Hellenistic Art - A Symbol of the Rich Greek Milieu

The Hellenistic civilization encompassed a wide territory, starting from south-west Asia to North-east Africa between 323 BC and 146 BC. Thus, it became a representation of Greek's strong influence in the older world. This influence is predominant even in the Hellenistic art, which embodies the ancient Greek culture with some fragments of other indigenous cultures.

Hellenistic Art: An Amalgamation of the Traditional and the Eccentric

Diversity, in terms of subject matter and style, is evident in Hellenistic art. The art in those times comprised mostly of representations of the Greek gods.

Popular deity symbols in the art were mostly of:

* Dionysos or the god of wine

* Hermes, who was the god of commerce

* Eros, the Greek symbol of love

With time, the subject matter of Hellenistic art espoused unorthodox themes, such as grotesque figures. Images of ethnic people, particularly Africans, were also incorporated in Hellenistic artifacts. Such works of art provide an illustration of the diversity of the Hellenistic populace.

Hellenistic Antiquities: A Canvas for Hellenistic Art

Hellenistic art was not merely restricted to paintings and sculptures. Striking illustrations and designs can also be observed in common articles such as utensils, tools and urns.

Some popular Hellenistic antiquities are:

Terracotta: Terracotta figurines were previously created in Hellenistic Greece for religious purposes only. Later, they were crafted for funerary and decorative purposes. Most Hellenistic terracotta antiquities, even the miniature statues, are highly detailed.

Vases: Painting on vases was not a common feature in the Hellenistic period. Clay vases were typically black and uniform, having simple motifs of festoons and flowers. Vases in relief, which were imitations of vases made with precious metals, were also common during this period. Metal-based vases were also designed copiously, having detailed and remarkable artwork. The usage of ornamental motifs and insetting of precious-stones was widespread in the Hellenistic metal vase designs.

Gems and jewelry: The jewelers during the Hellenistic era excelled at details and filigrees. Moreover, with the flourishing of precious stones, jewelry stone-insetting took on a whole new form.

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