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Housing the Ara Pacis in the Eternal City

Housing the Ara Pacis in the Eternal City

AJA Online Publications: Museum Review

War and Peace: Housing the in the Eternal City

By Maria Josè Strazzulla*

Museo dell’Ara Pacis, , designed by Rich- supporting scrolling vegetal tendrils. The frieze ard Meier, curated by Eugenio La Rocca and on the altar’s crowning element represents a Orietta Rossini. sacred procession, including the vestal virgins and sacrificial animals led by their attendants, Along with the classical Athenian Parthe- that probably depicts the sacrifice ordered by non and the Great Altar of Pergamon, Rome’s the senate to be held every year on 30 January, Ara Pacis Augustae (Altar of Augustan Peace) the anniversary of the altar’s dedication. Yet is one of the most famous monuments of the the monument is most renowned for its large, Graeco-Roman world. The opening in 2006 of richly decorated marble precinct enclosure a new museum to house the Ara Pacis invites (lgth. 10.63 m, wdth. 11.63 m, ht. 6.30 m [as reconsideration of the altar in its original Ro- reconstructed]). The reliefs on the enclosure’s man context and relays the history of the altar’s inner side clearly imitate the real wooden modern recovery and display. fence that originally served as the boundary The altar, decreed by the in for the altar’s sacred space; depicted above 13 B.C.E. to honor the emperor upon the fence’s tall posts are garlands suspended his return from negotiating peace in Spain and from bucrania and paterae suspended above Gaul, was completed in 9 B.C.E.1 The monument the garlands. was originally located along the urban stretch The decorative reliefs (probably by Neo- of the (the so-called Via Lata, now Attic craftsmen) on the lower level of the the ). Its main entrance, accessed enclosure’s outer side show scrolled vegetal by a short flight of steps, faced the large, open tendrils emerging from acanthus leaves that are public space of the . Here, peopled with swans and other creatures—an nearly 15 years earlier, Octavian (the adopted allusion to the new Golden Age initiated by son and great-nephew of Julius Caesar)—be- the Augustan principate. The upper level on fore being named Augustus in 27 B.C.E.—had the short entrance side is decorated with two erected his monumental mausoleum.2 The altar relief panels depicting key Roman legends. The was aligned with a huge sundial that used an left, now highly fragmentary panel is related to Egyptian obelisk as a gnomon.3 Rome’s mythical origins: it appears to represent

merica The altar’s mensa, where the animal sac- the ancient grotto on the rifice was actually made, is a parallelepiped with the twins and Remus suckled block of Luna marble flanked by couchant lions by the she- in the presence of (their Online Museum Review nstitute of A I nstitute rchaeological * I am grateful to Museum Review Editor Beth 3 Buchner 1982, 355–73; 1996. The obelisk of Cohen for her active help with the translation and Pharaoh Psammeticus II (r. 594–588 B.C.E.) from pril 2009) revision of this review. Heliopolis employed in the sundial (now in Pi- 1 Moretti 1948; Simon 1967; La Rocca 1983; azza Montecitorio) was the first Egyptian obelisk Zanker 1987; Torelli 1999 (with updated bibliog- transported to Rome. On 23 September, Augustus’ raphy); Rossini 2008. birthday, the obelisk’s shadow pointed exactly to opyright © 2009 by the A © 2009 by opyright ssue 113.2 ( A 2 I Journal of ArchaeologyAmerican C Summarized in von Hesberg 1996. the center of the Ara Pacis.  American Journal of Archaeology Online Museum Review Copyright © 2009 by the Archaeological Institute of America father) and Faustolus (the shepherd who raised original color of ancient . cent traveling exhibition about reconstructing the Ro ancient of symbol significant highly a be regime’s ideology considered the Ara Pacis to Fascist the Since birth. Augustus’ of anni versary 2,000th the of celebration 1938 the of anticipation government—in Fascist under Italy’s 1937–1938 until completed not was A more methodical excavation, started in 1903, Peretti the palace of (later the Fiano-Almagià foundations palace). the under century, 16th the in beginning differentrecoveredtimes, at painted in bright colors. precinctenclosurewereits and altar the both ancient stone sculptural monuments, originally dynasty.imperialmost an Like be to claimed official public appearance of what is now pro lines. In fact, this depiction documents the first family are shown moving along in two parallel friend), and the other members of the emperor’stus, Agrippa(Augustus’son-in-law closeand in 13 B.C.E. Here, senators and priests, Augus another hypothesis, when the altar was decreed themoment of Augustus’return or, following at either place took that processionreligious the marble enclosure’s long sides: an imposing of part upper the on relief in renderedscene historical real the to counterpart mythical a under the new Roman regime. and abundance of the world in the peaceful era thisrelief panel surely symbolizes the fertility case, any proposed.In been have (Peace) Saturnia Tellus disputed—,been long has ,Italia, the entire cosmos. The identity of this goddess ments—earth, water, and air—clearly representele basic three whose landscape,luxuriant a divinity,seated withtwoinfants heronlapin honor). The right panel depicts another female (RomanHonos god theaccompanied byably left panel represents the goddess , prob lost mostly The deities. depict to appear side shortopposite the on reliefpanelsThe gods). (household Penates the to Lavinium of sow the sacrificing attendants,two and Ascanius) (gensJulia), accompanied hissonJulusby(or CaesarJulius ofAeneas, clan the of ancestormythical represents panel right The them). 5 4 The extant remains of the Ara Pacis were Pacis Ara the of remains extant The The four panels of the short sides constitute Infra nn. 11, 18. See Holloway (2008) on the re e te umre b Pgat Mrn and Morano Pignatti by summaries the See

