Greek Art

Language: English

Author: John Boardman

Publisher: Thames & Hudson

John Boardman, one of the best known and acknowledged scholars of the classical Greek world, has updated his definitive survey of its arts, the most influential and widely known historic artistic tradition of the Old World. In the twenty years since the last edition was released, valuable evidence has come to light which has dramatically enhanced our understanding of the arts of ancient Greece and their influence. We now know that Greek artists in fact completed their stone sculptures with realistic colour, as well as working with a wealth of other materials, including wood and precious metals, on a major scale. This proves that our romantic notion of an age of 'classic', pure white marble is a Renaissance construction which has persisted to the present day. We can identify the work of individual artists, and schools of artists, and have a clearer picture than ever before of how art and artistic traditions travelled throughout the Greek world and beyond it. Boardman encourages the reader to consider the masterpieces that have been preserved in their original context, and not just the isolated installations of our modern galleries. He weaves into his discussion of the arts insights into the society that produced them. Illustrated in full colour throughout for the first time, this fifth edition demonstrates yet more vividly the artistic aims and achievements of ancient Greece.