Archaic and Classical Greek Art (Oxford History of Art) (Paperback)

~ Robin Osborne (Author) "A study of archaic and classical Greek art rightly stands at the head of a series of books on the history of western art, for..." (more)
Key Phrases: protoattic pottery, excluding fillet, reviewing men, Athenian Acropolis, Near East, Achilles Painter (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Brilliantly illustrates the purpose of this new series by focusing on the social and political context of Greek art...a different approach suggesting new perspectives and original connections....Eye-opening and thought-provoking."--Professor François Lissarrague, Ecoles des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, Paris

Product Description

Archaic and Classical Greek Art is a revolutionary introduction to the images and sculptures of Ancient Greece from the Geometric period to the early Hellenistic. By carefully examining the context in which sculptures and paintings were produced, author Robin Osborne shows how artists responded to the challenges they faced in the formidable and ambitious world of the Greek city-state, producing the rich diversity of forms apparent in Greek art. Artistic developments of the period combined the influences of the symbolism and imagery of eastern Mediterranean art with the explorations of humanity embodied in the narratives of Greek poetry, while drawings and sculptures referred so intimately to the human form as to lead both ancient and modern theorists to talk in terms of the 'mimetic' role of art. Ranging widely over the fields of sculpture, vase painting, and the minor arts, and offering a wide selection of unusual images alongside the familiar masterpieces, this work discusses the changing forms of art, and how art was used to define mens relationships with other men, women, slaves, society, nature, and the gods.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (November 19, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0192842021
• ISBN-13: 978-0192842022
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #296,695 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Really worth reading, March 6, 2002

By	Hans van der Velde (Vlaardingen Netherlands) - See all my reviews

This book gave me a new look into greek art. I have read a lot of books about this period and I found that Robin Osborne added new viewpoints. I liked his style of writing, it invited me to read on.

2 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable, at best, February 17, 2007

By	Kerstyn - See all my reviews

This review is from: Archaic and Classical Greek Art (Oxford History of Art) (Hardcover)

Archaic and Classical Greek Art is good supplementary reading if you're into art history or classics that focus on ancient Greece. While the text isn't too exciting, the pretty pictures make up for it; if ever you need to make a presentation on the reading, you can do what I did and talk about how pretty the pictures were. And while the text is a bit boring, it's simple and concise, which would be lifesaving attributes if you're reading it 5 minutes before class. It's an ideal introduction into the subject matter; the content is easy enough to understand and the pictures make it enticing enough to pursue.

On a more general scale, why 4 stars? Because to a classics nerd, it's vastly exciting delving into the world of ancient Greece when it's completely unrelated to school. So I read it after we were tested on it and found it all the more enjoyable.

2 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars It's OK, August 8, 2001

By	J. S. Gilbert (Portland, OR USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Well, once you get past Osborne's pedantic writing, it's an informative treatment of the subject. But, doesn't most academic writing suffer from the "write-like-it's-a-lecture" syndrome? I guess I'll always be a scientist at heart, never a humanist.