Roman Art and Architecture

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Roman Art and Architecture
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The exam for this topic

• You will be given 3 photographs from the works
  studied, and a set of questions on each.
• You must answer on 2 out of the 3 photos

Achievement Merit Excellence
Place the works in social and/or historical and/or artistic context(s) Describe the works and explain their style(s) and/or techniques used Place the works in social and/or historical and/or artistic context(s) with supporting evidence Describe the works in detail and analyse their style(s) and/or techniques used Place the works in social and/or historical and/or artistic context(s) with comprehensive supporting evidence Describe the works in detail and evaluate their style(s) and/or techniques used
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Introduction

• The unit will be broken up into the following
  subtopics
• Portraiture
• Religious Architecture
• Relief Sculptures
• Functional
• Mosaics

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Introduction

• Art and Architecture is a description for the
  range of material culture that comes from ancient
  Rome.
• This topic looks at the art and architecture
  produced in the Roman Empire from the reign of
  Augustus (30BC-AD14) to Constantine (AD 306-337)

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Introduction

• Roman Imperial sculpture, whether it was relief
  (sculptured into stone) or portrait sculpture,
  was meant to be seen. It was not created for
  private enjoyment but instead put in a public
  place to commemorate and glorify and individual
  or dynasty (family rule).
• It is a powerful source of political propaganda
  which generations of emperors often utilized.
  They modelled themselves in stone as victorious
  generals, the bringers of peace and prosperity,
  and later even in the image of gods. Statues and
  relief sculpture were also used to commemorate
  specific events and to remind the people of their
  Emperors military skills.

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Portraiture General background

• Etruscan
• The deceased ashes were put into clay urns, which
  often had human heads on the lid
• 7th cent BC Carved full-length reclining figures
  of the dead on top of a coffin
• 6th cent BC Images of the dead began to have
  specific individual features
• 4th cent BC onwards Statues and busts were
  realistic

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• Roman
• It was custom to have wax masks of the dead to
  use in funeral procession. This commemorated the
  dead
• Bronze or marble copies of the death mask was
  made to be displayed at home. (Only Patrician
  families could afford this images of their
  ancestors this was called the ius imaginum)
• The reproduced features of the deceased were in
  veristic style (a realistic depiction of an
  individuals face, and showed the qualities of
  wisdom and experience, particularly on middle
  aged males, a warts and all approach) and
  showed the family likeness
• The opposite style to verism, in portraiture was
  idealism (facial features are simplified, shows
  and idealised and glorified version, usually of
  the emperor.)

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Patrician Carrying Busts

• Date end of 1st cent BC or beginning 1st cent AD
  (M. Wheeler R. Hannah)
• Facts (P. Artus book)
• Other details (J. Campbell)
• Workbook p.6-8