Gardner’s Art through the Ages Chapters 6-7 The Etruscans and The Roman Empire 1 Italy - Etruscan Period 2 Sarcophagus with reclining couple, from the Banditaccia necropolis, Cerveteri, Italy, ca. 520 BCE. Painted terracotta, 3’ 9 1/2” X 6’ 7”. Museo Nazionale di Villa Giulia, Rome. Note the archaic smile. Made with the coiling method. Women had more freedom in Etruscan society and had more rights than in Greece. Educaton was more available and they could own property. 3 Tumuli (Earthen covered mounds) in the Banditaccia necropolis, Cerveteri, Italy, seventh to second centuries BCE. These tombs often housed many generations of family members with earthly objects like furniture, kitchen utensils, mirrors, murals of life on Earth. 4 Interior of the Tomb of the Leopards, Tarquinia, Italy, ca. 480–470 BCE. 5 Interior of the Tomb of the Augurs, Monterozzi necropolis, Tarquinia, Italy, ca. 520 BCE. 6 Figure 6-12 Capitoline Wolf, from Rome, Italy, ca. 500–480 BCE. Bronze, 2’ 7 1/2” high. Musei Capitolini, Rome. The two infants are 15th Century additions, Romulus and Remus. 7 Arch construction started in the late Etruscan period, but flourished in ancient Rome. Key words: Voussoirs, keystone and crown 8 The Roman World 9 ROMAN ART • Roman architecture contributed to the expanse of the Roman Empire. • Much of Roman art and architecture communicates ideas of power for the emperor and empire. • Many of the changes in Roman art and architecture came as a result of expansion of the Roman Empire and the incorporation of the conquered cultures. • The Romans took over Greece in 146 BCE. Much of their artistic tastes in all art forms took their inspiration from Ancient Greece • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM2D7iJHWXQ • Introduction to Roman Art 10 Temple of Portunus (Temple of “Fortuna Virilis”), Rome, Italy, ca. 75 BCE. A blend of Etruscan temple floor plan and Greek Ionic columns There is only the staircase entrance at the front and no freestanding columns at the back of the temple. 11 a b c d Roman concrete construction and architectural innovations. (a) barrel vault, (b) groin vault, (c) fenestrated sequence of groin vaults, (d) hemispherical dome with oculus 12 Roman Portrait Sculpture Patrician with portrait busts of his ancestors, from Rome, late first century BCE. Marble, 5’ 5” high. Musei Capitolini–Centro Montemartini, Rome. Termed “Veristic” from the word verity or TRUTH 13 Former Slaves Portraiture • Freed slaves aspired to assimilate into Roman society • Commissioned funerary work that reflected the elevation of their social status as freed slaves • Slaves and former slaves could not possess any family portraits by law, for their family was not of property. Freed slaves were exempt. 14 Funerary relief with portraits of the Gessii, from Rome(?), Italy, ca. 30 BCE. Marble, approx. 2’ 1 1/2” high. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. The general who owned then freed these two other people is in the center. They took his names as was the norm, once freed. Their bond is one of family, in a way, connected even beyond death. 15 Plan of a typical Roman house of the Late Republic and Early Empire, (2) atrium, (3) impluvium, (rain water basin (4) bedrooms, (5) ala, (6)office, (7) dining, (8) peristyle with garden In Rome few of these houses existed, due to space constraints 16 Atrium and Peristylre of the House of the Vettii, Pompeii, Italy, second century BCE, rebuilt 62–79 CE. 17 WALL PAINTING – THE FOUR STYLES First Style wall painting Herculaneum, Italy, late second century BCE. Made to look like marble walls. 18 Dionysian mystery frieze, Second Style wall painting, Pompeii, Italy, ca. 60–50 BCE. Fresco, frieze 5’ 4” high. Second style creates the illusion of space beyond the walls –as well as people. 19 Third Style wall painting, from the Villa of Agrippa Postumus, Boscotrecase, Italy, ca. 10 BCE. Fresco, 7’ 8” high. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Here it is a monochromatic background with fanciful or geometric linear designs 20 Fourth Style wall paintings in the Ixion Room of the House of the Vettii, Pompeii, Italy, ca. 70–79 CE. Now these walls look like art galleries, with faux marble painting on the bottom band 21 Woman with Stylus and Portrait of Husband and Wife 22 Pax Romana and Augustus Augustus of Primaporta, Italy, early-first-century CE copy of a bronze original of ca. 20 BCE. Marble, 6’ 8” high. Musei Vaticani, Rome. 23 Ara Pacis Augustae (Altar of Augustan Peace northeast), Rome, Italy, 13–9 BCE. 24 Procession of the imperial family, detail of the south frieze of the Ara Pacis Augustae, Rome, Italy, 13–9 BCE. Marble, 5’ 3” high. Celebrates his life and achievements, with family portraits and children. Based on Augustus’ own written account, celebrates family values 25 Pont-du-Gard, Nîmes, France, ca. 16 BCE. Aqueducts moved fresh water from mountain springs 30 miles away to the populated territories-one as far as 60 miles The Romans built the structure without any mortar holding the stones together, by cut to fit.These structures benefited the local community, projected Roman imperial power, and enabled the army to move quickly across its new territory. They could supply 265 gallons of water a day to each Roman. 