The Greek Ideal: Its Central Themes and Influences

The cultural influences that lead to the development of the Greek ideal are varied and distinctive. Nonetheless, the principle influence on the Greek perception of the ideal is its view of itself in relation to the rest of civilization. This view of itself in relation to others is in a constant state of flux due to the ever-changing conditions affecting Greek Society such as wars and socioeconomic conflicts. There are, however, some fundamental themes to the ideal that do not change over time, particularly beauty and the cultural superiority of the Greeks. These central themes remain consistent throughout periods of change in ancient Greece, but the exterior, non-essential ideals are subject to change.

The central, constant ideals of Greek art are idealized beauty and the superiority of Greek culture. These two themes stay consistent throughout the three artistic periods: archaic, classical and Hellenistic. For example, Kouros (youth), from the archaic period, is a depiction of the beauty of youth with its slender waist, prepubescent genitalia and feminine facial features. In addition to its idealistic depiction of a “beautiful boy”, Kouros is also an exhibition of the determination of Greek culture. With its rigid stance, clenched fists and linear gaze, Kouros appears undaunted, as it walks towards an unknown destination, evoking the concept of a “man on a mission”. The man represents Greek culture, its mission, to achieve cultural and ideological superiority.

This theme of cultural superiority remains constant throughout the various artistic periods. Kritios Boy, from the early classical, displays similar concepts. With its right foot forward, contrapposto stance, and a look of serene detachment, Kritios Boy exudes a sense of Greek cultural superiority. It’s boyish physic further validating the “beautiful boy” concept developed by Paglia. The central themes of the Greek ideal, beauty and Greek cultural superiority, continue to play a major role in the artwork of the Hellenistic period where pieces like the Hellenistic Prince and the Apollo Belvedere express an almost effortless elegance with their relaxed poses and aristocratic appearance.

Although, some of the artwork from the Hellenistic period, such as the Drunk Women, initially appear as if they represent a different central theme then the original Greek ideal, the core concepts still remain. The Drunk Woman is a perfect example of artwork from the Hellenistic age that does not clearly coincide with the central concepts of the Greek ideal. With its longing gaze and lymphatic posture, the sculpture initially evokes a sense of vulnerability and diminished capacity. However, the Greek ideals of beauty and cultural superiority still remain. The Drunk Woman is a realistic reflection of Greece’s decline in the western world. It harkens back to the time of beauty and cultural superiority through the medium in which it is portrayed but the depiction is nonetheless negative, giving the viewer the sense that the woman, with her expensive clothes, represents Greek society which has become drunk off its own cultural excess. The Drunk Woman, along with other pieces of Hellenistic realism, may initially appear to be in ideological contrast to the central themes of the Greek Ideal but are in fact a representation of their decline. Therefore, Hellenistic realism does contain the central themes even if they are portrayed in a diminished state and are initially unclear. These central themes of the Greek ideal, beauty and Greek cultural superiority, are consistent throughout the three periods even though they become less overt in certain pieces from the Hellenistic period.

 
The exterior themes that differentiate each period from another are in a constant state of flux due to developments in Greek Society and it’s contact with other cultures. For example, a significant amount of the stylistic elements evident in the Kouros (youth), with its rigid pose and idealistic stylization of the masculine form, originate from Egyptian art with its strict canon and emphasis on the timelessness of artwork. This development was only made possible through Greece’s strategic location in the Mediterranean and resulting contact with foreign cultures such as Egypt. During the Classical period, the dominance of Athenian culture during the 5th century and late 4th century played a large role in shaping and influencing the artistic style of that period. Athen’s wealth and power attracted the most prominent artists and thinkers of its time allowing Athenian culture to pervade in to Greek art. The artworks produced by Athens such as the Parthenon, were intended to be an expression of wealth and cultural superiority and were only made possible through the concentration of Greek wealth and power in Athens. The beginning of the Hellenistic age, on the other hand, was marked by a decline in Athenian power, consolidation of Greek city-states under the rule of Alexander the Great and a rise in the prevalence of Greek philosophers. Greek sculptor became more naturalistic, with statues like the Drunk Woman depicting situations that were previously nonexistent in the Greek art. Sculpture became increasingly concentrated on man’s experience in the natural world rather than the idealized depictions of man, common in the archaic and classical periods. The development from idealization to naturalism is a reflection of Greece’s declining position in western civilization. The decline coincided with the rise of the Roman Republic and the fragmentation of Alexander the Great’s empire. But even though art during the Hellenistic age developed its own unique character it still retained the central themes of the Greek ideal, aesthetic beauty and the cultural superiority of Greece.  

The Greek artistic development from Archaic to Classical and then eventually Hellenistic, reverses the development pattern of the Egyptians who were preceded by the Dionysian artwork of the Paleolithic era. The Greek ideal, however, remains constant throughout the three Ancient Greek artistic periods. The way, however, in which the ideal is portrayed, differs from period to period, the Hellenistic being the most radical with certain pieces depicting a decline in the beauty and influence of the Greek civilization. It is as if Greek culture had been brought down from the impervious heavens where it once resided, untouchable in its universal superiority, and forced to face reality, a reality in which Greece is no longer the superpower of the Ancient world and is instead subject to the whims of its increasingly powerful neighbors. The realism of some sculptures in the Hellenistic period, such as the Old Market Woman, reflects this change. By depicting humanity in all its vulnerability, Hellinistic realism exposed the gradual movement of Greek art away from the idealized and towards the Dionysian instead. Nonetheless, the Hellenistic period was also Ancient Greece’s last chance to leave their mark on western art resulting in the creation of sculptures like the Venus de Milo and the Nike of Samothrace, both of which are widely considered, to this day, to be among the greatest artistic creations of western society.