A lot of people only think of the ancient Greeks as the inventor of the Olympics. But they had many artistic accomplishments as well, the influenced art for centuries afterwards. The philosopher, Protagoras, claimed, Man is the measure of all things. So the human body became the central focus of ancient Greek art. Sculpture was marked by a celebration of athleticism and strength. Because of this exaltation of the human form, most statues are… well, naked. The Greeks made ceramic vessels for all kinds of uses, somewhere used for drinking out of, and somewhere used for storing food, cosmetics, and perfume. There were three periods of vase painting. In the geometric period, designs and figures were painted on with black slip. The figures and animals depicted were very abstract and, as the name implies, were very geometric. Black figure pottery is what most people think of when they think of Greek ceramics. Artists would paint large areas of the pot in black slip and scratch away details which revealed the red clay underneath the slip. Finally, in the red figure period, most of the vase was painted with black slip, except for the area where the figure was depicted. Details of the figure were now painted on with exquisite detail. The Greeks worshipped a myriad of gods and had countless temples dedicated to them. Most temples were made of tall columns with a triangular shape on the top, called a pediment. This style of architecture has influenced numerous architects and its influence can still be seen in our buildings today. The Greeks celebrated the human body and their art and built large temples. Their influence on art and architecture has lasted long after their civilization fell. The Greek Artists The Greek Artists The Greek Artists The Greek Artists The Greek Artists The Greek Artists The Greek Artists