Ancient RomeARTKEY IDEAS:

•ROMAN ART SHOWS THE AMBITIONS OF A POWERFUL EMPIRE

•ROMAN ARCHITECTURE SHOWED ADVANCED UNDERSTANDING IN ENGINEERING THROUGH THE ARCH, THE VAULT AND CONCRETE

•ROMANS ADVANCED PAINTING TECHNIQUES ROMAN SCULPTURE IS GREATLY INDEBTED TO GREEK MODELS

Topic: Ancient Greco Roman Art

In 211 BCE the Romans conquered the Greek city of Syracuse, Sicily and brought back works of Greek civilization to the amazement of the Romans.

After, Romans wanted all things Greek

Greece was completely conquered in 146 BCE, most sculptures, pottery and other treasures were removed and sent to Rome

The Romans copied, learned and exceeded their influences..

Roman Republican Art - BustsHead of a Roman Patrician

Upper Class Person (75-80 BCE)

(plebian – lower class) Bust from shoulders

and head. Romans felt the head was

a good enough representation of a person

Expression: sincere, unwavering, resolute

Knowledgeable, respected

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Roman Republican Art:

• A Roman Patrician with Busts of His Ancestors, Late 1st Century B.C.E. Marble, life-size, Museo Capitolino, Rome

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Roman Republic vs. Roman Early Imperial Art

Head of a Roman Patrician 75-80 BCE) Augustus of Primaporta, 20 BCE

Roman Early Imperial Art

Augustus of Primaporta, 1st. C. BCE

Idealization of human form.Force and power

Suggests a god/goddess

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Roman Early Imperial (dictator) ArtAra Pacis, 1st C. BCE

Altar of Peace – celebrates Augustus’s biggest achievement, est. peace

Altar connected w/Augustus’ homecoming after a long absence

Altar reconstructed in Italy during Mussolini’s reign on the 2,000th birthday of Augustus

Mussolini wanted a Modern Roman Empire

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Roman Early Imperial ArtAra Pacis and Procession of the Imperial

Family, 1st C. BCE

Relief or Frieze Sculpture found on walls, columns, and architecture

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Mosaic – decoration using small pieces of colored stones on a 2D surface

Goal: realism perfection, movement, emotion and light

Technique: Linear Perspective - the technique presenting three dimensional images on a 2D surface

Subject Matter: wealth, pleasure/Gods, power

Roman ArchitecturePantheon, Rome, 2nd

century CE Built under Emperor

Hadrian’s rule Considered a perfect

Buildings Symmetry Dedicated to all the gods

(pan – all, theo – god) Façade

Inscription references 1st architect Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, built it (started)

8 Corinthian columns, 8 behind in porch

Ancient metal roof almost gone

Exterior does not give away the grand interior

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• Interior- 2 perfect intersecting circles (142 ft in diameter)- Interior height equals width- Symbolized an orb of the earth - Hemispherical dome- Oculus, 30 ft opening- 7 Niches for statues of 7 planetary gods

• Oculus allows light and air in

Roman ArchitecturePantheon, Rome, 2nd Century CE

(continued) Original dome decorated with

stucco and painting Original marble walls survive Floor has drainage system

• Symbolism Interior circle orb of the earth Dome the vault as the

heavens Light from oculus symbolizes

sun’s movement through the sky

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Essential Question: What ways have the Romans advanced architecture?

Compare and Contrast the High Relief Sculptures

Pedestal of a Column, 2nd century CE, (161 CE)

Contrast of the classical and the non-classical style

Roman High Imperial Art Column of Trajan, 2nd c. CE, 112

CE 128ft Tall Stood in Trajan’s Forum,

surrounded by buildings so that the reliefs could be read

Ashes of Trajan placed at base Statue was once Trajan now it’s St.

Peter Originally painted Continuous narrative around

column Low relief, little shadows to

enhance visibility 2,500 figures in all, 150 separate

episodes Trajan’s accomplishments in War Column meant to be entered – a

spiral staircase to the viewing platform at the top of the heroic statue

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http://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/imperialfora/trajan/column.html

http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/romans/architecture/trajanscolumn.htm

Thumbnails of Columns Scenes