(Earth of the Golden Age), and 4 ------tine arcades.tine with modern buildings featuring huge traver sides two on mausoleum the enclosed which architect Vittorio fascist the Ballio by Morpurgo 1936 (1890–1966), in designed Square), tus Piazza AugustoImperatore (Emperor Augus Thisplaced the monument alongside the new Lungote vere—was made the by himself. and Ripetta Via the between in its present location—beside the mausoleum, of Augustus wasalsosuggested. Fori Imperiali) or even inside the Mausoleum dei Via (now dell’Impero Via the along altar impact on 20th-century Rome. Rebuilding the been the best solution, even if it lacked visible next interior to the an Fiano-Almagià palace) would within have (i.e., location original its question. Reconstructing the monument beside restored altar became a much-debated political the of placement the (Romanitas), spirit man Refice 1985; Gobbi 2003; Rossini 2008, 107–17. II, WarWorld During outside. from viewed be to monument the allowed that windows large with provided washowever, structure, The architect. the by planned materials fine travertine,notmaking fullusetheof range of mere concrete shell; it was painted to look like simplified and, for the most part, reduced to a severely was conception original a his As result, Italy. in laws racial discriminatory of enactment the followingproblemsJew, faced a Morpurgo, on, Later celebration. 1938 the there was a great rush to finish First, thearose. work beforedifficulties Many Morpurgo. by realized was pavilion the while Gatti, lielmo Gug architect the by assisted was who tion, Giuseppe Moretti, director of the 1937 excava own dictator’s burial place. Augustus’ mausoleum would have housed the Moreover, in the Mussolini-sponsored design, rary city and within the modern . ancient Roman memories inside the contempo mythological-historicalcreatinga of for place locationthereby crowned the regime’s project the altar inside a pavilion. The Ara Pacis’ new der a third arcade, the prevailing choice placed While an initial suggestion was to shelter it un not simply have been left forever in the open air. 7 6 The final decision to rebuild the Ara Pacis Ara the rebuild to decision final The Reconstruction of the altar was entrusted to On Mussolini’s role, see Kostof 1978. Morpurgo 1937. 6 Of course, the altar itselfwouldaltarcourse,the Of 7 5 ------ American Journal of Archaeology Online Museum Review Copyright © 2009 by the Archaeological Institute of America Morpurgo’s pavilion was protected by an an by protected was pavilion Morpurgo’s most recently,Rossini2007;mostCrespi 2007;Bazzea meier.com/PROJECTS/AraPacis.htm links and nearby Arti Belle delle Accademia form deliberately resembles the volume of the auditorium’scompactThe events. private for double-storied auditorium, with a roof gardenelegant an houses part third The space. tion exhibi small a and bookshop a containing altar, house the entrancelowerprecededhallais by to designed space, central large The (which he had already employed at the Getty). concrete, stucco, glass, steel, and also travertine likewise characteristic of Meier: white-painted architect’s work (fig. 2). The materials used are a play of light and shadow and is typical of the juxtapositioncreatesgeometricforms—athat solid white two by flanked element central main parts: a transparent (predominately threeglass) of composed is itself complex museum 1901 to provide space for the Lungotevere. The thetooldriver portRipetta,of demolished in referencea form fountainto staircasethe and ticulated main entrance (fig. 1). He intended the approaching steps beautifully of flight the ar broad a and plaza, a fountain, a by preceded of Rome’s Piazza Augusto Imperatore. modernistcontextvisioncompatiblethewith anabundant useof large windows —aclassic and materials white in constructions linear through expressed designs architectural ist rational and purist his for known is Meier Angeles. Los in Center Getty the completed American architect Richard Meier, who had just was entrusted to the internationally acclaimed project’sexecutionnew deterioration. The tal ion, including both structural and environmen grave problems affecting the Morpurgo pavil of because altar the protect to needed sorely di Roma). At the same time, a new building was (Sovraintendenza ai Beni Culturali del Comune Superintendency the of Rome’s Cultural and Heritage Council City Rome’s by image, promoted city’s modern the improve to tives initia architectural high-profile of series a to in 1996 and was completed in 2006. It belonged original design were reinstalled. high.Finally, in the 1970s, the windows of the windowsitswereandm replaced4 wall a by antishrapnel wall, which was later demolished, 8 Meier designed a long building, which is which building, long a designed Meier A new project to house the Ara Pacis began For the Meier project, see http:// www.richard- l se also, see ; 8 ------

