🏛 Art and Architecture - PARTHENON

How high is the Parthenon?

14 meters high

What does Amazonachy show/signify?

The Greek strength over foreigners

Whats the historical context behind the Metopes?

Alludes to a long history of civilised Greek society declaring barbarians

What do the Metopes overall show?

1) Greek superiority (e.g military, strength, grace)

2) How the greeks idea of beauty was above everyones else's

3) Artistic excellence (e.g high relief, detailed)

How long is the frieze on the parthenon?

160m

What does the frieze depict?

The Atenian Procession and the Panathenaic festival

What did the East side of the frieze depict?

Shows as Athena is offered the greek traditional garment named, 'Peplos'.

What is the Greek term for the female weavers of the garment?

'Ergastinai'

What did the garment/festival represent?

1) How close Athens was with the gods (reference to Acropolis = high city)

2) Prideful love they had for the gods

What did this represent? (1)

1) Shows how superior the Greeks saw themselves to be and how they were above everyone else (and wanted others to know!)

What did this represent? (2)

That their power and cooperation as a city state functioned so beautifully that they belonged among the beings of divinity.

What did Pericles state that alludes to how superior Athens was?

"Future ages will wonder at us as the present age wonders at us now"

Overall, what does the Frieze signify?

Athens superiority as a state, as citizens and their high status.

Why was the Parthenon's stylobate raised?

To stop the sagging affect

⭐️ Scholars believe it was practicality (rain etc) but others believed it was about more than that (Acropolis = high city)

What was entasis for?

1) To give off a stronger look up close

2) Look straight from afar

What was the third optical refinement?

Tilting of columns

Why were the columns tilted on the Parthenon?

1) To make it seem like the corners were perfect right angles.

2) Seem parallel to each other

What does the tilting of the columns allude to? (Greek value)

Structurally sound gives off look of harmony and balance.

What does intercolumniation mean?

"Proportional spacing of columns in a colonnade"

How else were the corner columns different to the others?

1) Slighty wider - (1.5938m diameter c.f of 1.905m)

2) 4:9 ratio 'perfection'

What was the significance of the optical refinments?

Clear attention to details details + ability to apply their innovational principles =

1) Communicated superiority in architecture, intelligence and wealth

2) Ahead of their time

What did Pericles say about the superiority of Athens that links to optical refinements and the Parthenon in itself?

"It is more the case of our being a model to others, than of imitating anyone else"

Overall, what did these optical refinments all communicate? (link to Pericles quote)

Eminence is so definitive that it's a pinnacle and example for other city-states in its effectiveness

When was the Parthenon built?

Around 447 - 438 BCE

How many Metopes is there on the Parthenon?

92

Where do the Metopes sit?

In between Triglyphs and above the columns

Whats the acronym and the answers?

NESW / TGCA

N - Trojans

E - Giants

S - Centaurs

W - Amazons

Whats the first specific metope - shown on the west side?

Amazonachy

What does the Amazonachy metope depict?

Two defeated amazons vs a Greek soldier who is triumphing on a horse

Whats the second specific metope - show on the south side?

Centaurmachy

What does the Centaurmachy depict?

Drunk centaur choking an innocent Laphith

How does the Centaurmachy present each character?

- C shown to be verry aggressive and vainy

- L shown to be gracefull despite being in pain

What does this high relief metope signify?

Greek beauty and grace

Whats the second feature of the Parthenon that shows off its purpose?

The Frieze

Why was the Panathenaic festival thrown?

For goddess Athena on her birthday

What was one of the most significant sides of the Frieze?

The east side

Why was this section particularly important?

It showed the Athenian citizens among gods and godesses

What was the third feature on the Parthenon that shows its purpose?

Optical Refinements

What are optical refinements for?

Changes to different attributes to contradict a visual distortion

Whats the first optical refinment?

1) Raised Stylobate/base

How much was the Parthenon's stylobate raised?

6cm in centre and each side

What was the second optical refinement?

'Entasis' / curving of columns

How much were the Parthenons columns wider in the middle?

4cm

What did scholars say about the columns being continued?

If continued up several kms they would meet

What was the fourth and last optical refinement?

Intercolumniation

Why was intercolumniation for?

To avoid distortion of crowding (too close) or emptiness)

Whats the first feature of the Parthenon that reflects its purpose?

The Metopes

How did intercolumniation mitigate these issues?

1) Perfect spacing APART from:

2) Corners closer to give off look of strength