Download Julio-Claudians (r. 27 BC – 68 AD)

AHS Notes
Chapter 10: Roman Artwork
*Romans were more international: they made an effort to control the world, as they knew
it
 Palestina – now known as Judea or Syria – where Hadrian began the
Diaspora of the Jews
 Dacia – now known as Romania - north of the Danube – conquered by
Tragean
 Macedonia – where Alexander the Great hailed from – not considered
part of Greece
*The Roman Empire stretched all over as far _____ as _____:
o North – Scotland
o East – India
o South – Egypt
o West – Spain


All were unified by the mechanical knowledge that built ROADS!
Also, all conquered peoples became Roman citizens
REPUBLICAN PERIOD
IMPERIAL PERIOD
509 BC – 30 BC
30 BC – 476 AD
REPUBLICAN PERIOD
Sanctuary of Fortuna Primigenia – 80 BC
- Found by accident under a hill during WWII
- Many different influences:
o Eastern
 Bent axis approach (White temple @ Ur)
 Linear approach (Nile River symbolism)
 Elevated work (Ziggurat @ Ur)
 Cut into hill (Mortuary temple of Queen Hatsheptsut)
 Grandeur (Apadana)
o Western
 Post & lintel construction
 Capitals
 Arch (predominantly Roman)
 Half columns for decoration
 Decoration of wall
 Tholos plan
- Tholos plan
- Built into hill, not on top like the Greeks
o Terracing
-
-
Poured concrete
o Added to size possibilities of building
o Arcuated space = more floor space
Made to be experienced from inside out
o As opposed to Greeks or Egyptians
Utilized the arch
Opus insertum – insertion work: pressing stones into concrete to add stability and
strength
Temple of the Sibyl @ Tivoli – early 1st century
- Tholos plan, peripteral
- Elevated
- Corinthian capital
- Garlands supported by Buchranea (ox heads)
o Devoted to fertility
- Cella = poured concrete
o Opus incertum
Temple of Fortuna Virilis – late 2nd century
- More conservative
o Not in tholos plan
 Frontal approach
o Like Greek temple
 Ionic columns
 Pediment
 Dental moldings
 Engaged 1/2 columns
 Pseuedoperipteral
- On a podium
- Less boxlike, more elongated
Barrel Vault – extension of arch continuously in a single direction
- Covered space without obstacles
o Could not put windows – very dark space
Groin Vault – extension of two barrel vaults perpendicular to
each other
- Facilitates flow and movement of people in and out
of a space
Head of Roman – 80 BC
- Seems much older (subject is old man)
- Member of the senate:
o High class citizen in Roman Society – of rich, long standing families – held
the power in the city
-
-
Verism = realism
o No hint of idealistic features
o Could expect to meet this man on the street
o Very lifelike
 Record of deceased?
 Molded mask from dead body?
o All wrinkles. Lack of hair, indentations of old age present
Context – determined, disciplined expression
o Encompasses the republican virtues
 No new ideas
 Matter-of-fact
 Practical
79 AD – Eruption of Mt. Vesuvius buries Pompeii and Herculaneum
- 10,000 people in Pompeii
- City was entombed
o Preserved the daily lifestyle of Ancient Roman Inhabitants
 Time capsule effect
Temple of Apollo @ Pompeii
- Triglyphs and Metopes
- Composite capitals: both Ionic and Doric
Floor plan of a Roman Household
-
Solid walls with no windows added to a private characteristics of the walls
o Private feelings
-
Interior walls were decorated to seem like they were outside
o Painted-on scenes
House of the Silver Wedding
- Found in Pompeii
- View from the vestibule/fauces
- Corinthian capitals
o Surround/provide support for impluvium
Samnite House – 2nd century BC
- Found in Herculaneum
- View from the triclinium @ fauces
- Front rooms
o Usually rented out to merchants
- Faux walkway
House of the Vetii Brothers
- View of the Peristyle court
o Garden
 Liked to bring the outdoors inside to break up the monotony of the
walls
Cubicula from the House of Publius Fanius Synister – 50-40 BC
- Found at Boscoreali
- Private (bed room)
- Not in situ
- Frescoes on the walls
o Break the monotony of a windowless wall space
- Decorated in the 2nd style
o Dematerialize the reality of the wall
 Seems like there is no wall present
- Floor mosaic
Wall from the Cubicula
 1 point linear perspective
 Beginnings of, not exact process
 Tholos temple
 Illusionistic space
4 Main Styles of Roman Painting
Masonry/Encrustation Style – 1st Style – 200-60 BC
o Break the wall into several sections
 Gives richness to the wall
o Imitate other types of materials (marble, wood)
