material down for their uses without regard to art or history.
While much of the art from this period may have been lost, their frescoes, architecture, literature, and theater, remains. It is from here we can gather much about this early beginning.
The Archaic Period reached from 776 – 480BC. The piece of time between the Mycenaea and Archaic periods there is little known of.
It is often considered to be the “Greek Dark Ages”. Why or what happened is not clear.
Within the Archaic Period the Classical Art shifted in focus to being male dominant in its representation. Here we find the Olympic Games being established and grander than life imagery of Greek intellect and strength.
It is not until we reach Classical Greece (480 – 323BC) that we find the peak of what would become Classical Art. In all respects, and within all forms of art, its influence would reach across centuries.
It is here you see a focus on education, art, philosophy, and find men such as Plato as well as Aristotle. This period brought a grand shift in how art was represented.
It became more personalized, intimate, and focused on the people. Early Figurativism was also introduced yet not to our present day definition.
The grand visions of the past were set aside that seemed larger than life to capture a more representative form in art. Nevertheless these forms were still often idealized rather than true natural representations.
The standards of art which would forever rule our world were born. With this birth came an unusual spot in art history.
This next period would rise, and then disappear. It would require the Italian Renaissance for its ideas and representation of the natural world to reappear.
The Hellenistic Period (323 – 31BC) would see something revolutionary happen. Art once again shifted. In this period the artists sought to capture the true form of their subjects.
This Classical Art no longer depicted the idealist image, but rather the plight of the people. Whether happy, sad, prosperous, or in suffering, the artists sought to capture society and culture through the common persons eyes.
With the rise of Rome this radical shift in art would quickly disappear. A shift back to the ideal imagery of what men thought of themselves would be revived rather than who the people were.
Roman Influence In Classical Art
Within the early periods of the Roman Empire much of what existed came by appropriation from other cultures. By their nature, Rome was a war machine and lacked much of the depth found in others like the Greeks.
It would take some time for their contributions to Classical Art to be found. The earlier Roman Republic (509BC – 26AD) did contribute in one way to art.
As they continued in conquest of the Greeks, their appropriated art was copied and distributed among the Roman people.
Culture and Greek Classical Art was absorbed by the Romans and began to influence many aspects of society. This influence included religion, social structures, and mythology.
It is not until Imperial Rome (27BC – 393AD) that we find Emperor Augustus transform Classical Art. His endeavors impacted architecture, theater, and social systems.
His commission of “Augustus of Prima Porta” from the first century AD portrayed himself as an ideal leader. Augustus was anything but ideal and had a bent on grandstanding himself through narcissism.
Nevertheless through this time art more broadly blended the older Greek and Egyptian concepts into a new era. It would take until the latter portion of the Imperial period for Classical Art to reach its peak under Constantine.
At its peak the Classical Art within Rome allowed for great works to be completed. Many of the upper class had frescoes within their homes, custom portraits, and sculptures.
This would transpire at the height of the Empire despite the weakened state of its internal infrastructure.
As the capital was moved from Rome to Constantinople in 313AD, the stage was set for Classical Art to continue through the fall of the Western Empire.
It would be through the Byzantine Empire that this history would move forward in time.
Why Did Classical Art Disappear?
Rome was sacked and ravaged in the year 393AD. It would not take long for a new and unexpected enemy to surface which would forever alter the landscape of the old world.
An Emperor named Justinian held a great vision of restoring the old Roman Empire back to its grander days. He married a woman named Theodora after discovering her as she danced exotically for his pleasure.
A common woman of low estate came to be Empress with Justinian in 527AD. While she was of a low background her strength saved her husbands empire on more than one occasion.
Classical Art within this period had stagnated. High taxes and a declining economy were to blame as well as Justinian’s war efforts in the old Western portions of the empire.
It would be the black plague which would alter the world. Death spread throughout the empire and Theodora would also die from the plague. Justinian would also contract this illness but survive.
Though he survived he had gone mad and would often see visions of his wife. At this point it was too late. No great leader could have prevented what would happen next.
The plague spread throughout the world and with it the world was thrown into the Dark Ages. Classical Art would disappear for nearly a thousand years within Europe.
Italian Renaissance Contribution To Classical Art
Classical Art did survive this dark period. While it remained within the Byzantine Empire, it would take a series of wars, crusades, and trade which would bring back to Europe what it had lost.
The Dark Ages and the plague had ravaged the world. While all felt its influence none felt it so deeply as Europe.
The rebirth of Classical Art in the Italian Renaissance would once again fan its flames.
From the 14th to the 17th Centuries this period marked a shift from the Middle Ages to a new world. It would be under Louis XIV that Classical Art would gain new standardization and influence.
It is within this period that you find Shakespeare, the rise of Greek theater, and classics like Dante which were influenced by Classical Art.
Mathematics, balance, and the elements of art once again returned as the culture sought to replicate the older classical periods. From this was a true rebirth within art which would forever imprint itself across the cultures of the world.
Neoclassical Art Period
The Neoclassical period has much to thank for its rise to a man by the name of Johann Winckelmann. His writing came at the right time as the rediscovery of Pompeii helped to fuel greater interest within the classical periods of history.
The beginning of European Neoclassicism began near 1760 and found competition within the prevailing arts of the time. Namely this would be Romanticism.
This competitive era would cause a melding and also divergence within arts to bring what we know as the Victorian Era of influence. Yet what had begun with the Italian Renaissance would continue propelling Classical Art forward in time.
Neoclassicism was the perfect vehicle for this influence to happen. With its influence came greater reach in opera, music, literature, visual arts, and even the beginnings of home decor.
While the light for Classical Art influence may have dimmed somewhat within the Napoleonic Era, Revivalism in America and Russia kept it alive through the 20th century.
Importance Of Classical Art In Our Modern World
If you have read this article thus far then you would be able to take away one great important fact. Classical Art carries with it a great amount of our history as a people.
No matter what continent we may reside on its influences across the centuries can be felt around the world. Furthermore our understanding of art and its standards all derive from the foundation of Classical Art.
While the 20th century has held many great shifts within visual arts, all that we measure is against this history.
It is like a fingerprint or an identity to who we are.
The foundations of our modern societies are founded upon the ideas of both Greek and Roman institutions. Individuality, and importantly the freedom of the individual, have been core tenets of modern thinking.
It is through these ideals that art flourishes. It requires the freedom of expression and the ability to show our emotion.
Today it captures our culture and society just as it has in times past.
If we are to ask why Classical Art is important, it is very much like asking the question of why art is important. Modern art would not be what it is today without this history.
Importance Of Classical Art Within Education
It may be easy for students eyes to glaze over when speaking of history. Yet I advise every student to take the time to know the stories behind our art.
Certainly an artist must understand the principles of art, its fundamentals, and its foundations. Yet to only capture the technical meaning is to miss the whole point.
Within its stories will reside the heroics of those like Theodora. It can display the burdens of the people such as within the Greek Hellenistic Period.
It can display the audacity of egocentric Emperors that were madmen within Rome.
Classical Art will also show how a society can lose itself. Whether by natural design or conflict, a society can retract and be set back for generations.
Art is more than a carving, sculpting, or a painting.
Art is history. To truly understand art we must also know where it came from.