How to Compare Classical Greek Art to Classical Roman Art
- 1). Examine the subject matter of the artwork. It was common for both cultures to paint detailed images of everyday life and mythology. The Greeks were known for creating many works of art devoted to celebrating athletes in action. The Romans painted landscapes, which the Greeks did not.
- 2). Compare the styles of the two types of artwork. Greeks paintings and sculpture depicted their gods as idealized, or perfectly formed, humans. The Greeks works of art did not depict any particular person. The Romans also used the idealized forms, but the faces on the sculptures often depicted known faces, such as the emperor.
- 3). Contrast the architecture of the two cultures. The columns of the temples and buildings that originated with the Greeks were made in the Ionic, Doric and Corinthian styles. The Doric column is the widest and has the least amount of decoration. The Corinthian style column was the thinnest column and most decorated of the column types. The Romans adopted the various styles, but among the Romans, the Corinthian style predominated. Another feature of Roman architecture is the use of the true arch, a technique which remains on display in the remains of the famous Colosseum.
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