o Samnite House
Architectural Style – 2nd Style – 60-20 BC
o Dematerialize the wall through use of pictures
 Give 3d sense that wall is non-existent
o Dissolution of the 2D surface appearance
 Use linear/aerial perspective
 Not completely accurate depiction
o Includes architectural structures and garden landscape scenes
o House of Publius Fanius Synister
Ornate Style – 3rd Style – 20 BC-60 AD
o Large fields of one color (Pompeian Red)
o Framing returns emphasis on the existence of the wall
 Divide the walls into flat areas
o Figures on the wall seem real, yet framing isolates them
o Reed like columns
o Upper section like that of the 2nd style
 Transitional style to the 4th style
o Emphasis on leafy plant motif, delicate, lacy flowers
o House of the Vetti Brothers @ Pompeii
Intricate Style – 4th Style - 60-79 AD
o Compilation of previous 3 styles
o Geometric abstract
o Middle – architectural style
o
“ - Ornate flat and delicate design, yet figures seem Illusionistic
o Ixion Room
Villa of the Mysteries – 50 BC
- Architectural Style
o Yet mostly made up of figures
o Gives the sense of 3D space, not wall
- Subject matter not understood
o Believed to be an initiation into Dionysian cult
- Close up:
o Modeling of form to represent form:
 Shadow/reflections
 Foreshortening
o Relate back to Hellenistic Period:
 Darius vs. Alexander
Ulysses in the Land of the Lestrigonians – 20 BC
- Atmospheric perspective
o Indicates depth through blurring background
nd
- 2 style
- Space dominates the figures
o Roman characteristic
Ixion Room
- 4th style
o Compilation of all 3 previous styles
 Geometric abstract (bottom)
 Middle = arch. Style
 “
= Ornate, flat, delicate design
Still Life with Peaches – 62-79 AD
- Roman preference for Illusionistic art
o Realism (highlight on vase)
- Cast shadow, modeling of form from light to dark
- Not accurate
o Vase
 Top ellipse – view from above
 Bottom ellipse – view from side
The Old Farmer of Corycus – 400-425 AD
- Illumination of story by Virgil
- Emphasis on space, not figures
o Subject includes aerial perspective
- Like 2nd style
o Like looking through a window
- Virgil is illustrated as Corycus lectures his farmhands
- Framing links to 3rd style
IMPERIAL PERIOD
30 BC – 476 AD
Augustus Primaporta – 20 BC
- Stance: leading military charge? Giving speech to senate?
- Aggressive stance
- Divinity of birth (descendent from Venus)
o Cupid riding on dolphin
- Propaganda on chest plate/armor
o Roman soldier conquering Parthian
 Displays accomplishments
 Like Sargon II
- Tellus Mater = earth goddess = economic prosperity
o Represents the Pax Romana, the prosperity of the entire Roman empire, from
Spain to Asia
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-
Head seems classicized
o Like Greek portraiture: idealized
 Eternally youthful (divinity)
 Geometric handling of upper head
 Lower half seems veristic
Shoeless (Palette of Narmer)
o Religious ceremony
Ara Pacis Augustae – 13-9 BC
- “Altar of the Augustan Peace”
- Elevated altar
- Frontal, center, linear approach
- Half columns
- Oxen heads (buchranea) support garlands inside = fertility/prosperity
- Divided into sections
o 1st style
- Subject matter
o 3rd style
- Symbol for the prosperity of the empire achieved by Augustus
Tellus Mater Relief
 Representation of peace
 Forerunner of the Madonna & Child motif
 Echo back to Nike fastening her sandals, and the three Kore
 High relief
 Like architectural style (2nd)
 Sense of space
 Perspectival feeling
o Shallow carving seems further in background
 Aerial perspective
 Concern with roman “products”
 Animals
 Plants/crops
 Swan = Apollo
 Water = reference to universality
Procession
 Aerial perspective = high relief
o 2nd style
 Wet drapery method (link to Greek)
 Compare to Panathenaic Procession
o Both stop 7 go
o Contrapposto
o Geometric vs. natural
o Idealized vs. individualized
o Deal with Illusionistic space
Pont du Gard – 1st century BC
- Made possible by concrete
- Water flowed through aqueducts due to gravity
- Post & Lintel construction wouldn’t have worked
o Could not span long distances
 Compared to archuated architecture which could
- Repetition and variation
o Made bridge a work of art
- One of many aqueducts all over Roman Empire
Julio-Claudians (r. 27 BC – 68 AD)
Augustus Caesar (Octavian)
Tiberius
All these emperors were related
Caligula
to Julius Caesar either by blood
Claudius
or marriage/adoption.
