It is a fascinating study to move from the tight, artificial lines of
Minoan costume through the barbaric effects in Mycenaean clothing to the
structured geometric garments of the Archaic Greeks, and then to see the
whole process blossom into the beautifully draped, idealized yet natural
clothing of the Classical Greeks. Greek clothing at the height of the
Classical Period is a great lesson in limitation, simplicity, balance, and
proportion, using an idealized natural body (not its cloth covering) as
the measure by which soft, subtle draping effects are achieved to enhance
and extend the natural grace of that human body. Never in the history of
man has such strong limitation in cutting and sewing achieved such beauty
of effect.
There were basically four distinct costume silhouettes in the development
of Greek clothing from Minoan times to the Hellenistic: Cretan-Minoan,
Mycenaean, Archaic, and Classical-Hellenistic. Minoan costume made itself
felt primarily through the images of the snake goddesses with their
artificial silhouette, fitted lines, and exaggerated presentation of the
female form. The costume seems only vaguely related to certain
Mesopotamian female images and hardly at all to the Egyptian, particularly
since the effect was playful, sophisticated, and artificial with none of
the dignity, grandeur, and strength found in human images from Mesopotamia
and Egypt. The Minoans appeared to have had no interest in the folds of
draped fabric, and the pinched waistline, exposed breasts, tiered skirts,
and serpentine hair curls have an almost modern look, as if late
Victorian dress were being parodied in a whimsical comedy. Even the early
nude images of males have the same pinched waist and serpentine curled
hair, and the overall image that remains of this culture is that of a
sophisticated, playful, fun-loving people more interested in enjoying life
than in expanding power over others or in documenting their strength as a
culture.
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Summary
It is a fascinating
study to move from the tight, artificial lines of Minoan costume through
the barbaric effects in Mycenaean clothing to the structured geometric
garments of the Archaic Greeks, and then to see the whole process blossom
into the beautifully draped, idealized yet natural clothing of the
Classical Greeks. Greek clothing at the height of the Classical Period is
a great lesson in limitation, simplicity, balance, and proportion, using
an idealized natural body (not its cloth covering) as the measure by which
soft, subtle draping effects are achieved to enhance and extend the
natural grace of that human body. Never in the history of man has such
strong limitation in cutting and sewing achieved such beauty of effect.
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