Terracotta amphora (jar) ca. 490 B.C. Attributed to the Berlin Painter “This work is a masterpiece of Greek vase-painting because it brings together many features of Athenian culture in an artistic expression of the highest quality. The shape itself is central to the effect. Through the symmetry, scale, and luminously glossy glaze on the obverse, it offers a…
Contrapasto: A Gift from the Ancient Greeks
Before the era of Ancient Greece, artists and artisans depicted the human figure as a straight and rigid form. The Ancient Greeks discovered that the more natural, the more human way, to depict the figure is that presented in Contrapposto. In simplistic terms, a figure standing in Contrapposto will place his weight on only one…
Neoclassisism and the Classical Ideal
In terms of art history, the Classical Period of Art was Created During the Eras of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. Marble statue of Aphrodite 1st or 2nd century A.D. Roman – Copy of a Greek statue of the 3rd or 2nd century B.C. “The goddess of love is shown as though surprised at her bath. Originally,…
Athena and Arachne
CHAPTER IV THE BIRTH OF ATHENE One day Zeus was ill. To us it is strange to think of the gods as suffering the same pains as mortals suffer, but to the Hellenes it seemed quite natural. Zeus was ill. His head ached so severely that he bade all the gods assemble in Olympus to find…
The Birth of Persesus: Danae and the Tower
When you think of a hero, you think of a man who does brave, unselfish deeds. But to the Hellenes or Greeks a hero was one who was half god, half man—whose one parent was a god while the other was a mortal. So the god Zeus was the father of Perseus, the hero of whom…
Perseus and His Quest to Kill the Gorgon Medusa
THE QUEST OF PERSEUS Medusa and her two sisters were named the Gorgons. The sisters had always been plain and even terrible to see, but Medusa had once been fair to look upon. When she was young and beautiful her home was in a northern land where the sun never shone, so she begged Athene to…
Perseus, Andromeda, and the Sea Monster
ANDROMEDA AND THE SEA-MONSTER As Perseus journeyed over land and sea on his great quest, he often thought of the dear mother he had left in Seriphus. Now that his task was done he longed to fly over the blue waters of the Mediterranean to see her, to know that she was safe from the cruel…
Ancient Egypt: DK Pocket Genius
Publisher : DK Children; Reprint edition (January 19, 2016) Reading age : 8 – 12 years Grade level : 3 – 7 Description “Unravel the mysteries behind one of the most powerful and influential civilizations in history with this handy guide to ancient Egypt. “Set off on a historical adventure and view…
Ancient Egypt: DK Findout
“This fun, fact-filled book is the ultimate guide to Ancient Egypt, from pharaohs to mummies. Entertaining and educating young readers through a combination of close-up images, quirky trivia facts, quiz questions, and fascinating tidbits, it’s the perfect book for any kid who can’t get enough of this remarkable civilization. “How big was the Egyptian Empire?…
Periods of Ancient Egyptian History
Prehistoric Period 5500-3100 BCE Garden of Eden 4026 Early Dynastic Period 3100-2680 BCE Noah and the Flood 2348 BCE Old Kingdom 2650-2175 BCE First Intermediate Period 2175-1975 BCE Abraham was born in 2055 “The reunification of ancient Egypt achieved by Nebhepetre Mentuhotep II—the first pharaoh of the Middle Kingdom—was followed by a great cultural flowering that…