2008, 118–20. to consider some which pavilion, Morpurgo destructionthe theof ataimed been has cism € of estimate initial an from increased which cost, enormous its concerned charge main A attacks by Italian architects and art historians. Pacis Ara the for Museum has been subject to a series of project violent new the sented, the . decorates the museum’s exterior wall that faces Paladino, Mimmo artist Italian the by signed de mosaic, Adeath. his before Augustus by the with lettersbronze in inscribed basetravertine the Morpurgois pavilionretainedthefrom ment which it has a separate entrance. The only ele Imperatore, as well as to the Via di Ripetta, on Augusto Piazza the to complex museum the C Rome; view toward main entrance ( 1.Fig. omune diRoma). 5,940,000 to to 5,940,000 9 rm h vr frt oet t a pre was it moment first very the From As summarized in Benedetti et al. 2004. T he he A Res gestae Res ra Pacis Museum, 1996–2006, Richard Meier, Richard 1996–2006, Museum, Pacis ra € 58000 diinl criti Additional 15,800,000. , the solemn will dictated will solemn the , A rchivio S ovraintendenza - - - - 9

 American Journal of Archaeology Online Museum Review Copyright © 2009 by the Archaeological Institute of America detti et al. 2004, 105–56. that, already from the 1930s, had been consid square a than other none is fiercely defended should not be forgotten that the context now so it context,”that in and place that in put been museum that “the building should never have new declaredregardNostrahasMeier’s in to associationItaliacultural the whileture. And considered a cornerstone of rationalist architecbeing for candidateunlikely an thus and ect, projoriginal the of simplified version highly remodeled, repeatedly a merely was it that remember must one pavilion, Morpurgo the fully justified. With regard to the destruction of in the Piazza Augusto Imperatore. he even set a model of Meier’s museum on fire Rome.” of Las Vegas, but certainly not for the center of ( described it as “resembling who a highway Sgarbi, Vittoriorest politician stop and critic art most vehement and sensational was that of the the aesthetics of the new building. Perhaps the Rome.leveledagainstbeenalso Attacks have particular phase in the Fascist city planning of tionalist architecture, deeply associated with a have been an important example of Italian ra autogrill C Fig.2. 11 10 omune diRoma). In my opinion, many of the criticisms are not Architettiroma 2003, 19 March; see also Bene For a full report,fulla see ForArchitettiroma 2004,10 T he 10 ) or a pizzeria, good for the outskirtsthe forpizzeria, good a or ) Andin 2004, with great theatricality, A ra Pacis Museum, view from the south bank of the of bank south the from Museum,view Pacis ra - - - - - pacis-museum.com. April; 2009, 18 January; see also http://www.ara- design international an launch did Rome of separately, earlier in the 2000s the municipality ects for the altar and the square were planned mausoleum. While it is regrettable that the proj the Piazza Augusto Imperatore and Augustus’ forthe square as awhole would also embrace gotevere. A separate, broader unifying scheme and a tunnel to divert traffic beneath the Lun pedestrian zone with a terrace facing the Tiber funds—thatwouldwholeturnthearea intoa of lack a of becauserealized yetproject—not Meier’s of detail final a by transformed ther eternal immobility. wishes to condemn Rome’s historical center to not be considered a heresy—that is, unless one here of a modern architectural complex should placement the Thus, building. finished the of critics have surrendered initially before were the fine who quality many and eyesore,” “an hardlystructurenewis criticism,Sgarbi’sthe class.Moreover,touchof awith iting despite renew context, urban the reclaimedactually of a traditional material such as travertine, has museum complex, through its linearity and use Meier’s certainsense,a InRome. cityscapeof heavy-handederedurbana insertionthe into T iber (courtesy (courtesy iber hs onr f oewudb vn fur even be would Rome of corner This S ovraintendenza ai ovraintendenza 11 B eni C ulturali del ulturali - - - -  American Journal of Archaeology Online Museum Review Copyright © 2009 by the Archaeological Institute of America competition for the latter project, which was which project, latter the for competition an available one cannot be found. perhaps not unreasonably, has maintained that antiquenal column,Superintendency,the but wanted his column to be replaced with an origi was therefore removed early on. The architect ence, Meier’s column itself was rather ugly and locations. In addition to its fairly cryptic refer obelisktheiroriginalfromaltarinancientthe tance of about 90 m that separated the Egyptian Augustus’disthebeingplacedsundialat by of gnomonobelisk thesymbolized plaza, per concretecolumn,up initiallythemounted in ing need to include an auditorium here. mances in Rome, there probably was no press existing venues for films, lectures, and perfor the given example, For component. baroque have resulted in greater respect for the square’s museum project consisting of fewer pharaonic partsless A space. mightrestricted more even an within constrained been have they now churches’theseto facades,level riverand the involved the demolition of stairs leading from construction of the Tiber embankments, 19th-century which the from suffered already had Both facade). neoclassical 19th-century with century (17th Rocco San and 1588) (rebuiltin cent churches of San Girolamo degli Schiavoni adja two screenobscuringthe createsa wall, travertine heavy a by delimited forepart, its particular,In criticism. deserved for in come free of faults. The building’s excessive size has entirelynot is MuseumPacisYet Ara Meier’s terrace of projectMeier’s will be built after all. Tiberthe that announced has Rome of pality to stay: as this review goes to press, the Munici hereis museum demolition,new perhaps the its for calls despite Butreferendum. public a home,andthen submit thequestion altar’s to launch a new international competition for suburbs, the Rome’s in purposes different for it rebuild building, the demolish to wanted he fascist tradition. The new mayor from declared that stemming party right-wing a zionale, Na Alleanza the from Alemanno Gianni of victory the in resulted election mayoral 2008 The Museum. Pacis Ara Meier’s on blow to archaeologist Dieter Mertens. cesco Cellini and also including the renowned well-known Italian architects headed by Fran of team a group, Civitas et Urbs the by won 12 utemr, fil lre reinforced- large fairly a Furthermore, continued have however, war, of Winds Moretti 1948, 176–77. ------

