by Jurate Macnoriute ....
Unique characteristic property of ancient Greek art is depiction of undressed human figure, and that approach penetrated into European art of later periods. Ancient Greeks saw human body as most beautiful and perfect object for art (Fig.75). Even their temples were built according to proportions of well set up man.
Greek wall painting almost all are missing, but decorated with pictures of mythological scenes vases survived in great quantity. Beautiful limning, play of dark and light areas, good proportionality, catch of great moments of body movement were main goals of vase painters.
Fig. 75. Two boxers. Attic Black Figure. Panathenaic amphora, official, Olympias.
Laconically drawn vase figures characterized by liveliness, joie de vivre. Sketchy faces with large eyes look to us a bit naive and in astonishment (Fig.76). The nearer to archaic period of Greek, the merrier personages smile. In later periods seriousness changes archaic smile.
Fig. 76. Anakreon between eyes. Roosters by handle, plastic head on handle. Attic Black Figure, White Ground, Kyathos.
Greek art was influenced by ancient Egyptians highly, and a relic of that influence from posture viewpoint is seen in Fig. 77. Body's torsion of sit pose eminently similar to Egyptian, with exception of head turned to reverse side -- torsion like spiral goes to one direction, when in Egyptian variant the torsion touches only torso, head and legs evenly point forwards.
Fig. 77. Zeus, Dionysos, Amphitrite and Poseidon. Attic Red Figure, Skyphos.
Posture hands on hips sometimes met. In the first example hands on hips has sense of aggression and related with war (Fig.78-1), in the second hands on hips more undisturbed (Fig.78-2).
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Fig. 78. 1. Hoplite blowing a trumpet. Attic Black Figure, Plate
Interior: 2. Nike and anabates. Lucanian Red Figure, Bell krater.Personages with swagger walk is met frequently in that epoch of heroes and trust in human being. As we see in example Fig.79 Greek swagger walk characteristic not only for men, but also for women. Its features straight stand, from Egyptians adopted turn head when shoulders seen from the front, freely lifted hand. For swagger walk of Greek man wide step is typical (Herakles going to the fountain Fig.85-1).
Fig. 79. Pelops' abduction of Hippodameia. Arezzo amphora.
Greek gesture point usually is done not by extending an index finger, but all four fingers (Fig.80).
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Fig. 80. 1.
Horsemen.
Attic Black Figure, Kylix. Interior: sphinx, cocks and hens, athletes, animals; 2. Herakles and the Erymanthian boar. Attic Black Figure.Poetic vase painters sometimes used scenes with clearly expressed intention cue. They showed not a moment of action, but before that as we see in Fig.81.
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Fig. 81. 1. Nike and Youth. Attic Red Figure. Oinochoe; 2. Mistress and maid. Attic Red Figure, White Ground. Lekythos.
Self touch tactile sign infrequent. Submission status is not characteristic for ancient Greek vase scenes doers. Gesture hand behind head is met in fight scenes (Telamon and Herakles battling Amazons. Euphronios krater depicting an Amazonomachy).
Touch cue's example in Fig 82.
Fig. 82. Detail of Andromeda being chained in the presence of Perseus. Attic Red Figure, Hydria.
An example of decision grip we see in Fig.83 In that same example sit posture, usually on chair.
Fig. 83. Seated woman. Attic Red Figure, white Ground.
Grecian power grip is free from impression of super strong power, but more elegant and playful (Fig.84).
Fig. 84. Satyr with spear and pelta. Attic Red Figure, Neck amphora.
Grecian example of walk and arm swing in Fig. 85-1. Often walking figures carry some things in various positions. Step's size depends on figure's strength and mood (Fig. 85-1, Fig. 85-2, Fig. 85-3).
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Fig. 85. 1. Herakles going to the fountain. Attic Red Figure, Column krater; 2. Wedding Procession. Lid: Helios, Selene and Nyx. Attic Red Figure, Pyxis; 3.
Departure of warriors.
Attic Black Figure, Nikosthenic amphora.Posture body bend and tactile signal touch cue are met in love scenes full of play and flirtation. Woman receives active role (Fig.86). In love scenes we can recognize afferent signal pleasure. Pleasure can be ascribed to characteristics of Greek personages as quite joy.
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Fig. 86. 1. Love-making (naked girl climbing on to a boy's lap). Attic Red Figure, Oinochoe. 2. Paris and Helen with Aphrodite and other goddesses. Attic Red Figure, Amphoriskos.
Sadness expressed in such vase paintings: Eos with body of Memnon. Attic Black Figure. Neck amphora; Eos mourning her dead son Memnon. Attic black figure amphora. 530 BC. Vatican. It can be described as inclination of head and hands lifting to face.
For Greek vase painting filled by joy pain cue is not characteristic. Posture bow is not expressed clearly.
Relationship rapport takes place in group painting -- eye contact, common interest, warm atmosphere (Fig.87-1).
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Fig.87. 1. Odysseus and Sirens. Paestan Red Figure, Bell krater; 2. Attic Black Figure, Skyphos Potters' workshop.
Status signal dominance shown by stand of main figure in central position, accentuation of that figure by big thing beneath, gests, hand on hip, showing shoulders (Fig. 87-2).
