Greco-Roman Art and the Hermitage, St. Petersburg

There are many examples of Greek and Roman sculpture throughout the Hermitage, and this is just one example of how breathtaking they are.  It is both the artistry of the sculptor and the magnificent setting of the museum itself that make it so magical to see.  I had just finished doing the reading out loud for a class in ancient roman art with my youngest son, which was incredibly painful for me.  I knew nothing about what was important that I was reading, and it felt like an endless string of facts that I failed to process.  When I toured the Hermitage's collection of sculpture from this era I was pleasantly surprised to find that I had in fact learned quite a lot.  I could identify both subject and style.  Amazing!

The art of the ancient Greeks and Romans is called classical art.  The Romans took their style and techniques directly from the Greeks, and while it was on one level copying, the Romans did get around quite a bit, and brought the Greek style to a much broader audience.  Classical art owes its lasting influence to its simplicity and sheer beauty.  The human form is naturally and easily represented, a joy to look at.