The hellenistic period and art a historic review

Hellenistic Period

Hellenistic Period

The Hellenistic period begins in 323 BCE while using death of Alexander the truly great, and ends with the death of Actino in 31 BC. During this period, there was a important difference in art design, specially in sculptures. The artists begun to create even more dramatic positions, more defined lines, substantial contrast of light, shadows as well as emotions. The artist had freedom to learn its subjects from diverse points of view.

Something that I found interesting, is the way the sculptors had been capable of creating well-detailed expression on each statue, on every piece you can see soreness, fear, enjoyment, amusement and death.

This period was particularly interested in recreating brave themes, nevertheless slowly began to shift towards more expressions of the subject matter. Two of the most representative components of Hellenistic artwork are Athena Battling Alkyoneos and Laocoön his sons. You can see evidently how the techniques used on these two pieces evoke that particular realism on their motions, gestures and expressions, and how it seems that both these styles the statues interact with the viewers.

On the gigantomachy frieze of Athena, by Philoxenos of Eretia, you observe how the sculptors created that characteristic design, showing a good amount of emotion on their characters, best shadows, and a sense of interesting depth, which add more episode to the piece. The sculpture is part of The Altar of Zeus, Pergamon, a “baroque” monument demonstrating the challenge of gods and titans.

However we have the piece Laocoön and his daughters, by Athanadoros, Hagesandros and Polydoros of Rhodes. Reveals Laocoön staying sacrificed simply by serpents with an altar, along with his two daughters. He was a Trojan Priest who cautioned the Trojan viruses not to accept the Ancient greek wooden horses. He injected his spear into one area of the Trojan’s horse to verify that it was clear. In order to stop Laocoön to discover the Greeks inside horse Poseidon and Athena sent immediately two serpents that slain him fantastic sons.

His phrase it’s a plainly representation of pain and agony, which will contrast together with the beauty with the sculpture, which usually seems visible because the placement of the key character as well as imposing physique.

One of the primary features of the Hellenistic Period, is that look like that we can easily observe within the sculptures of Athena Dealing with Alkyoneos and Lacoön, as we see similarities on their movement, their body system movements, the shadows, how every detail had been considered in order to portrait our body on a realistic manner.