against a monumental wall composed of rough- complex structure. dynasty’s imperial the details tree family a diribitorium generalpublic, including words such as uses a few technical terms inappropriate for the topography of the area. Unfortunately, the latter(which is not entirely idiomatic) illustrates the English and Italian both in panel, text long a times—is displayed on this side of the hall, and also the Pantheon as reconstructed in Hadrianic the Ara Pacis, the mausoleum, the sundial, and rounding area as it was in antiquity—showing with white marble powder. A model of the sur with waxed surfaces composed of plaster mixed on the right by three slender concrete columns hall’s exhibition space (ht. 8.5 m) is articulated the plaza in front of the building. The entrance either the broad staircase or an elevated part of observedbyMoretti decades ago. traces of still-extant color on its marble surface the anewrestorationrevealed and cleaning a ordeal, this After it. around on went activity by heavy packing materials, as intense building shieldedplace, in stood it thus and museum, new the of construction the for moved be to a backdrop for the altar. wallatthe far end of the main room serves as on the other. Another highly polished travertineface the Tiber on one side and the mausoleum comprising more than 1,500 m ternal glass walls, each 50 m long (and together fig. 3). This large space (ht. 13.5 m) has two ex theatcenter theofmuseum’s mainroom (see entering visitor’s view of the altar, which the frames also museum’s stands wallwinglike This basement. the in galleries illuminates that floor the in opening an hides wall travertine Augustus as emperor in 14 C.E. succeededwhomarriage, earlier an fromson Another portrait copy portrays Tiberius, ’s of the emperor’s daughter Julia with Agrippa. marriage the fromCaesar, Lucius and Gaius grandchildren, Augustus’ and wife), gustus’ cluding Augustus, Agrippa, Livia Drusilla (Au after specific ancient Romanmade castsportraits plaster modern (fig.coarse 3),by in trayed por are clan Julio-Claudian the of members important most the blocks, travertine hewn On the other side of this exhibition space, exhibition this of side other the On The visitor enters the museum by means of The Ara Pacis was considered too fragile too considered was Pacis Ara The polisheda hall,entry the of end far the At or saepta . Another panel showing panel Another. 2 of glass), which 12 The entire - - - - -  American Journal of Archaeology Online Museum Review Copyright © 2009 by the Archaeological Institute of America Either the width of the space visibility.monument’sfor the theto paid altarbeen have should should attention utmost the project, new the lookingthroughmuseum’swindows.theFor theoffrieze canenjoyedbe from thestreet by view straight-on ably.bestParadoxically, the pelling visitors to crane their necks uncomfort on the upper part decidedly difficult and com row,processionthemakingviewofthe frieze nar too areenclosure precinct marble altar’s The walkways beside the two long sides of the fortunately resulting in restricted lateral space. the retention of Morpurgo’s travertine base, un disposition in the main room is conditioned by ing the visibility of the monument. The altar’s has left unresolved serious problems concern provide thermal insulation. lights and glass sidewalls are soundproof and to filter out pollution. The north-oriented sky and temperature of changes sudden prevent to designed equipmentclimate-control cated sophisti has space The monument. restored for guaranteeingenvironmental protection the of technologies advanced most the to ing museum complex has been conceived accord the A Fig. 3. The new home for theforhome new ThePacis, Ara however, ra Pacis A I nstallation view of main floor: ugustae, 13–9B .CE . S (courtesy foreground