The similarities and differences between ancient Roman and ancient Greek art:
1. ***Same points
Whether it is ancient Greek or ancient Roman art, both are closest to human beings. art. The brilliant achievements of Greek art are rooted in a profound humanistic spirit and are true without any distortion, cover-up, exaggeration or artificiality. For example, the Doric column has a masculine feel for men, while the Ionic column has a feminine feel. Even mythology has the characteristics of "anthropomorphism". Statues made for gods are actually idealized man-made statues for them. For example, the statue of Venus, the goddess of love, is a curvy woman; even with a The winged goddess of victory was also created based on women.
As the successor of ancient Greek art, ancient Roman art also has the same humanistic flavor. For example, its carvings express human characteristics. The ancient Romans had the custom of making statues to commemorate their ancestors. The early sculptures were made based on the faces of the deceased without any beautification. The expressions were rigid and lacked vitality, and were just lifelike. But with the introduction of ancient Greek sculpture art, they began to beautify the statues, but always maintained the main theme of "realism and expression of personality".
The art of ancient Rome and ancient Greece both strived to pursue a kind of harmonious beauty. This harmonious beauty is mainly reflected in three aspects:
1. Natural and real beauty: such as Athens The acropolis building with white marble shows otherworldly beauty, and its carving perfection is recognized by the world. The sculptures of ancient Rome also show the beauty of power. They all "imitate nature and are perfect in nature".
2. The beauty of symmetry: Most temples in ancient Rome or ancient Greece were axially symmetrical buildings, built according to the center line of the main axis, and symmetrical on both sides. It gives people a solemn, sacred and inviolable feeling. The main shape of the temple is rectangular, with the same number of columns on all four sides. Not only is the appearance symmetrical, but the internal structure also has a certain degree of symmetry. The oval-shaped Colosseum in ancient Rome is a model of symmetry, and the huge and magnificent Acropolis of Athens is famous for its dignity, elegance and symmetry.
3. The beauty of proportion: For example, in the Pantheon in ancient Rome, the proportions in the temple are coordinated and very appropriate and harmonious: the base of the large dome is built starting from half the total height, and the diameter is equal to the height. , about forty-three meters. The ancient Greek statue "Venus de Milo" is also moderately long and beautiful, and is amazed by the world.
2. Differences
1. Relative independence and diversity of origins
Ancient Greece was surrounded by the ocean, so the locals used the sea as a thoroughfare. Become a sea people. As early as the eighth century BC, the ancient Greeks set sail to the sea, creating the Greek concept of daring to think, dare to do, and dare to innovate. This bold and free concept has penetrated into the field of art. For example, in many dramas, the Greeks even teased gods wantonly and criticized the powerful without scruples; sculptors could use human images as models for gods; gods were regarded as having the same shortcomings and weaknesses as humans in mythology. And because of its geographical factors, ancient Greek art was relatively independent.
And because ancient Rome was a peninsular slave country, mainly based on agriculture, it cultivated a calm thinking and pragmatic spirit about objective things in its struggle with nature, which was different from the outward expansion of the ancient Greeks. different. Moreover, ancient Roman art was not as simple as Greek art. It was influenced by Etruscan art, and as it conquered other countries, it also absorbed the culture of Greece, Egypt, and Mesopotamia. During the same period, different local art styles were also different. In addition to the orthodox art centered on the city of Rome, each province of the empire also had its own different styles. Therefore, the art of ancient Rome became its own style based on the integration of other cultures, and was the unity of uniqueness and diversity.
2. Different artistic purposes
The creative activities of ancient Greek culture and art were part of its life. For example, ancient Greek drama originated from the activities of worshiping the god of wine, and later developed into a national celebration festival. Every citizen has the opportunity to watch a theater at least one day a year, and the government also provides theater watching subsidies. The ancient Greeks had a special liking for "beauty". They repeatedly explored the correct proportional relationship in portrait sculpture and temple architecture, and had a unique aesthetic. This makes the art of ancient Greece appear to be full of health, nature, optimism, elegance, etc., which is different from the supernatural and religious mystery of Near Eastern art.
The purpose of creating art in ancient Rome was completely different. Roman art was mainly used for commemoration and praise. For example, the Arch of Constantine was built to commemorate the unification of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great, who defeated Emperor Maxentius. The relief panel above the Arc de Triomphe mainly contains the life and achievements of the emperors of the past dynasties. Whether it is a majestic building or a majestic emperor statue, it has its practicality or commemoration.
