The
arts of ancient Greece have exercised considerable influence on the culture of many countries all over the world, particularly in the areas of sculpture and architecture. In the West, the art of the Roman Empire was largely derived from Greek models. In the East,
Alexander the Great's conquests initiated several centuries of exchange between Greek, Central Asian and Indian cultures, resulting in
Greco-Buddhist art, with ramifications as far as
Japan. Following the
Renaissance in Europe, the
humanist aesthetic and the high technical standards of Greek art inspired generations of European artists. Well into the 19th century, the
classical tradition derived from Greece dominated the art of the western world.