Greek Philosophy: Plato’s Doctrine of Forms, I

The universals have an ontological status. The universal concepts are not merely subjective concepts, but in them we apprehend objective essences.

The universal concepts are objective Ideas or subsistent Universals, existing in a transcendental world of their own apart from sensible things. Sensible things are copies or participations in these universal realities.

Greek Philosophy: Plato’s Doctrine of Forms, II

In Timaeus Plato clearly teaches that God or the Demiurge creates the things of this world according to the model of the Forms or Ideas. This implies that Ideas exist apart not only from the sensible things but also from God, who takes them as His model in his creation.

According to Plato Forms are Numbers

Greek Philosophy: Plato’s Theory of Art

In its metaphysical aspects or its essence, art is imitation (mimesis). The form is exemplary, archetypal; the natural object is an instance of it. Now the painting of a man is a copy or imitation of a natural, particular man. The painting is therefore an imitation of an imitation, twice removed from the Truth.

In his Republic, Plat talks in detail about his theory of art.

Greek Philosophy: Aristotle

Aristotle rejected the world of the Forms (the world of Ideas) because he believed that Form and Matter were inseparable.

Aristotle devised a down to earth ethical goal that he called “happiness”. In his book, The Nicomachean Ethics, he argues that to achieve happiness, one needs to strike a balance (the Golden Mean) between extremes of behavior.

Aristotle and Homer

Architecture and Sculpture during the Hellenic Age

Continuation of archaic Doric style

Evolution of Ionic style

Continued interest in proportion, balance, harmony and order

Both the Doric and Ionic style of architecture can be seen In the Parthenon

Hellenic Architecture: Parthenon447-438 BCE

Planned by two architects: Ictinus and Callicrates

The ceremonial center of Athens

A major tourist attraction in Greece

2 purposes: Temple to Athena and treasury of the Delion League

Combines Doric and Ionic features

Hellenic Architecture: Erechtheumc. 410 BCE

The best example of Ionic styleAsymmetrical

More showy and elaborate

A kind of triple shrine, dedicated to Athena, Poseidon, and a mythical king (Erechtheus)

Porch of Maidens (75)

Hellenic Sculpture

Emphasis on idealized beauty of the human body

A “controlled beauty”: Hellenic sculpture emphasized thought, control and balance

Idealized proportions and facial features

3 periods: Severe style (early-mid 400s)

High Classical style (mid –late 400s)

Fourth Century style (300s)

Hellenic Sculpture: Kritos Boy

Kritios Boy, c. 480 (severe style)(76)

Perhaps a late or evolved form of the archaic kouros (49)

Idealized body and face

Naturalistic stance: contrapposto (a posture that places the body’s weight on one leg and uses the other leg as a support)(79)

Hellenic Sculpture: Doryphoros, c. 440

The physical proportions of the Doryphoros were so widely admired that the sculpture came to be regarded as a set of rules (or canon) for other artists to follow.

The ideal of balanced calm and repose.

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Doryphoros

Hellenic Sculpture: Hermes with the Infant Dionysus, c. 350-40

Hermes with the Infant Dionysus is made by Praxiteles.

Contrapposto now exaggerated, leading toward sensuality. This exaggerated contrapposto was called Praxitelean curve and was widely imitated.

Some warmth and emotional content, a hint of the changes to come in the Hellenistic period.