FROM DIVINE TO HUMAN: TRANSFORMATIONS AND INFLUENCES IN CLASSICAL GREEK ARTISTIC THOUGHT

The fifth century BCE stands out as a revolutionary period in Classical Greek philosophy, literature, and art, often regarded as a turning point and a golden age in the context of cultural history. The term classical originates from the outstanding artistic richness that emerged during this era in fields such as sculpture, painting, architecture, and theater. This artistic wealth, which becomes visible in the fifth century BCE, flourishes in the following Hellenistic period. The artistic revolution of this period is made possible by the rise of rational thought, which begins in the sixth century BCE but reaches its zenith in the fifth century BCE. This new rational perspective gradually replaces old mythological narratives with themes centered on human concerns. While many artifacts of the fifth century BCE reflect a synthesis of Pythagorean principles of mathematical proportion and Apollonian ideals of perfection, the philosophical inquiries of the Sophists and Socrates in the later part of the century begin to influence this revolutionary change. This philosophical shift directs art visibly towards human centered themes. It prompts artists, sculptors, and playwrights to explore both divine and human subjects within a new framework. This study examines the transformation in Classical Greek artistic thought, tracing how divine representations in early artifacts, inspired by Eastern World, gradually give way to human centered themes. Analyzing this evolution within the philosophical, intellectual, and political context of the period, the paper seeks to clarify the complex relationship between emerging ideas and artistic innovations through selected examples of sculpture. By doing so, the research illuminates how mythological narratives evolved into human centered thought.