INSTRUCTIONS:
Read again the "Ideals of Classicism" section
Read the assigned material from the textbook, the "Humanism" section and watch the videos on three Greek sculptures.
Then do your own meditation on these magnificent pieces of art, try to understand how ancient Greeks from the corresponding time periods felt about each of them, and write your posts.
INITIAL POST:
Choose three visual ideals of Classicism (or relating to the mood), from those listed in the "Ideals of Classicism", that are, in your opinion, most noticeable in Doryphoros. List them in all-caps at the beginning of your post like this:
- IDEAL 1
- IDEAL 2
- IDEAL 3
Then compare how well each of them is represented in Discobolus and how in Laocoön and his Sons.
Conclude with your opinion on what part of human nature/mind each of the sculptures (Doryphoros, Discobolus, and Laocoön) primarily appeals to.
IDEALS OF CLASSICISM
We humans have two major sides of our nature - we are rational and emotional creatures. These two are opposite qualities, often in conflict. While ancient Greeks recognized both and tried to live their lives in the best balance of the two, a strong tendency to learn about the world they live in made them choose rational approaches as the right way to finding truths they were searching for.
We call this philosophical and aesthetic approach, CLASSICISM.
Born in the Classical Greece, this general mindset was clearly reflected in philosophy, art, architecture, drama and other aspects of Greek life. It was copied to a great deal by ancient Romans; hence the Greco-Roman world is often called Classical Antiquity.
Classicism has periodically been reborn throughout the history of Western civilization, exchanging place with anti-classical approach, oppositely based on feelings and emotions. Some of the anti-classical elements have been introduced in the art of Hellenistic period and in the ancient Rome, although we still consider these periods to be a part of the ancient Classical world.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhJKDqZgNXg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3cwGCezgSQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAR9RAMg9NY