ovraintendenza aiB , modern plaster casts of Julio------reduced model of the altar (scale 1:10) indicates illustrates the precinct enclosure’s reliefs, and a terials in the central space: a panel in one corner choice to avoid putting too many didactic ma urban context. current its within viewed be to monument contrast enablesancientbetweentheandmodernand the eradicate not does but softens which glass, of use substantial its of because main room for the Ara Pacis is quite successful abovementioned shortcomings, the museum’s Despite the 3). fig. (seeunit a perceiveasto it the day, which negatively impacts one’s ability light and shadow onto the monument most of sunlight and heat—reflect annoying streaks of walls intended to protect them from excessive horizontal louvers on the building’s glass outer architecture,the Meier’s is not entirely satisfactory. Although typical of result the but filters, of use the through light diffuse a provides supposedly project Meier created by the museum’s internal lighting. The have been explored. Another serious problem is ing paths for visitors on different levels should have been increased or the possibility of creat The museum’s curators made a calculated a made curators museum’s The eni C ulturali delC C laudian Roman portraits; omune diRoma). brise-soleils middleground —parallel , - -  American Journal of Archaeology Online Museum Review Copyright © 2009 by the Archaeological Institute of America the names of all identifiable characters in the in characters identifiable all of names the http:// at site Web informative museum’s the also see Foresta’s recent proposal that changes the po reconstruction, altar’s the about is devoted to the various scholarly hypotheses duced since the 16th century. Another section ages—in prints, drawings, and paintings pro im antiquarian as well as area, Pacis the Ara showing the historical and urban evolution of reconstructions virtual also are There trated. integrated restored parts is likewise well illus guishing of the altar’s original fragments from distin the And coloring. ancient probable its the altar both in its present condition and with showing reconstruction three-dimensional a employs that tour virtual a resourceincludes This German. and French, English, Italian, in to explore a rich database, which is accessible visitor the enables screen touch computer a the 1903 excavation. Duhn, Eugene Petersen, and Angiolo Pasqui of Montepulciano and the scholars Friederich von 16th- century the Renaissance including cardinal recovery, Giovanni Ricci altar’s da the of Italy. Other panels recall the main protagonists dioxide—amethod neverbefore employed in even resorted to freezing the earth archaeologists with carbon palace; Fiano-Amalgià the of foundations poor the beneath excavation an on carry to usedtechnology cutting-edge the describes panel One fragments. altar’s the of recoverythe of history illustratingthe panels Ara Pacis. The first didactic gallery contains text a more detailed didactic display related to the todevoted arethem of Fivemausoleumside. building’s the on windows large and lights spot ceiling recessed by illuminated floors, travertine with galleries white-painted able serviceMorpurgo’ssomeare inscribedbase) architecture. about Meier’s information with ends it and satisfying, and clear is narration detailed Its ticket. entrance additional English, French, German, and Spanish) for an dio guide (available in five languages: Italian, while viewing the monument may rent an au procession. A visitor who wishes to know more 15 14 13 Here, in addition to traditional text panels, On the museum’s lower floor (at the level of For a more detailed account, see Rossini 2008; Foresta 2002. Moretti 1948; Gatti 1949. www.arapacis.i € 3.50, on top of the museum’s t . 13 14 including including € 6.50 ------