Nero
The Julio-Claudians wanted to combine the Greek idealism with Roman Verism.
Flavians (r. 69 – 96 AD)
Vespasian Flavius
Titus
Domitian
Colosseum
- Named Flavian Amphitheater
- Could seat 55,000 + people
- 1st story in the Doric order
- 2nd story in the Ionic order
o Engaged half columns
 Decorative, not useful
o Barrel vaults to support the weight
- 3rd story in the Corinthian order
- Used as welfare venture:
o Most of the Roman citizens were unemployed, so this gave them something to
do with their days
Portrait of Vespasian Flavius
- Seems Republican in style (Verism)
o Over all the head, not just portions
o Desire to return to Republican ways
 Deny agelessness of Augustus
Head of the Flavian Woman – 90 AD
- Increasingly frequent expansion of subjects
- Hairstyle:
o Flavian = high on head
o Juilo-Claudian = low and bunched in middle of head
- Praxitilean quality:
o Textural contrasts
 Hair vs. skin vs. clothing
o Facial expression
 Mysteriousness
- Deep drilling
o Like Head of Odysseus
 Baroque style
Arch of Titus – 81 AD
- Commemorative work
- Structure supported by arch
o Columns are decorative
 Compare to Colosseum
- Dentals on cornice
- In & out 3d quality = baroque feel
- In attic – says “SENATUS”
o Building of arch had to be approved by senate
- Commissioned by Domitian after death of Titus
Spoils from the Temple in Jerusalem – 81 AD
o Depicts Roman legionnaires returning from Judea
 Carrying Menorah in their Litur
 Sense of movement/perspective
o High relief
o Some heads classicized, yet some specific
Triumph of Titus – 81 AD
o Titus being crowned by Victory
 Escorted by Honor and Valor = idealized
 Combinations of mythology and reality
o Fasces: symbols of soldiers guarding Titus
o Relate to Philoxenos – spears and weapons
HIGH EMPIRE
98 – 192 AD
Trajan – (r. 98-117 AD)
o First emperor not born in Rome
o Not related through blood to any emperors (adopted by Nerva – short rule
during Flavian dynasty)
 Reputation of Military success – conquered Dacia
o Very insightful for Roman people
Forum of Trajan
- East side – markets for the people
- Linear approach in Forum to temple of deity
o Basilica beforehand
o Temple at back of forum
Basilica Ulpia – 112 AD
- Utilized both arch and
post/lintel construction
- Meant to be experienced
from the inside out
- Featured a clerestory
Column of Trajan
o Reflects news reel
 Propaganda for campaigns of Trajan’s army in Dacia
o Height of column is the same amount of land that was removed to build the
column
 128 feet
 Symbolizes the triumph over man – Dacians and nature (removing hill)
o St. Peter statue now atop – provided for the preservation of the column
o People could see the column’s differing panels at different height and levels
from the libraries
Base of the Column
 Roman soldiers crossing the bridge
 Danube River
 River God looking on in surprise
 Scale dislocation?
 Perspective?
 Bridge constructed by strapping boats together
 Everyday duties depicted
 Change of scale:
 Growing medievalism?
o Moving away from classicism
Hadrian (r. 117-138)
o Successor of Trajan
Pantheon – 118-125 AD
- Most notable achievement of Hadrian’s reign
- What is ROMAN about it?
o Dome = 360˚ arch
o Experience from inside out
 No exterior decorations
o Corinthian Capitals
o Imperial Size
 Well preserved = converted to Christian church
o Oculus
 Only source of light
 Confirmation of light – link with Jupiter
 Compare to temple of Ramses II
o Coffered Dome
 Lighten the weight of dome
 Ocula removes the weakest point of the dome
 High elevation = lighter mixture of cement
- Upper level sections:
o Relate to first style – masonry style = sectioned off
 Floor also
 Slopes to center for a drainage sewer (rain)
- Triangular/circular pediments
o Synthesis b/n Greek and Roman
- Baroque feeling with the niches
o Project forward and backward
Insula
- Apartment block
o Above stores
- Many windows
o Absences of atrium/Peristyle courtyard
- No private bathrooms
Bust of Hadrian – 117-138
- Flavian influence = deep drilling
- Republican Verism
- Beard
o First time in Roman Art
o Relate to Greek Hellenistic Art
Antonines (138-192 AD) – reign signifies the beginnings of the end of the high empire
Antoninus Pius
(r. 138-161)
adopted by Hadrian
Lucius Verus
(r.161-169)
adopted by Antoninus Pius
Marcus Aurelius
(r.161-180)
adopted by Antoninus Pius
Commodus
(r. 180-192)
son of Marcus Aurelius
Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius – 175 AD
 Marcus Aurelius was associated with the group of Stoicism (accepting ones
fate)
 Quite opposite lifestyle due to his political position
 Figure too large for horse
 Medievalism
 Outstretch hand (Prima Porta)
 Giving blessing?
