National Museum of Athens

The National Archaeological museum of Athens houses some of the most important artifacts from a variety of archaeological locations around Greece.

I have visited the museum several times in the past, and I always make a point of spending at least one relaxing afternoon among its exhibitions every time I visit Athens. Just like a good movie that reveals more of its secrets the second and third time it is viewed, so the ancient statues present themselves in new light with every visit. I present here some of the pictures of ancient Greek art I have taken, but no photograph can replace the magic of standing in front of Zeus' presence.

The art work of ancient Greece materializes the foundation of western thought as it developed the ancient Greek cities, and its form development traces the growth of man as an independent entity on earth.

The concept of humanity's importance as a living organism on this earth, and hence the importance of man as an individual, grew out of ancient Greek culture and was externalized in both abstract systems such as Democracy, Philosophy, and Logic, and concrete forms of art that transcend eons.

These forms of ancient Greek sculpture, along with ceramics art, goldsmithing, metalsmithing, and painting are exhibited throughout the halls of the National museum of Athens. They are silent vehicles for passenger willing to travel back in time through art to touch the origins of self-awareness and self-importance

Through the exhibitions the National Museum one can trace the development of the Art of Greece from the prehistoric days to the golden age of Greek thought, and all the way to the Roman times. The extensive Ancient Mycenaean art collection along with the Archaic sculptures represents a period during which ancient Greece accepted and assimilated external aesthetic influence while it grew secure in its own beliefs. On a similar path, the Cycladic Art collection refer to a culture that was exuberant and self-reliant, and the artifacts of the national museum complement the exhibit of the National Museum of Cycladic Art which can be seen also in Athens.

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The sculptures of the classical period bear witness to the unique vision of ancient Greece which emphasized reason and centered its attention on the human body. Classical sculpture realizes the importance of humans as living organisms, and treats the world as an entity which can be observed and explained in rational ways for the first time in the history of humanity. Classical Greek Art worships reason almost as if it were a metaphysical entity, and it remains highly idealistic despite the strong current towards naturalism.

The ideals of the Classical world of Greece find their logical conclusion in the highly expressive statues of the Hellenistic period, and reach the end in the realism and pragmatism of Roman art and architecture.

It was this art of Greece that influenced in later times a rebirth of the Greek ideals, and the shift of focus towards the world and mankind during the Italian Renaissance.

The National Archaeological Museum was closed before the 2004 Athens Olympics for about eight months for renovations.

My visit in July 2004 was a pleasant surprise, as the museum had installed an air conditioning system (at last) and many of the walls were repainted. The museum in general had a "clean" look to it, but I detected no changes in the exhibited artifacts.

The only exception was the exhibit of the Mycenaean artifacts exhibit. The changes were stunning! The exhibit has been completely re-organized and the cluttered, transparent cages that held the artifacts have been replaced by much more functional ones, with dark backgrounds that let the artifacts (especially the golden ones) dominate with their presence.

Finally, it would be an omission not to mention the lighting of the Mycenaean exhibit. In the past I have done a little work for the Smithsonian institution on exhibition lighting, so it takes a lot to impress me, but the lighting of the Mycenaean artifacts was as perfect as it gets.

Another pleasant surprise in 2005. The upper floor is now open and visitors get to enjoy the superlative frescoes from Akrotiri (Thera), and the extensive collection of ceramic artifacts!

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