Classical Greek Architecture Essay -- Greece Greek Essays

Classical Greek Architecture The reuse of older art works in contemporary times is not an uncommon occurrence, and many examples can be seen throughout the day as one goes from place to place. Even when one is browsing through the World Wide Web can many uses of older art and architecture be seen, as with the example shown. This image was found on the internet at the American Express homepage (http://www.americanexpress.com/student/), which functions as a resource for college students to find access to many commercial advertisements about discounts and products relevant for students. This homepage caters mostly to students, as non-students would not apply to the majority of the goods or services available. The picture itself is not exemplary of any one classical Greek building, but contains many elements of classical Greek architecture and design. The columns are what stand out the most in the architecture of this picture. The original Greek columns came in three different styles, or orders: Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. All Greek columns consist of both a shaft and a capital, and sometimes there is a base as well. The shaft is made from round drums stacked one on top of the other. The main difference among the orders comes from the differences in the capitals. The Doric capitals are usually very simple and look like the weight of the roof is flattening them out. The Ionic capitals are a little fancier with a large volute, which looks like rams horns rolling off of the shaft. The Corinthian capital is much more complex with smaller volutes and many stylized acanthus leaves and rosettes, accompanied by a boss on the top of each side. All three types of columns rest on the floor of the b uilding, which is often a temple. The fl... ... draw a connection between the ability of a large Greek temple to draw people to it and the large amount of people that can view this one graphic on the web page. The relationship is direct; one temple in ancient Greece is visited by many, and one web graphic is accessed by many. The temple in ancient Greek times gave its message symbolically an directly to a large group of people via sculpture and statues. This one web graphic relies on associations of ancient symbols to convey its message to a large group of people. Therefore we can say that although the function of the temple and graphic are different, the properties are the same: they are both meant to be looked upon by a large amount of people. Thus the connection between ancient art and modern use is evident when one looks at everyday life, and even the latest in technology still uses the creations of the past.