Essay About The Difference Between Classical Art And The Classical Period

The Classical Period

The Classical Art Period consisted of ancient Greek and Roman art and fell between the years 900 BC and 31 BC. During the Classical Period, Athens and Sparta were dominant cities in the Greek region. These cities were suspicious of one another, but managed to live peacefully together until the 5th century, BC. Cultural and political differences between the two cities caused a rivalry to form. The rivalry was eventually quelled after a brutal war which ultimately ended in the demise of both cities and the rise of Macedonia as the dominant power in the region. Eventually, the social structure in the Classical Period became somewhat of a democracy and an open society which we have emulated in the United States (“History of

Depending upon the time period of the Middle Ages (Byzantine, Romanesque, or Gothic), one can either see distinct similarities or differences when comparing to the art of the Classical period. One of the differences between the two periods is the absence of sculptures from the Byzantine era of the Middle Ages. Religious powers at the time did not allow for sculpting as an art form because it was seen as idolatry. In the Classical Period, sculpting was a very common form of art. Another difference between the two periods is the way emotion was portrayed on the faces of portraits or sculptures. In the Classical Period logic was favored over emotion, so most facial expressions in paintings and portraits were emotionless. During the Middle Ages, most portraits featured faces with solemn or melancholic expressions. The Gothic Period of the Middle Ages brought similarities with the Classical period forward. Sculpting was an accepted form of art during the Gothic period, as it was during the Classical Period. The Gothic Period also brought back the element of realism that was prominent during the Classical Period.

Historically, the Classical Period and Middle Ages were significantly different. Society during the Classical period allowed for a lot more independence for the general population than the peasants of the Middle Ages were allowed to enjoy. Peasants

(ca. 320 BC). Marble Funerary Statues of a Maiden and a Younger Girl. [Marble sculptures]. New York, NY: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Artist unknown. (ca. 1260-1280). Enthroned Virgin and Child. [Elephant ivory sculpture]. New York, NY: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Boardman, J. (2012). The Classical Period (5th-4th Century B.C.). http://www.beazley.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved from: http://www.beazley.ox.ac.uk/sculpture/styles/classical.htm

General Introduction to the Medieval Period. (2014). http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au. Retrieved from: http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/staffhome/siryan/academy/theory_history/Medieval_Period.htm

History of Greece: Classical Greece. (2014). http://www.ancient-greece.org. Retrieved from: http://www.ancient-greece.org/history/classical.html

Medieval Art. (n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved July 25, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medieval_art#Subsequent_reputation

Middle Ages Art. (2014). www.lordsandladies.org. Retrieved from: