Ancient Greek Art and Architecture

The impact of Ancient Greek art on modern society Ancient Greek art and architecture has earned recognition all throughout the world for its exquisite artistry and its profound effect throughout the ages. Ancient Greece was a civilization that took great pride in perfection, excellence and overall greatness within religion, entertainment and political and economical life. The classical age could be seen as a turning point in art producing some of the most well renowned sculptures known today. It was during this time Greeks essentially mastered molding the innovative world with their intelligence in the fine arts and architecture for many cultures to come. Even though so much of the Greek culture has been destroyed, much of it still remains among society today. Greek religious sculptures were very important to vast majorities, telling stories about gods, heroes, events, mythical creatures and Greek culture in general. Greek monumental temples and sanctuaries brought legends and gods to life inside each city-state. Greek statues illustrated Greek gods in human form, thereby honoring the gods and sometimes representing them in an unnatural manner. For the duration of the Golden Age, sculptures and carvings began to be made, representing heroes and past legends in both human and animal form. The humanistic traits and high standards of craftsmanship in Ancient Greek art has been sources of inspiration for generations of artists. Religion was an important aspect of life in ancient Greece, which is evident from the magnificent focus around Greek temples, used predominantly for worship and celebration of the gods. The most infamous Greek building is the Parthenon. The Parthenon’s geometric principles, developed techniques used to modify structures in balance, proportion and order. The Parthenon, which honored Athena, contains examples of Greek art styles and customs for future generation’s use. “Its endurance and proportional harmony rendered it effecting