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Ancient Greece and Early Christian and Byzantine

Ancient Greek vs. Early Christian Art and Architecture

The culture of ancient Greece prized symmetry and precision, considering both to equate with beauty and seeing all three in nature. These culture values are clearly exemplified in the art that was produced by the culture. The statue of Aphrodite at Knidos, by the Greek sculptor Praxiteles (c. 350 B.C), is the earliest known monumental statue of a female nude made by the Greeks, yet its perfection in symmetry made it the copy from whence all others would follow. Painstaking care was taken in keeping precise proportions throughout the various portions of the statues body, and it is in this way that Praxiteles achieved the height of mathematic and aesthetic beauty so highly sought by the ancient Greeks. Greek temples and other structures used similar proportions and also incorporated symmetry, reflecting their value of balance.
The 10th and 11th century Christians had a distinctly different style of art and architecture stemming form their own cultural values. This period, known as the Romanesque period of art and architecture, was marked both by the need for protection from barbarian armies and a desire to create lasting monuments to the Christian religion and culture. The