1868 Lawrence Alma-Tadema - Phidias Showing the Frieze of the Parthenon to his FriendsThe following text does a pretty good job of describing what it might have been like to visit The Parthenon just after it was completed:
"All temples in Greece were designed to be seen only from the outside. The viewers never entered a temple and could only glimpse the interior statues through the open doors. The Parthenon was conceived in a way that the aesthetic elements allow for a smooth transition between the exterior and the interior that housed the chryselephantine statue of Athena. A visitor to the Acropolis would be confronted by the majestic proportion of the Parthenon in three quarters view. As the viewer moved closer, the details of the sculptures would become decipherable, and when in proximity to the base of the columns, parts of the frieze would become evident in tantalizing colorful glimpses peering from the spaces between the columns. Moving towards the east and looking up, a visitor would be mesmerized with the depiction of the Panathenaic procession as it appeared in cinematic fashion on the frieze. A visitor moving east would eventually turn the corner to face the entrance of the Parthenon, and there he would be confronted with the birth of Athena high above on the east pediment. Then, through the immense open doors, any visitor would be enchanted by the glistening gold and ivory hues of the 
monumental statue of Athena standing at the back of the dim cella. The statue of Athena Pallas reflected its immense stature on the tranquil surface of the water-pool floor, and was framed by yet more Doric columns, this time smaller, in a double-decked arrangement that made the interior space seem as if it were even larger and taller than the exterior. It seems certain that the master planners of the Parthenon conceived it as a theatrical event. The temple was constructed with the movements of the viewer in mind, and by the arrangement of the temple, the monumental sculptures of the pediment, and the detailed frieze, the emotions of the visitors were choreographed to prepare them for the ultimate glimpse of the majestic Athena Parthenos and to maximize the effect of an awe inspiring visit."
Part of the building's beauty might lie in the control of geometrical relationships. The balance and harmony of the various elements of the building are the result of mathematical calculations. We will return to some of these ideas in future posts but one of the most important concepts is the use of optical effects which work to counteract some of the distortions caused by viewing three dimensional objects in space. Check out this slightly cheesy but interesting video which explores some of the optical tricks employed by the builders of The Parthenon:
Watch NOVA | Optical Tricks of the Parthenon | PBS in Entertainment Videos | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com
4 comments:
After visiting the British Museum to see the selection of sculptures and statues from the Parthenon, it was apparent to me that this was the epiphany of classical art and architecture, striving for perfection and beauty. The technique in sculpture is indeed perfect, proportions are correct and the finishing is impeccable, which provides a stark contrast to the art of today which is nothing of the sort. This is not to say that sculpture of today is not as commendable i.e. Rodin, however it displays why the exam board have chosen to start at the ancient greeks, they developed the technical perfection needed to then explore art throughout the ages. As the video displays the strive for perfection is not only consistent for sculpture but for architecture too, in the Parthenon all parts of the building are measured in relation to one and other, the width of the column is relatable to it's hight etcetc. The idea of classical art and architecture is apparent throughout history even where ages haven't copied the style or used it for influence, the techniques and methods are consistently used.
Classical / Modern
Growing up in the house of a modernist architect, the bible was Le Corbusier's "Towards A New Architecture" - the book that, to some extent, tore down and stamped on the last remnants of 20 century classical architecture. Later, when training to be an architect, although I was mostly interested in the new, the modern, we studied the white classical architecture of times past - but largely from a dry academic viewpoint. Classical architecture did represent, after all, the establishment, the power, the 'system' and like all good younger generations, we were keen on change.
I am now a fully fledged 'modern architect' but find myself more and more impressed with the splendour of an 'Adam' interior; the marvels of Hadrian's Villa, the tranquillity of a Brunelleschi Church, or the sheer braveura of Michelangelo's Laurentian Library. All of which are the architecture of beauty expressed in a classical language that was invented, lost, rediscovered and refined over a 2000 year period.
So here we have the Parthenon, perhaps the apotheosis of 'original' greek classical architecture, a building which, to an architect, is like the' 'Mona Lisa' - so famous, so iconic, so symbolic, that it is difficult to see it clearly through the 'halo'. I've never been to visit it. I've studied it - the proportional system, the tricks, the disputes over the painting, the 'urban design' of the acropolis precinct etc. etc. I've visited hundreds, if not thousands of buildings inspired by it, and I guess I feel that somehow, I sort of 'know it' - but just not intimately.
And this is part of the conundrum of ancient classical architecture. Bernard Tschumi (a contemporary architect) describes true architecture as the experience of both spatial reality and intellectual intent. And although with the Parthenon we get a sense of what this experience might be through the drawings, the fragments, the reconstructions, the fact that it is now a ruin means that we are just not able to experience it's true architectural reality. We can understand the raw power it would have had, simply by standing in front of the British Museum itself, or we can engage with the romantic vision of the temple in ruins. And maybe this is enough.
Because what seems interesting to me now, is how you might find a way to capture the spirit of classical architecture in modern buildings, but without resorting to pastiche - without imitation (like the ugly half sister 'post modernist classicism' for example). And this brings us back to the beginning. Back to Le Corbusier. Because, of course, Le Corbusier's book did also include the careful analysis of the proportions of several classical buildings, including the Parthenon...
Thanks for these fascinating comments. I agree with Flo that the exam board's decision to start at the (slightly arbitrary) date for 500 BCE is clearly connected with the Classical period of Greek art and architecture. I wonder though if the political, economic and cultural contexts are not also relevant and part of our understanding of the word "classical". This period in history marked the beginnings in Athens of what we now call "democracy". Culturally, there was a centralisation of mythic narratives, a move away from regional interpretations. Massive civic architectural schemes (the best example being The Acropolis) were begun which united the arts of sculpture, painting and architecture in establishing symbolic environments for co-ordinated displays of public celebration. Part of the reason why the language of classicism has prevailed for so long seems to be its ability to represent notions of power and control. What connects the architectural style of the bank on the corner with Albert Speer's Zeppelinfeld stadium at Nuremberg?
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