Late Classical and Hellenistic Periods

big idea

The art of the late Classical and Hellenistic periods saw changes in the artistic style from idealized and composed to more dramatic and sensual.

1. Period and Location: Late Classical and Hellenistic Periods

The late Classical and Hellenistic periods extended from 400 BC to around 30 BC, from the time of the Peloponnesian War to the conquering of Greece by Rome. This lesson covers the geographical region of ancient Greece.

This timeline highlights the period that this lesson covers:

2. Politics, Art, and Change

The Golden Age of Athens was short-lived. Soon after the completion of the Parthenon, Pericles died from the plague, and Athens found itself at odds with Sparta.

The Peloponnesian War was fought between Athens and Sparta, two Grecian city-states. Athens eventually lost the battle in 404 BC. This huge loss as well as an outbreak of the plague pushed Athens into a period of decline.

The Classical period corresponds to this decline. At the same time, there was a shift in artistic style. Male nudes were quite common and more than acceptable, while the female nude was actually seen as low-class. But artists were beginning to challenge these ideas.

3. “Aphrodite of Knidos”

The artist, Praxiteles, shook up the Grecian world in 350 BC with the first known depiction of a female nude in history, or at least the first in the art of Greece. It’s called the “Aphrodite of Knidos.”

Below is a Roman copy of “Aphrodite of Knidos”. Note that this is only a copy, not the original.

This sculpture depicts the goddess Aphrodite emerging from or entering a bath. There is a shift from what we’ve seen before in this type of artwork. It is a much more sensual depiction of the female form. The overall posture seems even more relaxed than the traditional contrapposto pose.

4. “Hermes and Dionysus”

Subject matter began to change as well. Artists began to depict more intimate and relaxed characters.

Speaking of relaxed pose, below is a sculpture of the god, Hermes, with the infant god, Dionysus. This sculpture shows a much more exaggerated representation of the contrapposto pose.

In the sculpture above, Hermes actually has to support himself by leaning on the tree stump. The figure, while idealized, is less athletic in build than what we see in works such as the “Doryphoros,” by Polykleitos. There is a more youthful appearance. The sculpture was originally attributed to the artist Praxiteles, due to its stylistic qualities. But it’s now believed that this may, in fact, be a Roman reproduction of an earlier work by Praxiteles.

did you know

Reproductions of artwork are actually quite common.

5. “Nike of Samothrace”

The artist Lysippos was important because of his depictions of athletes and great warriors in more naturalistic poses. He is considered a key artist in transitioning from the late Classical to Hellenistic style, where we see more dramatic sculptural poses.

Take, for example, this image below of “Nike of Samothrace”.

Notice the sense of movement in this sculpture, which is intensified by:

• The dramatic folds of the cloth
• The contrasting light and dark areas
• The figure jutting forward as the wings extend backwards

6. “Aphrodite of Milos”

Below is the “Aphrodite of Milos”—or “Venus de Milo,” as it’s commonly known:

This work of art is interesting in its apparent combination of stylistic elements. At first glance, it calls forth the central nude depictions of late Classical artists, such as Praxiteles. But the way the cloth is rendered is characteristic of the Hellenistic period in its dramatic folds and in the way it seems to almost be slipping off her body.

7. “Dying Gaul”

The Gauls, or Celts, were a tribe of people who originally settled in the central regions of Europe. It wasn’t until they were constantly pushed further and further out of Europe that they settled into the regions we associate with them today—Great Britain and Ireland. They were considered barbarians, as were all non-Greeks.

Take a look at this image of “Dying Gaul”.

This artwork is interesting both for its naturalistic depiction of its subject and for the dignity of the depiction of his death. It seems to suggest a level of respect on the part of the artist for his bravery, even in defeat. This is a Roman copy of an original bronze.

8. "Gallic Chieftain"

The idea of a noble death is also seen in this sculpture of the “Gallic Chieftain Killing Himself and His Wife”.

An image such as this, in its time, would have been understood to reflect a certain degree of nobility in how the chieftain would rather see his wife dead than sold into slavery. He would rather take his own life than surrender. An image such as this seems to imply a level of admiration for these barbarians, as the Greeks would call them. But also, it extols the ability of the Greeks in their conquest of these noble warriors.