1937 Moretti’s the into inserted be to not could but altar belong certainly that fragments ing contain case display A goddess. altar’s the of copies probably are Both Baia). in Flegrei Campi dei Archeologico Cumae Museo the of in (now Forum the in found lap, her on child a with figure female seated a of statue (now in the Museum in Paris) and the in plaster casts: a similar relief from Carthage lief, including the display of two comparanda TellusSaturnia famous re altar’s the of ment wish touseitindepth. DVD-ROM to accommodate those who might computer station). Perhaps it could be sold on a forced by the presence of only two seats at the rein assumption (an public general the than is probably more useful for specialized scholars database complex excellent, this sum, In processionfrieze. the in slabs some of sition 2008, 46–7. Ruesch and Zanardi 1983, 61–108; see also Rossini today and 1950 between lost fragments four the and element, crowning altar’s the under figures (ht. 66 cm) belong to the sacrifice frieze Moretti, standing gods. provinces Roman or, fications of according to altar’s the podium, which on either depicted frieze personi a to reconstruc belonged tion—probably 1937–1938 the in inserted not group of figures (ht. 88 cm) displayed here—butGerman archaeologist Kähler, the to According iconography. her widespread of means by herself Roma goddess the of image the reconstruct Tunis), in Museum Bardo the in (now Carthage in Family Julian the of therelieffromAltar a of cast a cluding restoration. Roma and thus was removed during the 1980 goddess the with panel the in Honos god the to belonging as recognized been now has it altar,the of reconstruction Moretti’s in panel more prominent display. Inserted a deserves in certainly thecase this of Aeneascenter the at to the monument. The great young male head belong not do that excavation precinct’s altar ( a fragmentary hanging decorative marble relief oscillum 18 17 16 The second gallery houses a detailed treat Didactic materials in the third gallery,in third the in materials Didactic La Rocca 1983, 49. On the 1980 restoration, see Moretti 1948, 282–84. Kähler 1954. – 1938 reconstruction confusingly includes ) and child’s head found during the during found head child’s and ) 16

