Aesthetic Implications of Kalokagathía in Ancient Greek Culture
Author
Tomás García, JorgeEntity
UAM. Departamento de Historia y Teoría del ArtePublisher
Siliguri: theapollonianDate
2016-03Citation
The Apollonian 3.1-2 (2016): 16-22ISSN
2393‐9001Subjects
Homer; Plato; Aristotle; Citizen; Kalokagathía; Arte / Bellas ArtesAbstract
This article discusses the aesthetic implications of kalokagathía in Greek culture and some
of its implications for Modernity. The concept of kalokagathía is a compound of the
Greek words kalós and agathós. Both can be translated as “excellent, worthy, good”. However,
if we try to look for the fine difference that separates both words, kalós refers to the
excellence of something through their appearance, and on the other hand, agathós is used
in reference to human behaviour. Someone was identified as agathós if he was a good citizen.
Thus, we can confirm that for the classical idea of kalokagathía, ethics and aesthetics
are not different: they were the models to be followed by the heroes, citizens, and craftsmen.
The literary evidence of Homer, Hesiod, Plato, Aristotle and Xenophon help us to
raise a wide range of analysis chronologically and conceptually
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