Greek painting

The art of painting was in as high esteem in Greece as the art of sculpture. Greek painting reached its culmination between the end of the fifth and beginning of the third centuries BC that is in the late Classical and early Hellenistic periods.

The great bulk of Greek architecture, sculpture and painting was put forth to honor gods and heroes.

The first motive of Greek art, then, was too praise Hellas and the Hellenic view of life.

A second and ever-present motive in Greek painting was decoration, This appears in the tomb pottery of the earliest ages, and was carried on down to the latest times.

The paintings of the Tomb of the Diver, dated art 480 BC, are approximately contemporary with the floruit of the first great figure in Greek painting, Polygnotus.

Polygnotus of Thasos was the first major figure in Greek painting when worked in the early Classical period that is in the second quarter of the fifth century.

Vase painting, wall painting, tablet and sculpture were all done with a decorative motive in view.

Literary sources indicate that the painting of the early classical age was essentially contour drawing and achieved almost no illusion of depth.

There was the monumental painting in the stoas, halls, drawing rooms and temples, representing themes from myths as well as political ideas and memories.

Greek painting