Ancient art is also known as classic, a term which, in architecture,
sculpture, painting, and music, is almost synonymous with _good_ and
_admirable_. Taken as a whole and at its best, classic art has never been
surpassed. The designs of the Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians, and even the
forms of their buildings, are still copied at the present day.
The horizontal line is a marked feature of classic art. It is visible in
the leading lines of their architecture, in the frequency of horizontal
borders, friezes, etc. It accords admirably with the constructive features
of classic architecture, and thus conforms to the important decorative
principle that ornament should emphasize rather than disguise construction.
1. _Egyptian Art._--The oldest of which we have any record dates from 1800
B.C. Egyptian art is symbolic, that is to say, the forms were chosen not so
much on account of their beauty as for the purpose of conveying some
meaning. The government of Egypt being almost entirely in the hands of the
priests, these symbols were generally of a religious character, signifying
power and protection. The principal ones were: The lotus, signifying
plenty, abundance; the zigzag, symbolic of the river Nile; the winged globe
or scarabæus, signifying protection and dominion, usually placed over doors
of houses; the fret, type of the Great Labyrinth, with its three thousand
chambers, which was, in its turn, symbolic of the life of a human soul.
The column originated with the Egyptians. It was at first heavy, broad
compared to its length, and was usually covered with hieroglyphics. The
architecture of Egypt, of which the principal forms are pyramids, sphinxes,
obelisks, and temples, is characterized by massiveness of material,
grandeur of proportion, and simplicity of parts--a style well suited to its
flat, sandy soil, though it would look heavy and out of place in a country
where nature had herself supplied the elements of grandeur and massiveness
in the form of lofty mountains or mighty forests. Egyptian art greatly
influenced all the succeeding styles, and to this time is unsurpassed in
many of its qualities.
2. _Greek Art._--The next great historic style is the Greek. Its spirit
differed entirely from the Egyptian, being æsthetic and not symbolic. Its
sole aim was to create beautiful forms, without any thought of attaching to
them a meaning. It adopted many Egyptian forms, such as the lotus, fret,
and scroll, but divested them of all symbolism or significance. The most
characteristic feature of Greek ornament is the anthemion, a
conventionalized flower form resembling our honeysuckle bud, which was
usually alternated with the lotus or lily form bud. The Greeks also
borrowed the column and flat arch from the Egyptians, but changed it to a
more slender, graceful form. The three principal orders of Greek
architecture are named from the style of the column used that characterized
them, viz., the Corinthian, the Doric, the Ionic. Of these the Doric is the
simplest and the Corinthian the most elaborate.
For harmony of proportions, elegance of form, and simplicity of detail,
Greek architecture and ornament has probably never been surpassed. These
qualities are admirably displayed in the Parthenon, a temple in Athens,
dedicated to Venus. Though in ruins, it is still one of the greatest
attractions to travelers in Greece. A very fine collection of fragments
taken from it is to be seen in the British Museum. They are known as the
Elgin marbles.
The most flourishing period of Greek art, as will be found in the history
of almost all nations, was identical with the most flourishing period of
its literature and general welfare.
3. _Roman Art._--In the 6th century B.C. the Greeks, already on the
decline, were conquered by the Romans, a nation hardier and more powerful,
though ruder and less civilized than themselves. The conquerors recognized
this, and immediately set to work to copy or steal from their vanquished
foes everything that might enhance the beauty and splendor of their own
city. Greek artists were transported to Rome and placed in charge of the
most important public works. Roman art is, consequently, but a development
or adaptation of the Greek. It is noticeable, however, that it almost
completely ignored the most characteristic and popular of the Greek
forms--for example, the anthemion--and adapted those, such as the acanthus
and the scroll, which had been considered of minor importance among the
Greeks. They added another to the three orders of the Greek architecture,
viz., the Composite, the most elaborate of all, being a combination of the
Ionic and the Corinthian. This leads us to consider the leading features of
Roman ornament--richness and profusion. With the acanthus and scroll as
their principal units of design, they elaborated and enriched every form
that would admit of it. The most elaborate Greek example cannot compare in
this respect to the simplest Roman. The Roman style of architecture was
very similar to the Greek, though more massive in its proportions, probably
on account of the larger number of people to be accommodated. The details
were also bolder and the curves fuller. They used the round arch to a great
extent. The column of Trajan and the Forum are fine examples of their
architecture.