Greek art

Alexandrian art

Maid ideas
art & artists
Materials
Themes
Characteristic of Alexandrian art

Art & artists are influenced by the surrounding environment and society
Alexandria a great center of culture, science & literature
The Ptolemaic kings paid great attention to the arts and artists.
This had the greatest impact on the Alexandrian art

Alexandria was Greek reflected on the designs of buildings & temples
the art of Alexandria was in a certain point influenced by the Egyptian
In the course of time, Alexandria was characterized by its own art
known as Alexandria School of Art
reflected in two important factors:
the materials used
the themes expressed.

Materials
the Greek artists carried with them the artistic traditions of their homeland
taught by Braxitiles, Scobas, Lesipius, and Apelles.
erect statues of marble and bronze that imported
the artist had to find a way

adopted plaster instead
In some cases, plaster & marble were used
Plaster for hair & beard
other materials were also used like limestone, sandstone, granite, basalt & others.
The Alexandria artist accorded the color of the material with the subject.
black basalt would be used to represent Negro

Certain materials were more preferred in sculpturing certain subjects.
marble was used for royal & divine works.
porphyry was more preferable for imperial themes statue of Diocletian in the Greco-roman Museum.
gold & bronze were also used to erect statues.
precious & semi-precious stones were used to inlay artistic works.
The glass was used in making vases & vessels of different shapes & sizes.
the most commonly used material was terra-cotta

Themes
varied in the Alexandrian art:
statues representing divinities & kings busts
heads.
low classes & their lives were also figured themes of the daily life of ancient Alexandria.

not restricted in the sculpture work, but in painting as well.
Some believe there was no characteristic school of Alexandria in the field of sculpture
& that the Alexandrian art was influenced by the Hellenistic art & its themes.
Others refuse this suggesting that Alexandria was distinguished by its own school of art
inspired by subjects from everyday life

the society was divided into two main classes:
those of Greek and Macedonian roots the native Egyptians.
one type connected with divinities, heroes and royalty.
made of fine marble.
characterized by idealism influenced by Greek features.

declined in favor of the Egyptian side from the 2nd century BC.
the Greeks have adopted Egyptian traditions and beliefs.
The other type is known as "public art".
related to daily life activities characterized by realism.
People were represented as they looked in real life with their deformities.

In some cases, the two traditions (Greek & Egyptian) can be seen in one piece of art.
Ex: statue of Isis from el-Ras el-Soda
treated like Greek style.
But the theme is Egyptian

Figurines
Characteristic of Alexandrian art
terra-cotta, bronze & plaster figurines.
2 principle methods to manufacture statuettes:
formed by hand or on the potter's wheel (modeling)
moulds (moulding)
a number of types

Tanagra made of terra-cotta.
manufactured the Hellenistic world during the 3rd & the 4th century BC.

.women wearing the Greek costumes carrying a child, a fan, or playing with a musical instrument.
wearing the traditional Greek chiton (robe)
Himaton which is more like a mantle wrapped around the body

To read more about Tanagra click here

Daily Activities Alexandrian-art