3. Respecting gods and kings
The ancient Greeks who believed deeply in gods built countless classic temples. For example, there are many temples praised by the world on the Acropolis of Athens. The lifelike statues are also mostly based on mythology. Greek art was mainly used to worship gods, so it has a fantasy color, and it appears dignified and elegant, giving people a sense of sanctity and tranquility.
As ancient Rome continued to expand its territory, it increasingly worshiped the emperors who had achieved great achievements throughout the ages, even more than worshiping gods. Therefore, most of the ancient Roman art was to praise the emperor or satisfy the luxurious life needs of the Roman aristocrats.
Therefore, the sculpture art has an aristocratic atmosphere, and most of the statues are mainly nobles and emperors; the buildings also appear more majestic and majestic than those in Greece. This makes the art of ancient Rome lose the simplicity and elegance of ancient Greece, but have the style of a king.
4. Romanticism and Pragmatism
The ancient Greeks valued spiritual expression and liked abstract and general concepts in art. The perfect expression of the human body is the highest ideal of ancient Greek art. From the perspective of sculpture, the principles emphasized in shaping the human body are simplicity, clarity, symmetry, and harmony; while in clothing, the emphasis is on lightness, elegance, authenticity, and nature. Discover the secret of beauty from the proportions of the human body. The golden ratio is not only used in sculptures but also in architecture, giving people a sense of symmetry and harmony. Although they advocate that art imitates nature, they do not completely imitate nature, nor do they allow their own imagination to make things up. Just like Aristotle advocated that "art should imitate the way things should be", that is, the typical, universal, inevitable and harmonious nature of things, so it is an idealized realistic style. The beauty pursued by art is linked to the authenticity of nature. Therefore, creating vivid and natural emotional images clearly shows that ancient Greece pursued perfection in art and had idealistic characteristics.
Because the ancient Romans were more realistic, practical and liked concrete and real things, ancient Roman art did not have the romanticism and fantasy elements of Greek art and did not need to pursue perfection, but was realistic and realistic. Narrative characteristics. Just as the spiritual temperament of ancient Roman statues was mainly expressed through the face, the Greeks conveyed it through body posture and movement. Therefore, if a Roman statue is missing its head, the rest of it will not be appreciable. However, the soul of a Greek statue is filled with all parts of the body. Even if only the broken arm is left, it can still give people a unique sense of life and beauty.
4. Personality and individuality
Ancient Greek sculptures emphasized individuality and national spirit. Rome required portraits with distinctive personality characteristics, which were not only satisfied with appearance. It is realistic and focuses on the portrayal of character personality, emphasizing reality and individuality. From the perspective of sculpture, its characters are not as vivid and beautiful as those of Greek sculptures. They lack the rich imagination and pursuit of strength and dynamic beauty in Greek sculptures. The expressions of the characters are mostly lost in concentration and contemplation, with a strict and reserved look. In other words, many ancient Roman statues reflect the personalities of different ancient Roman emperors. On the one hand, ancient Greece was more democratic and free, and its art attached great importance to expressing the joy of life, praising human nature and paying attention to interest. Therefore, most of the characters in the art are cheerful, making people feel that they are the masters of the world. . This reflects the ideals and demands of the whole people to a certain extent. On the other hand, the slave-owning political system of city-states provided favorable conditions for the development of culture and art. City-states required citizens to have a strong body and a perfect mind. Therefore, the ideal image in ancient Greek art was an elegant and tranquil temperament. With a physique like an athlete, this unique aesthetic standard prompted Greek art to produce a model of ideal beauty.
5. Simplicity and magnificence
Ancient Greek architecture has a simple beauty, and its sculptures have an elegant beauty. Its works of art are as smart and thorough as water, and the more simple and elegant they are, the more intriguing they are. Ancient Roman temple buildings mostly used gorgeous Corinthian columns. For example, the famous Pantheon in Rome is an extremely solemn and gorgeous huge building with a shining golden dome and a dazzling array of reliefs inside, all of which are magnificent and magnificent. Other works of art are also characterized by grandeur and magnificence, making it easy for people to feel the nobility and majesty of the king.
6. Artistic impression
People who first come into contact with ancient Greek and Roman art often feel that the techniques used between the two are similar, but as the number of artworks they appreciate increases, Ancient Greece and ancient Rome gave people obviously different artistic impressions. First, because ancient Greece paid attention to people's ideological and cultural qualities, its art had more cultural characteristics, tending to be soft and elegant. Secondly, while ancient Rome pursued strength and physical perfection, its art paid more attention to strength, beauty and momentum.