AHIS 120g 1st Edition Lecture 7 Current LectureParthenon sculptures- The largest group of surviving Classical sculptures comes from the Parthenon, which hada more extensive decorative program than any previous temple.- The sculptures have a vivid and often unfortunate history.o Christians converted the temple into a church circa 6th century CE.o In the 17th century, Venetian cannon fire ignited ammunition that the Turkishforces were storing in the temple.- West pediment portrayed the struggle between Athena and Poseidon.o Pediment sculptures are free-standing, reset to the niche. - The east pediment represented the birth of Athena from the head of Zeus, in thepresence of all the gods. - Frieze depicted four different sides of battles.- Sculptures are 3D, suggesting planning. - The Parthenon is viewed as the perfect embodiment of the Classical Doric style. This isfar from accurate.o A continuous frieze runs around all sides of the building, in a variation of theIonic style. In a continuous sculpted band, some 525 feet long, the frieze depicts aprocession, moving from west to east, propelling the viewer around thetemple.  The procession depicted in the frieze is the Panathenatic procession, partof a festival held annually to honor Athena in the presence of the otherOlympian gods. An idealized event rather than a specific moment. - The Propylaiao Commissioned by Pericles for the western end of the Acropolis. o Eastern façade resembles Doric order, except for the wide opening between thethird and fourth columns, which allowed traffic to pass onto the Acropolis, whichis more of an Ionic characteristic. - Temple of Athena Nikeo Incorporated Ionic and Doric architectural elements. o Designed by Kallikatres to celebrate Athenian victory over the Persians. o Nike—naturalistic, drapery flows.- The Erechtheiono A second, larger Ionic temple standing alongside the Parthenon. o Designed for several religious functions. o Irregular plan of four rooms. The main, eastern room was dedicated to Athena Polias, contained animage of the cult and a piece of olive wood—the most sacred cult objectin Athens. The western room was sacred to Poseidon. Another room housed a statue of King Erechtheus. o Instead of a west façade, the Erechtheion has two porches attached to its flanks.  A large one dedicated to Poseidon faces north and served as the mainentrance, while a smaller one just toward the Parthenon—Porch of theMaidens. Porch of the Maidens is so named because six caryatids, instead ofcolumns. Relatively close to Ionic columns—their drapery resembles thefluting of an Ionic column shaft. Parthenon at the British Museum - Controversies regarding the remains of the Parthenon, although declared Greekownership, whether or not they should remain in British soil. o Reach a wider audience in England.o They remain preserved due to the British Museum’s efforts. o Safer in England due to a secure economy. Archaic sculpture- New York Kouros (ca. 600 BCE)o Similarities with Egyptian sculpture. Rigidly frontal; slim and broad-shouldered; arms side-by-side; left legforward; shoulders, knees and hips are all level; conceived from all foursides.o Differences with Egyptian sculpture. Greek sculptures are free-standing, without the back slab that supportsEgyptian stone figures.  Incorporation of empty space between the legs, arms and torso. More stylized. Large staring eyes, emphasized by bold arching eyebrows,and in linear treatment of anatomy. Archaic smile.  The male youth is nude.- Kore (ca. 630 BCE)o Similarities with Egyptian sculpture.o Differences with Egyptian sculpture.o Although demonstrating breasts, she is covered. Ancient Greeks allowed nudity for males, as it was the idealized body.Femininity was inferior. - Kroisos (ca. 540 BCE)o Modeling of anatomy with swelling curved—more NATURALISTIC.  Allowed greater plasticity of the body.o Archaic