Ancient Greek and Roman Art & Architecture (c. 500 BCE - 300 CE) Classical

Article:  Ancient Greek Art

Article:  Ancient Greek Architecture

Article:  Ancient Roman Art

Article:  Ancient Roman Architecture


Classical artists get their values from classical antiquity (ancient Greece and Rome), particularly the philosophers (e.g. Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, the Stoics).  These values include objective reason, rationality, logic, and restraint of emotions.  Classicists admire the "virtuous man," a man well developed physically, intellectually, and morally  (for Plato, virtue consisted of temperance, courage, prudence, and justice).  A virtuous man is socially minded; he participates in keeping his society moral, safe, and orderly.  He has civic virtue. 


Classical values / ideals:

      Stillness, Calmness, Stability, Confidence, Optimism, Endurance / Timelessness 

     Classical art is Sensible, Balanced, Non-fantastical.  It stresses Order, Planning, Design, Simplicity. 

     Source of "knowledge"  -  grounded in "reality" - science, empirical testing, analysis, book learning.  
                                               (Aristotle was the founder of formal logic and empirical science.)


Major themes in architecture are simplicity (a lack of ornateness), strength, and endurance.  Greek and Roman columns and arches are common symbols in Neoclassical art and architecture. 

Maison Carrée, (Roman temple), Nimes, France, 2 A.D.

Roman sculpture, unlike Greek sculpture, is idealistic instead of realistic.  For instance, a Greek bust of Socrates shows how ugly Socrates was (he had a pug nose), but everyone in Roman sculptures is handsome/beautiful.  Neoclassical art of the late 18th century leans heavily towards the Roman idealization of the "perfected man."

Emperor Augustus Caesar (63 B.C. - 14 A.D)

Calm, confident, virtuous leader of his people.