18 Smaller fragmentary 17 a fragmentary 15 ------

 American Journal of Archaeology Online Museum Review Copyright © 2009 by the Archaeological Institute of America arenowdocumented meansbycasts of made juxtaposition of contemporary and ancient art tantalizing The 2008–2009. of winter and fall the during view on Munari Bruno designer and artist Milanese the of retrospective ing engag the as such Museum,Pacis Arathe in periodically held exhibitions temporary the Spain and Gaul in 13 B.C.E. the Ara Pacis upon the return of Augustus from Britain, triumphal ’emperor the celebrate to C.E. 43 in ments belonged to an altar erected by the recentSenate proposal suggests instead that these frag Capitolinethethea GentisHill, Juliae onAra with and Pietatis Ara Claudius’ with earlier Associated identified. readily be may Mater which the temples of Mars Ultor and of Magna that follows a route lined with temples among sacrifice, to led animals and priests, citizens, male togated including procession, a exterior shows the from frieze great fragmentary at the beginning of the 20th century. The now- monumentsametheRomementsfoundofin have been united with surviving original frag Hill. internal Pincian Rome’s on Villa the Medici the of facade into incorporated and family Medici the to sold then were century,which 16th reliefs beginningthe the of at excavatedpart in famous of group a from made tions casts displayed here are important reconstruc isone of the museum’s highlights (fig. 4). The Pacis, Arathe to similarweredecoration and architecture, dimensions, whose monument and red flowers. blue backgrounds, green leaves, golden tendrils,large colored reconstructions, with eye-catching “eternity.”and “unity,”“metamorphosis,”“rebirth,”as such proposing that the frieze symbolized concepts such as “fractal logic” and difficult arguments termsuncommoninclude public)general the scholar Giulia Caneva (which are not geared to lery. Here, rather cryptic text panels reconstructionby botanicalare displayed in the fourth gal frieze that could not be inserted in the 1937–1938 from photographic evidence. 20 19 The remaining basement galleries are for are galleries basement remaining The The fifth gallery, devoted to a Julio-Claudian Fragments of the precinct enclosure’s floral Cozza 1958, 107–11. See Castriota 1995. 20 For the first time, these these reconstructions time, first the For 21 an occasion similar to the decree of decree the to similar occasion an reditus 19 But all visitors can enjoy the enjoy canvisitors all But (return) from his victory in victory his from(return) - - - - -

for the celebration of female vanity. majesty of all time was used imperialas to a monument famousmere most thebackdrop that calledintoline herby father, rightly outraged can bet that she would have been immediately achievements of modern Italian fashion, but we marvelousthe atinterested lookan cast have frivolous and witty daughter, emperor’s probably would the Julia, procession, marble the in up high From monument. Augustan den hid nearly the view to impossible almost it making room, main museum’s the invaded than being confined to the basement galleries, symphony of reds, blacks, and whites—rather clothes—a evening splendid Valentino’s (fig. 5). 2007 in Museum Pacis Ara the at held thefamousto fashion designer Valentino was what happened when the exhibition dedicated protagoniststage,ownexactlyitswhichison versed, forcing the antiquity to lose the role of holdstrue provided therelationship notisre interest in the classical Roman monument. This constitutesexcellentanpretext promoting for ai B Roman altar, mid first century marble fragments and plaster casts of reliefs from a Fig.4. 21 eni C See the summary in La Rocca 1999, 87–9. nstallation view of basement gallery with original original with gallery basement of view Installation ulturali delC omune diRoma). C . E . (courtesy S ovraintendenza C laudian - -  American Journal of Archaeology Online Museum Review Copyright © 2009 by the Archaeological Institute of America ———. 2004,———. 10 April.“Ilcantiere AraPacis eduna Il Pacis: “Ara March. 19 2003, Architettiroma. m.strazzulla@unifgit italy 71100 foggia via university department ofhumansciences now second only to the . is and Rome in monuments popular most of than 330,000 in 2007. It thereby has become one has received a record number of visitors—more reopeningmuseum,thisnewinthe PacisAra Since visibility. its enhanced greatly has ing build controversysurroundingthis the case, a historical memorial in the city. As is often the an urban space with a well-established role as into architecture contemporary of document important a an insert to constitutes attempt courageous Museum Pacis Ara Meier’s (B Fig. 5.

