The Development of Art: Egyptian to Greek

Art changed many times throughout the centuries due to cultural influence. When viewing the video Beyond the Classical: Byzantine and Later Greek Art, a major point that was important was the Orthodox Church influence on art. Religious and christian views influenced what was depicted in paintings. The purpose of this art was purely for religious purposes. Also, when the Romans took over the area, they only wanted simple arts. This was things such as paintings, that were flat, and not enthusiastic with depiction. The Romans did not want any sculptures. Cultural influence plays a huge role. This relates to textbook readings. In Ancient Egypt, the art that is found is proportional to each aspect of the depiction, but it is not entirely realistic. They presented images in an exaggerated side profile view. We also see the pyramids that were made with exact measures and proportions. Ancient Egypt was the building block for Greek art, and we can see how the different cultures depicted what they saw as a need. The Egyptians did not have an obsession with the human body like the Greeks did. The art shows what each culture saw as important. 

The video The Greek Awakening: Art from the 5th Century BC, ideas from the Greeks beyond art are discussed. There was an emergence of scholars and philosophers that wanted to understand the world instead of just living in it with no meaning. They wanted to see the world in a way that was not viewed through religion. The Greeks developed mathematics, politics, sciences, and art. They were the start of the Western culture. This relates to the textbook readings because of the Greeks seeking the great questions to life on earth. They wanted to see humans as the center of existence, and there must be laws that govern the universe, and laws that will govern the people. This is important information because if the Greeks had not established these ideas, the Western World, and the world in general would not be what it is today.

In The Measure of All Things: Greek Art and the Human Figure, there is a large focus on Greek sculptures. They wanted to reflect in this art the real world, and human anatomy. Also, they depicted the influence of Greek Gods. This is the reason the Greeks were so obsessed with the body because the more you looked like a God, the more noble you were seen as and God like. This is similar to the readings on Ancient Egypt where there were living rulers. The Egyptians believed that their kings were living Gods, and they had lines of ancestor worship. Even though this is not exactly like Greek life, the Greeks were similar in believing that Gods had an impact on everyday people. 

All of the films added to the ideas within the readings. The videos emphasized how culture has a huge impact on art, how it is depicted and the reasons behind it. Without art, it would be hard to understand ancient cultures such as those in Egypt, Greece, and also Roman times. It is interesting to see how the world developed just by looking at the art of past cultures.