This account of Greek art (c3000-c100BC) sets the formation of the Classical style in its historical context. The paticular social, political and religious factors involved in the patronage of buildings, sculpture and paintings are explored. The development of Greek art is traced from antecedents in Minoan and Mycenaean times to the Hellenistic world after Alexander. Throughout the book art is explained not only in terms of those who created and commisioned it, but also with reference to the archaeology of the places which hosted it - sanctuaries such as Olympia and Delphi, or urban showplaces such as Pergamum.
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From Publishers Weekly
With its new introductory art history series, Art & Ideas, Phaidon tries to find a foothold in a market already crowded by such series as Thames & Hudson's World of Art, Yale's Pelican History of Art and more recently Oxford's History of Art. Spivey, a journalist and lecturer in classical archeology at Cambridge, offers a wide-ranging, if usually dry, narrative of both the art and the cultural, political, social and religious institutions that formed it. In eight chapters, Spivey covers such territory as the prehistory of the Greek civilization and its roots in Mycenaean culture, the importance of myth, the creation of the polis (city-state), the development of theater, the "colossal" impression made by Alexander the Great and how all these elements made an impact on the development of the art of the period. He supports theories by using quotes from philosophers, weaving tales from the classic epics and providing pertinent historical facts. Relevant terms and concepts are explained and illuminated, and almost every spread in the book comes complete with an illustrated example of the art being discussed, making for nearly 200 photographs and illustrations in all. Although it is consistent with an introductory art history textbook, the admirably concise summary of the art and its context may find readers among travelers and others interested in a brief overview.
Copyright 1997 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
a classical Greek art fan,
By historybooklady (USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Greek Art A&I (Art and Ideas) (Paperback)
Includes the favorites and a new turn to the subject by adding lesser known artwork. For the person who has read everything on Greek art/history - this is the fresh-angle book for you. Highly recommend it.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Compact and Beautiful Book,
By BlueBeer (South Carolina) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Greek Art A&I (Art and Ideas) (Paperback)
This well-laid out book is profusely illustrated with color photographs that are well integrated into the easy to read text. The text focuses on the cultural and mythological context of the artworks discussed. Small, but packed with information and illustrations, it is a great book for travelling.
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