The illumination of Greek temples: A comparative approach to lighting strategies in the Parthenon, the Temple of Zeus in Olympia, and the temple of Apollo in Bassai using 3D physically based rendering (PhD Thesis, UCL), 2023
This thesis analyses and compares spatial and phenomenological interpretations related to the dra... more This thesis analyses and compares spatial and phenomenological interpretations related to the dramatisation of the sacred by means of light and darkness in the architecture of three key classical temples: the temple of Apollo in Bassai, the temple of Zeus in Olympia and the Parthenon. This objective is achieved with the aid of a suite of 3D digital technologies to recreate the ambient and architectural conditions present the original designs of the temples. The temples are modelled three-dimensionally, with sufficient details to show how they were constructed. Subsequently, a detailed, rigorous and novel computational approach tests physically-based lighting simulations over the resulting models, accounting for the correct solar position on their construction dates. Such a setup allows for the replication of the behaviour and interplay of artificial and natural light across complex volumetric spaces. Quantitative and qualitative analyses address several unresolved hypotheses and aspects of interior lighting: the illumination of the statues via the morning light, pools of liquid as reflective tools, windows, ceilings of translucent marble, skylights, apertures in the ceilings, and finally the use of lamps. The results reveal that these temples, contrary to the longstanding belief of ‘bright marble spaces,’ were generally dark and dim. The transition from sunny exterior to dark interior was gradual, and light was filtered through several material and immaterial veils, such as diaphanous grills, gate thresholds, curtains, parapets, and ultimately darkness. The sporadic gleaming of the embossed gold and metals, combined with the interplay of stone, hues, shifting shadows, and the dynamic interposition of smoke, established an immersive environment well-suited for revelatory experiences. It is deduced that the illumination of the statues’ materials through the glow of a lamp, and on rare occasions, the sun, possibly represented the pinnacle of the viewing encounter—the wonder in realising the unseen.
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Videos by Juan de Lara
The talk challenges the persistent view that the Arabian clans that expanded over Bilad al-Sham and the other territories of the Middle East and North Africa to appropriate and adopt a foreign culture to their own native one in the Arabian Peninsula. The claim here maintained is that the newly arrived forces were not unfamiliar with the cultural and visual vocabularies of the conquered region, as their own local Arabian culture was well informed of the idiosyncrasies of the wider late antique world. This analysis is conducted under one of the main vehicles that mediated the cultural vocabularies of the time: Hellenism—a formulative hypothesis that posed the idea that Greek culture fused with other cultures to form new syncretic societies, where each region produced very distinctive and different relations with it.
Papers by Juan de Lara
Join Juan De Lara as he takes us on a tour through the colourful history of Arabia’s Qaryat al Faw; a fascinating gem in the desert rich with treasure-laden tombs, iconography of Egyptian deities, statues of Greek demigods, and marvellous inscriptions. Listen in as Juan discusses the wonders of the Incense Routes, the brilliance of the famed Nabataeans, and the importance of this site for understanding – and appreciating – the dawn of Islamic art.
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This also meant that they built upon the visual and cultural references of their immediate predecessors, yet one unique feature of their art is that the Qajars were historicising and referenced directly ancient Pre-Islamic cultures of Iran, of which they were well-aware.
In this process, they turned their eyes to the incorporation of forms of monumentality that drew directly from Achaemenid, Sogdian and Sassanian art—a revival movement to legitimise their rule as inheritors of Persian culture.
This talk unfolds these narratives, tales and pseudo-imaginary characters that shaped the artistic and cultural style of the Qajars—with the ultimate consequence of reinforcing and consolidating notions of Iranian history that are still deeply entrenched in the identity of the country.
The talk challenges the persistent view that the Arabian clans that expanded over Bilad al-Sham and the other territories of the Middle East and North Africa to appropriate and adopt a foreign culture to their own native one in the Arabian Peninsula. The claim here maintained is that the newly arrived forces were not unfamiliar with the cultural and visual vocabularies of the conquered region, as their own local Arabian culture was well informed of the idiosyncrasies of the wider late antique world. This analysis is conducted under one of the main vehicles that mediated the cultural vocabularies of the time: Hellenism—a formulative hypothesis that posed the idea that Greek culture fused with other cultures to form new syncretic societies, where each region produced very distinctive and different relations with it.
Join Juan De Lara as he takes us on a tour through the colourful history of Arabia’s Qaryat al Faw; a fascinating gem in the desert rich with treasure-laden tombs, iconography of Egyptian deities, statues of Greek demigods, and marvellous inscriptions. Listen in as Juan discusses the wonders of the Incense Routes, the brilliance of the famed Nabataeans, and the importance of this site for understanding – and appreciating – the dawn of Islamic art.
This also meant that they built upon the visual and cultural references of their immediate predecessors, yet one unique feature of their art is that the Qajars were historicising and referenced directly ancient Pre-Islamic cultures of Iran, of which they were well-aware.
In this process, they turned their eyes to the incorporation of forms of monumentality that drew directly from Achaemenid, Sogdian and Sassanian art—a revival movement to legitimise their rule as inheritors of Persian culture.
This talk unfolds these narratives, tales and pseudo-imaginary characters that shaped the artistic and cultural style of the Qajars—with the ultimate consequence of reinforcing and consolidating notions of Iranian history that are still deeply entrenched in the identity of the country.