Roman Art -Chapter 10

ROMAN ART -CHAPTER 10 Vocabulary: amphitheater, aqueduct, arcade, arch, atrium, barrel vault, basilica, buttress, coffer(s), concrete, Corinthian order, dome, domus, groin vault, illusionism, insula, keystone, mosaic, oculus, still life, triumphal arch, verism, voussoirs ------Rome initially under Etruscan king -estab by Romulus 753 BCE, small huts -Rom Republic estab, 509 BCE, Etruscan king expelled REmpire= Euphrates to N Africa to Scotland -- surrounded Med Sea, mare nostrum -Neolithic= common language, Latin-Latium= south of Tiber R. -7 hills became Rome -early rule by kings and advisory body= Senate = oligarchy -5th c BCE, Rome begins to incorporate neighboring territories -275 BCE, Rome controls all of Ital penn. -expands and subdues Carthage n. coast of Africa controls w med area -by 44 BCE, controls Macedonia, Greece, Gaul and eastern Med area -27 bce=title of Augustus= supreme ruler -changed from agricultural society to one of commercial and political power -Julius C. declared dictator until death in 44 bce. heir= Octavian -Octavian=end of Republic -initiated Pax Romana, 200 yrs of peace -building programs unprecedented -admin centers (basilicas), stadiums, theaters, pub baths, roads, bridges, aqueducts -built whole new cities, midd-class housing, rational city planning, durable materials -highly sophisticated planning and engineering -inspired law makers -Like Etruscans, admired Greek, Hellenistic, culture borrowed heavily -Romans conquered Grk world, but Greek culture conquered Rom culture -Romans adopted Grk gods and goddesses and heroes -formed into state religion, after Augustus=emperor deified -helped to maintain empire -Constantine -victorious in 312 CE vision - Chi Rho=Christos -SEE: Portrait of Constantine, fig 10-78 -SEE: Basilica of Constantine, 10-79

*The world of ancient Rome is a "bridge" between the ancient, medieval world and our modern "Western" world

ROMAN CHRONOLOGY 509- 27 BCE= Republic 27 BCE - 337 CE = Empire

ART Republican Period= 509-27 BCE Empire Period= 27 BCE - 476 CE (fall of Rome) -imported Grk original art -Romans didn't shine as individual artists like Greeks, e.g. Praxiteles -most works unsigned

*many works serve dual purpose, incl. political propaganda -serving needs to further aims of empire

ARCHITECTURE -center of life= forum -house= domus, fig 10-13 -villa complex= insula, 10-53 -used Greek orders+Corinthian (SEE: Temple of Vesta,10-3) -faced concrete with bricks and stones (veneer) -concrete= lime, sand, rubble, mixed with water -bldgs known for homogeneous mass -made use of concrete, burnt brick, the arch, barrel & groin vaulting, stonework, domes -bldgs=emphasized interiors, use of light -can't relate ext to int -opened up large int spaces -first to conceive in terms of units of space -barrel vaulting, groin vaulting -SEE: PANTHEON, figs 10-48, 49, 50 -Created great public monuments, structures, sculptures -SEE: Pont du Gard, fig10-31 Colosseum, fig10-34 Arch of Titus, 10-37

SCULPTURE -adopted Greek styles but developed own style, fig10-8, 10-25 -realistic portrayals of individuals --used wax death masks -included political, military, civic leaders, gods, goddesses in bronze and marble -combined heightened realism and idealism -idealized rulers -SEE: Augustus of Primaporta, 10-25 -verism, heightened individualism -SEE: Portrait of Vespasian, fig10-35 -many equestrian statues, SEE: Marcus Aurelius, 10-59 -bust portraits, ancestors, full figures

PAINTING -Four styles, SEE: figs 10-14->24 -imitation colored panels -architectural style, architectural motifs, illusionism -3-D illusionism SEE: Gardenscape, (illusionism), fig10-17 -frescoes, painted panels -adopted styles from Greeks -varied and graduated palette -Also, created intricate mosaics