Marcus Aurelius Sacrificing – 161-180 AD
- Sense of somberness/seriousness
o See great pressures of the position
o Sense of portent in facial expression
- High relief
- All figures are bearded
o Wisdom?
- Sense of distance
o Shallow sculpting for background
- In relationship to specific location
LATE EMPIRE
193-284 AD
Severan
(r.193-235)
Septimius Severus
(r. 193-211)
Caracalla
(r. 211-217) had his brother killed = ruthless king
Severus Alexander (2. 217-235)
Portrait of Caracalla – 211-217
- Turn of head to look behind
o Growing insecurity
 Economic
 Political
o Sense of insecurity/danger
o Furrowed brow
 Worried expression
Baths of Caracalla – 212-216 AD
- Free for all citizens
- Built to gain popularity – propaganda
o Large space inside
 Symbolize great power
- Coffered ceilings, clerestory
- Adumbrated entablature blocks
- Corinthian columns
The Barracks Emperors (r. 235-284 AD)
Succession of many rulers – through cout de tat – overthrow of the government
Rulers supported by different factions of the army
Philip the Arab
- Furrowed brow
- Seems troubled
- Military man (short hair)
- Growing concern for internal emotions on face
Battle of the Romans and barbarians – 250-260 AD
- From Ludovisi Battle Sarcophagus
- No sense of perspective
- Anguish/pain on the faces of the soldiers
- Mark of Mithras = leader is protected by it = no armor
o Ark outstretched = leader of army
- High relief
Diocletian
(r. 284-306)
- Attempted to restore order and stability to Rome:
o Persecuted the Christians
o Divided empire in two halves
o Retired to Split
Palace of Diocletian @ Split
- Symmetrical balance
- On the coast of the Adriatic Sea
o Faces both water and land
 Provide for two routes of escape
- Synthesis of arcuated architecture with pediments
- Baroque quality = concave vs. convex
- Gables of Glorification- arch shapes as entrances
o For circular envelope around person
 Single out the emperor
 Disk shaped deity forms
The Four Tetrarchs – 305 AD
- Losing individuality of people
- No contrapposto
- Sense of worry/fear
o Barracks emperors
o Opposed to Augustus Caesar, Marcus Aurelius
- Sense of unity with each other
- Egyptian outlook
o Chamfered block
Constantine (r. 306-337 AD)
- First Christian Emperor
- Passed Edict of Milan – religious toleration
Triumphal Arch of Constantine – 312-315
- Commemorates the battle of the Milvian Bridge
- Some sculpture cannibalized from earlier temples (2nd century)
o More energized figures (contrapposto)
 Constantine wanted to be associated with the earlier great emperors
Baths of Constantine – 310-320
- “Basilica of Constantine
o Features a clerestory
- Opus cementium – made using poured concrete
o Like coliseum, pantheon, sanctuary of Fortuna primigenia
- Use of cross barrel vaulting (groin vaults)
- Arch provides space
o Metaphor for the power/grandeur of Rome
- Two exedra because left unfinished by Maxentius – narthex was original entrance
o Entrance moved to long side by Constantine
Portrait of Constantine
- Colossal size
o Return to principle of gigantism
 Emphasize authority/grandeur
o 30 feet tall!
- Emphasized notion of authority
o Want to show power of Constantine after years of chaos
o Lack of Verism in upper half of the head
o Eyes seem remote, distant
o Large eyes
 Sumerian worshippers of the Abu Temple
*Tradition was reversed as Constantine converted to Christianity upon his death- instead
of Christians being persecuted, they became the persecutors. *
Aula Palatine – 310 BC
- Royal audience hall
- Now in Trier, Germany
- Exedra on end
- Engaged pylasters
- Pioneered leaded paned windows
- Vast, open space – could accommodate many people
- System of steam heating – steam pumped through pipes in walls to heat during
winter
- Coffered, wooden ceilings