The Hellenistic Age links classical Greece with imperial Rome. Hellenistic man was preeminently a citizen of the world: the narrow limits of the city-state had given way to the boundless oikumene. In the old cities of Greece, in Italy, Asia Minor, and the new courts set up by the Hellenistic dynasties between the death of Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar, the period was marked by masterpieces which combined elegant craftsmanship with intense emotional force. At the same time, architecture benefited from the advances in mathematics and engineering. Theatres, gymnasia, temples, porticoes and colonades were built in cities old and new. In sculpture, the spirit of the age revealed itself in such works as the famous Lacocoon and the Winged Victory from Samotrache (now in the Louvre).The author considers, in addition to these activities, the achievements of the Hellenistic Age in mosaic work, painting, terra-cottas, masks, coinage and book illustration.Professor T.B.L. Webster is a Professor of Greek Studies at University College in London, England, and the author of many books on Greek art and literature.Professor Webster examines the intellectual and political background of the Hellenistic Age and distinguishes between the early, middle and late periods. He demonstrates that while the styles of Early Hellenistic art continues from its origins in the 4th Century BC, new developments emerged in realistic portraiture and pastoral art.The book is lavishly illustrated with 56 full-color plates and 80 black and white illustrations, 276 pages, along with maps, a chronological table, glossary introduction and index.
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