Hellenistic art is a term used to describe a period of artistic production associated with the decline of the Greek empire in the 3rd century BC. It is the term used to describe the art of the Hellenistic period, which began with the conquests of Alexander the Great in the 330 BC. It spanned over the three centuries until the fall of the last of the major Hellenistic kingdoms to Rome in 30 BC. Hellenistic art was heavily influenced by the styles of Greece, Rome and the Near East, sharing a common style across the region.

What Is Hellenistic Art?

Hellenistic art is characterized by a radical shift away from the ordered, idealized forms of classical Greek art. In their place, Hellenistic art introduced a more realistic and calculated style, often with a Focus on emotion, momentary expression and movement. The style continued to develop over the nearly three centuries of the Hellenistic period, but was eventually displaced by the development of Roman art.

The aesthetics of Hellenistic art was informed by several key factors, including the following:

• Humanism – A renewed emphasis on human figures, with an emphasis on their expressions, emotions and bodily movements.

• Naturalism – A more realist study of nature, with attention to its real shapes, textures and colour.

• Technical innovation – Roman sculpture was heavily informed by technological developments such as the introduction of bronze casting, alloying and the use of marble.

• Eclecticism – The fusion of ideas and styles from multiple regions, including Greece, Rome, Egypt and the Near East

• Monumentalism – The making of enormous monuments, sculptures and structures for public display

• Narrative – Artworks heavily focused on storytelling, often with a focus on the Greek myths and religious stories.

Characteristics of Hellenistic Art

Hellenistic art was characterized by a shift away from the ordered idealism of Classical Greek art and towards a more naturalistic style. Its characteristics can be broken up into a number of smaller elements:

• Realism –Hellenistic artists began to represent their subjects with a greater attention to their real appearance and textures, often emphasizing details and particularly fleeting moments.

• Emotionalism – The introduction of emotion became a real focus, with facial expressions, body language and posture all emphasized in a much more dynamic way.

• Movement – Another key characteristic of Hellenistic art was its focus on movement, often with a focus on individual characters completed gestural panels of emotion.

• Monumentalism– The building of colossal new sculptures and monuments became popular during the Hellenistic period.

• Eclecticism – Multiple styles and approaches were merged together in Hellenistic art, as artists tried to layer in ideas from different cultural backgrounds.

• Narrative – Artists began to focus on storytelling within their works, with the introduction of narrative scenes from Greek myths or religious stories.

Examples of Hellenistic Art

A number of iconic works from the Hellenistic period still remain today, and can be seen in galleries and museums worldwide. These include:

• Laocoön and His Sons – a marble sculpture from Rome that is believed to be dated between 180 and 160 BC. It is one of the best examples of Hellenistic narrative reliefs in existence today.

• Winged Victory of Samothrace – This famous marble sculpture from the 2nd century BC was discovered on the small Greek island of Samothrace by chance. It is often considered one of the finest examples of Hellenistic art.

• The Albertinum Augustus – This marble heads represents the Roman emperor, Augustus, in the style of a classical Greek God. Created in the early 1st century AD, it is an iconic example of Hellenistic portraiture.

• The Mourning Athena – This terracotta relief was created in around 180 BC and is a fine example of narrative Hellenistic sculpture, illustrating the myth of Athena mourning the death of Erechtheus.

• The Barberini Faun – This colossal marble sculpture of a satyr from 150 – 140 BC is another iconic example of the narrative sculptures and monuments of the period.

Hellenistic art represents a significant shift in the development of artistic styles in the Mediterranean world. Spanning close to three centuries, it is a period of art that placed a strong emphasis on humanism, naturalism, technical innovation and a deep narrative aspect. These characteristics can be seen in a number of iconic works from the period, many of which still exist today in galleries and museums around the world.