An Introduction to Greek Art: Sculpture and Vase Painting in the Archaic and Classical Periods

Description

The four centuries between the composition of the Homeric epics and the conquests of Alexander the Great witnessed an immensely creative period in Greek art, one full of experimentation and innovation. But time has taken its toll; damaged statues have lost their colour and wall paintings have been totally destroyed. And yet sympathetic study of surviving sculpture and of drawing on vases can give extraordinary insight into and appreciation of these once brilliant works This book, designed originally for students, introduces the reader to Greek sculpture and vase painting in the critical period from the eighth to the fourth centuries BC. The works discussed are generously illustrated and lucidly analysed to give a vivid picture of the splendor of Greek art. The up-dated second edition includes a new chapter examining art in Greek society, a timeline to help relate artistic development to historical events, an explanation of how dates BC are arrived at, a brief overview of Greek temple plans and a further reading list of recent books. This clear, approachable and rigorous introduction makes the beauty of Greek art more readily accessible and comprehensible, balancing description with interpretation and illustration, and is an invaluable tool to help develop insight, appreciation and comprehension.

Susan Woodford is an independent scholar who has written five other books for the general reader: The Parthenon (1981), The Art of Greece and Rome (2004), Looking at Pictures and Images of Myths in Classical Antiquity (2002, winner of the Criticos Prize 2003), and The Trojan War in Ancient Art (Bloomsbury Academic, 1993).

An Introduction to Greek Art is clearly written and abundantly illustrated ... for those new to Greek art, it remains an instructive read. -- Lucia Marchini * Minerva * An Introduction to Greek Art provides an extremely clear and coherent overview to a very complex aspect of Greek culture and is at the same time replete with sophisticated and subtle analysis ... The 2nd edition lays an even stronger claim than the 1st for this work to be the vade mecum of any student of Greek art whether novice or veteran. * Journal of Classics Teaching * The joy and vivid expression of Woodford's analyses of key pieces is delightful to read and the pace and style captivate the reader. * Religious Studies Review * Abundantly illustrated and very pleasant to read, this book offers a good introduction to Greek art and meets with the right audience: the broad public, students who begin their studies in art history and all those eager to learn the basics of Greek art ... Thanks to the accuracy of the vocabulary, this publication remains an indispensable tool for anyone interested in the field. * Histara (Bloomsbury Translation) * Woodford has done such an admirable job with what she has given us that I simply wish she had given us more. -- David W. Madsen, Seattle University * Classical Journal * [The book] is well written, without superfluous rambling, with concern for the reader and with clear and elegant language. This is actually a very good handbook for people who are establishing their acquaintance with Greek art: school pupils, students, businessmen or retired people on holiday, who want to find new intellectual stimuli in antiquity and intelligent relief from everyday life. * Eos * Susan Woodford is a good communicator, careful to explain terms and concepts that could be baffling, sympathetic and lively in her descriptions and commentary and, above all, accurate. -- Sir John Boardman, British Book News Informative and insightful ... a supremely enjoyable guided tour around these wonderful works of art, and ... a rewarding education in how to see them for ourselves. -- James Morwood, Wadham College, Oxford, UK