Greek art is usually divided into three periods: Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic
THE ARCHAIC PERIOD (8th to 6th centuries BC)
The Olympic Games of 776 BC. they mark the starting point of the Greek chronology and the definitive start of the literary and artistic development of the Greeks. The temple is the building that arouses the most efforts towards perfection. In the archaic period is when it is structured, evolving in its definition until the classical period. The concern for man is reflected in the sculptural decoration of the temple
THE CLASSIC PERIOD (V-IV BC)
the art of the following centuries is more and more inclined to reflect the emotional experience and values of man as an individual and not those of the community. Human emotions are collected, such as anguish, suffering, tenderness and humor, sensory and sensuality and even religious emotion; but, even so, it is still not renounced to capture universal experiences. The classical period ends with the unity that the conquest of the Macedonian king Philip II imposes on the Greek polis, and with the monarchical form of government that his son, Alexander the Great, implants. With its great conquests, the Hellenic spreads throughout the ancient world, giving way to the Hellenistic period, also called Alexandrian.
THE HELENISTIC PERIOD (IV-I BC)
The Hellenistic period spans from the death of Alexander the Great (323 BC) to the Roman conquest (30 BC). At this time, Greek elements intermingle with Eastern elements from conquered territories; in art, the courts of kings and wealthy citizens offer patronage that produces a great variety of works. An eclecticism arises in which all the tendencies fit, from a mimesis of the purest classicism to the most variegated exaggeration and luxury; from the written definition of the orders to a gigantic monumentality of oriental scales.