Gardner, Percy: The principles of Greek art (London, 1924)

CHAPTER III

THE GREEK TEMPLE

In dealing with the principles of Greek art, it is necessary
to begin with architecture, and particularly with the temple.1
The temple, with the image of the deity which it enclosed, was
a unity, including the best results of all the arts — architecture,
sculpture, painting, music, poetry. An examination of its
character takes us straight to the heart of Greek religion and
art, and indeed of Greek civilization.

Before examining the purposes and the structural ideas of
the temple, it may be well to speak briefly of the external
conditions under which it was evolved.

Influence of country and race. In the construction of modern
cities and of great buildings little influence of the natural
features of the surrounding landscape is to be observed. In-
deed nature has receded and man is predominant. The same
thing is in a great degree true of the vast palaces and temples
of Babylon and Egypt, built in great plains, and making, as
it were, a world independent of them. But in Greece and Asia
Minor nature is more prominent and insistent; the whole coun-
try is made up of rugged mountains divided by narrow valleys

1 There are several recent works on Greek architecture. Anderson and
Spiers' Greek and Roman Architecture gives facts rather than principles. The
great German works of Botticher, Uhde, Puchstein and others are for specialists
only. The best books for the general student are Marquand, Handbook of Greek
Architecture; Sturgis, History of Architecture, Vol. I.; Vol. VII. of Perrot and
Chipiez' V'Art dans VAntiquite, A. Choisy's Histoire de VArchitecture, Vol. I,
and E. Boutmy's Philosophic de VArchitecture en Grece. The last is in its way
admirable; full of brilliant suggestions. I am greatly indebted to it in this
chapter.

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