arpi 155 aspx?id=5351 (23 February 2009). http://www.architettiroma.it/archivio. Sgarbi.” Vittorio di opinione polemiche delle cantiere shortcomings, its despite conclusion, In . Pediconi; courtesy Installation view of the exhibition offoggia Works Cited V alentino A rchives). Valentino in Rome: 45 Years of Style - Gobbi, C. 2003. “Storia delle esposizioni dell’Ara dell’Ara esposizioni delle “Storia 2003. C. Gobbi, “ 1949. G. Gatti, dell’ processione con fregi “I 2002. S. Foresta, 2007. ed. Crespi,G., Cozza, L. 1958. “Ricomposizione di alcuni rilievi di 1995. D. Castriota, In Augusti.” “Horologium 1996. ———. Buchner, E. 1982. Benedetti, S., S. Portoghesi, G. Muratore, M. Vittorini, 2007. C. Bazzea, di teca alla ‘ritocco’ January.“Un 18 2009, ———. Pacis.” dello Stato, Carte Gatti, 17, F.24. 11727, dated 2 May 1949. Rome: Archivio Centraledi modifiche.” Unpublished typewritten text, no. propostericostruzione e (1937–1938)la durante zione.” Pacis Augustae Pacis .” Press. man Imperial Art. ImageryAbundanceof LaterinGreek EarlyandRo Steinby, 35–7. Rome: Quasar. TopographicumRomae.Urbis Philipp vonZabern. vicenda romana.” ara. 2004. “Ara Pacis Augustae: Una controversa V. Bordini, G. Farina, R. Di Paola, and G. Carbon Architettura. Meier: La storia, il progetto, i materiali. argomenti.asp?id=1 (23February 2009). Meier?” http://www.architettiroma.it/archweb/ chivio.aspx?id=535 provocazione.” http:// . Milan:MondadoriandElecta. in the main gallery of the Bullettino MuseiComunali BullCom Ara Pacis Augustae Pacis Ara Die Sonnenuhr des Augustus : Osservazioni sull’attuale ricostru Un museo per l’Ara Pacis-Richard Pacis-Richard l’Ara per museo Un BdA 103:43–66. Princeton: Princeton University The Ara Pacis Augustae and the the and Augustae Pacis Ara The Richard Meier: Il Museo dell’Ara Museo Il Meier: Richard Palladio 43:107–11. 1 (23 February 2009). www.architettiroma.it/ar 34:105–56. Vol. 3, edited by M. Vol.by edited 3, A ra Pacis Museum : Criteri seguiti Criteri : 17:53–78. Milan: Motta . Mainz: Lexicon Lexicon Ara Ara - - - - 10 American Journal of Archaeology Online Museum Review Copyright © 2009 by the Archaeological Institute of America Holloway, R.R. 2008. “The Painting of Ancient Sculp Pignatti Morano, M., and P. Refice. 1985. “Ara Pa “Ara 1985. P.Refice. and M., Morano, Pignatti augustea.” sistemazione “La V.B.1937. Morpurgo, 1948. Moretti,G. ———. 1999. “ Augusta, Ara.” In La Rocca, E., ed. 1983. The Duce: the and Emperor “The 1978. S. Kostof, Kähler, H. 1954. “Die Ara Pacis und die Augusteische documenti dell’Archivio Centrale nei dello ricomposizione Stato.” della In fasi Le Augustae: cis Capitolium Poligrafico delloStato. Steinby, 86–9. Rome: Quasar. Romae. Urbis graphicum del restauro dellafronte orientale. 270–325. Cambridge, Mass.: The MIT Press. Politics in In Rome.” Imperatore Augusto Piazzale of Planning Friedensidee.” ture.” AJA , edited by H.A. Millon and L. Nochlin, L. and Millon H.A. by edited , 12:145–58. 112(3):347–51. Art and Architecture in the Service of of Service the in Architecture and Art Ara Pacis Augustae Pacis Ara JdI Ara Pacis Augustae: In occasione 69:67–100. Vol. 4, edited by M. M. by edited 4, Vol. Rome:DeLuca. . Rome: Istituto Rome: . Lexicon Topo- - -

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