Ancient aesthetics refers to the perception of beauty and form in the ancient world and the importance it was given in many ancient cultures.
Aesthetics Definition and History
Aesthetics is defined as the perception of art, design or
beauty
Beauty is commonly described as a feature of objects that makes these objects pleasurable to perceive. Such objects include landscapes, sunsets, humans and works of art. Beauty, together with art and taste, is the main subject of aesthetics, o ...
. Aesthetics is derived from the Greek word "''aisthetikos"''
defined as a perception of the senses. In aesthetics, there is a process of individual analysis, perception and imagination.
Perception is defined as an individual's neurophysiological process of awareness and interpreting external stimuli.
Therefore, aesthetics is highly subjective and differs by individual.
Aesthetics can also be used as a synonym to define taste or style
encapsulating artistic expression and activities such as rhetoric, tone, harmony, painting, composition art and music.
Aesthetics also encapsulates the look, feel, or sound of natural forms.
Aesthetics also encompasses the science of how an individual or a society perceives, feels, senses or knows an external stimuli.
As a philosophy, aesthetics was developed in 18th century Germany by
Emmanuel Kant. However, Greek and Roman philosophers such as
Aristotle
Aristotle (; grc-gre, Ἀριστοτέλης ''Aristotélēs'', ; 384–322 BC) was a Greek philosopher and polymath during the Classical period in Ancient Greece. Taught by Plato, he was the founder of the Peripatetic school of ph ...
and
Plato
Plato ( ; grc-gre, Πλάτων ; 428/427 or 424/423 – 348/347 BC) was a Greek philosopher born in Athens during the Classical period in Ancient Greece. He founded the Platonist school of thought and the Academy, the first institution ...
engaged in the rhetorical debate of aesthetic perception and properties as a separate branch of philosophy in defining the parameters of art and beauty.
Ancient aesthetics shows the origin of aesthetic debate and influences modern aesthetic definitions.
Ancient civilization
Ancient is defined as an early historical period that is identified by the oldest known civilizations.
Ancient history
Ancient history is a time period from the beginning of writing and recorded human history to as far as late antiquity. The span of recorded history is roughly 5,000 years, beginning with the Sumerian cuneiform script. Ancient history cove ...
is the study of life and events during this period.
Civilizations that fall under classification of ancient are: Ancient Greece (800 B.C. and 500 B.C.), the
Incas
The Inca Empire (also known as the Incan Empire and the Inka Empire), called ''Tawantinsuyu'' by its subjects, ( Quechua for the "Realm of the Four Parts", "four parts together" ) was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The adm ...
(1438 A.D – 1532 A.D.), the
Aztecs (1345 A.D – 1521 A.D), the
Romans
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
* Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
(550 B.C. – 465 B.C.), the
Persians
The Persians are an Iranian ethnic group who comprise over half of the population of Iran. They share a common cultural system and are native speakers of the Persian language as well as of the languages that are closely related to Persian.
...
(550 B.C. – 465 B.C.),
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
civilization (1600 B.C.E. – 1046 B.C.E.),
Mayan
Mayan most commonly refers to:
* Maya peoples, various indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica and northern Central America
* Maya civilization, pre-Columbian culture of Mesoamerica and northern Central America
* Mayan languages, language family spoken ...
civilization (2600 B.C. – 900 A.D.),
Ancient Egypt (3100 B.C.E. – 2686 B.C.E.),
Indus Valley civilization (3300 B.C. – 1900 B.C.) and
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia ''Mesopotamíā''; ar, بِلَاد ٱلرَّافِدَيْن or ; syc, ܐܪܡ ܢܗܪ̈ܝܢ, or , ) is a historical region of Western Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the ...
(3500 B.C. – 500 B.C.)
Ancient Greek aesthetics
![Bronze Zeus or Poseidon NAMA X 15161 Athens Greece](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9c/Bronze_Zeus_or_Poseidon_NAMA_X_15161_Athens_Greece.jpg)
Ancient or archaic Greece is the time period between 800 B.C. and 500 B.C.
Beauty
Beauty in
ancient Greece
Ancient Greece ( el, Ἑλλάς, Hellás) was a northeastern Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean civilization, existing from the Greek Dark Ages of the 12th–9th centuries BC to the end of Classical Antiquity, classical antiquity ( AD 600), th ...
(800 – 300 B.C.E.) was referred to as κάλλος. The history of ancient Greek aesthetics spans centuries. Philosophical theories of beauty through this era are proportion, functionality and form.
Greeks Gods
Influence of beauty was derived from the gods.
who took a divine human form and inspired their perception of beauty. Temples were created to worship gods, contained their lifelike images.
Form
Ancient Greeks focused on the aesthetic form of the ideal human body.
captured through the art.
Sculptures were initially inspired by the monumental art of the Ancient Egyptians.
Sculptures were considered at their peak of aesthetics when the human form was captured in a unique way and emphasized a divine or godlike quality. Proportion, poise and perfection of the human form were the artistic and aesthetic ideals.
Stone and bronze monuments are iconic of this civilization.
Ancient Egyptian aesthetics
Beauty
Ancient Egyptians regarded physical beauty of the utmost importance and performed rituals to enhance their appearance. Recovered artifacts support ancient Egyptian beauty ideals
including makeup, copper and silver handheld mirrors, and combs. Makeup was created using siltstones palettes to grind minerals such as green malachite or kohl.
Human hair was used to create extensions and wigs.
Jewelry enhanced beauty such as a string of beads and carnelian pendants in the shape of poppy heads.
The afterlife and tombs
The Ancient Egyptians believed in an afterlife. Tombs were created for the dead and decorated with the highest form of their aesthetic principles.
Mummy masks and coffins emphasized painted eyes lined with dramatic black outlines.
References
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Movements in aesthetics
Ancient culture
Cultural history
History of aesthetics
Ancient Greek aesthetics