In The Ancient Arts, It’s Truly All Greek To Me

Contributed by Margot Carlson Delogne, Artfact Marketing

Greece has produced some of the most ancient and enduring art forms of all time. From the Parthenon to marble sculptures depicting gods and goddesses to the red and black pottery detailing scenes from the first Olympic Games, images of Greek art created thousands of years ago are as familiar to us as the most contemporary buildings, paintings and sculptures.

Ancient Greece has, in fact, formed the very foundation for much of the art across the world. The sculptures and buildings of the Roman Empire were based on Greek models. Alexander the Great's conquests fueled a bustling exchange between Greek, Central Asian and Indian cultures whose influences reached as far as Japan. In Europe, the high standards of Greek art inspired generations of artists. (1)

On a recent trip to Athens and several islands in the Aegean Sea, I saw firsthand how enduring this influence is. The classic lines of the Parthenon and the columns of the Temple of Poseidon are echoed in the newest university, government and embassy buildings in Athens. The face of the Charioteer of Delphi, a beautiful bronze statue erected in 474 BC and considered a masterpiece of reality, expresses the same intense concentration and sharp beauty as that of any focused athlete today.

Sailing through the Aegean Sea, I could easily see how not just the past but the natural environment might inspire artists in 2012. Turning a corner on the island of Folegandros, the deep blues and reds on doors and windows dotted the stark white houses cascading down the hills. Looking across the cove in Paros, I was mesmerized by the impossibly clear water and its mix of profound blues and greens. The curve of buildings spreading out and up from the port of Syros created a pastel mosaic that rivaled the most intricate and delicate in ancient floors.

On Paros, I spoke to an artist who had spent several weeks on the island. She had prepared for her trip by buying plenty of paper and an assortment of pencils in the colors she thought best represented what she would see in Greece. When she arrived on the island, she realized she hadn’t even come close to capturing the hues in front of her. She spent her time there studying how to merge different colors to truly capture what lay before her. She half-joked she might have to move to the island to really get it right.

This was my third visit to Greece. In the past, I had heard murmurs about how for centuries, those passing through the country had taken its finest treasures with them. On this visit, the talk was more pointed. Walking through the fantastic new Acropolis Museum, our guide said that Greece has only 40% of the Parthenon’s treasures, whereas 60% of them can be found in museums around the world. For the first time, I heard many Greeks openly refer to those missing artifacts as “stolen.” Their words were loud, echoing off the gaps in the collection that were now painfully obvious. I wonder if the world’s other great museums are listening.

(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_art