26 IMPERIAL ROME The Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheater), Rome, Italy, ca. 70–80 CE. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOylD1KC6kc 27 High Empire ( 96 – 192 A.D.) • The political nature of Roman art and architecture communicates ideas of power for the emperor and empire. • Trajan will be the first adopted imperial heir, a non-Italian, but a successful general. He will become deified as well. He will construct the Circus Maximus, Rome famed giant chariot racing venue. • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frE9rXnaHpE • Chariot Race clip from Ben Hur 1959 28 APOLLODORUS OF DAMASCUS, Forum of Trajan, Rome, Italy, dedicated 112 CE. 1) Temple of Trajan, 2) Column of Trajan, 3) libraries, 4) Basilica Ulpia, 5) forum, 6) equestrian statue of Trajan. 29 Column of Trajan, Rome, Italy, dedicated 112 CE. Apollodorus Of Damascus. Spiral visual tale of Trajan’s victory over the Dacians. Stands as Trajan’s tomb. Emperor takes center stage here in every scene. Most of the column shows the preparation for the battles, more than the actual fighting. This relief style was copied for much of the Middle Ages. The spiral effect is what makes this column notable, too. 30 Pantheon, Rome, Italy, 118 – 125 CE. Hadrian’s temple dedicated to all gods. Lit by only natural light provided by its oculus https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExwRrjE4kRQ 31 Restored cutaway view (left) and lateral section (right) of the Pantheon, Rome, Italy, 118–125 CE Once a temple to all gods, now a Roman Catholic church. 32 Equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius, from Rome, Italy, ca. 175 CE. Bronze, 11’ 6” high. Musei Capitolini, Rome. Emperor portrayed as merciful and masterful, world-weary and wise. Not portrayed as “super human” or godlike. Ultra- veritism, in a way. 33 Mummy portrait of a priest and ABOVE portait of a young woman, from Hawara (Faiyum), Egypt, ca.140–160 ce. Encaustic on wood, 1’ 4 3/4” X 8 3/4”. British Museum, London. Portraits graced tombs and even mummy sarcophagus. 34 Late Empire (192-337 A.D.) • Two centuries after Augustus, Rome’s power is in decline. Outer tribes begin to fight in the frontier territories, the imperial ruling sector was beset by ineptitude and scandal and in-fighting. The “Soldier Emperors” fought, assumed power, were in turn, assassinated, where another general took his place, over and over. The economy was faltering. Other religions were challenging the Roman status quo. 35 Above left-Portrait bust of Trajan Decius, Rome, Italy, 249–251 CE. Marble, 2’ 7” high. Right – Portrait of Trebonainus Gallus 251-253 CE Bronze These are imperfect men, betraying the nervous, weary and/or sad expressions and imperfect bodies. A snapshot of the timbre of the time they ruled. 36 Portrait of the four Tetrarchs 300 CE Venice, Italy 4 emperors split power, now note the stylistic change here: Naturalism, separate identity, the ideal, and personality is gone. 37 Portrait of Constantine, from the Basilica Nova, Rome, Italy, ca. 315–330 CE. Marble, 8’ 6” high. Musei Capitolini, Rome. A last throwback to imbuing Emperors with godlike aspirations and qualities. He is going to convert to Christianity on his deathbed, signaling essentially the end of the Roman Empire. 38 Aula Palatina (exterior), Trier, Germany, early fourth century CE Served as an audience hall for Constantine. Note the severe lack of finish. No relief carvings. No columns or scrollwork. A coffered ceiling in the interior is only an echo of the Pantheon’s inner dome treatment. This building signals a move to a different kind of architecture. This hall serves now (and then) as a Roman basilica, or now, church. 39 Discussion Questions What are some of the unique elements of Roman art and architecture that distinguish it from Greek and other art of the same time period? In what ways does Roman art and architecture incorporate the arts of conquered peoples from England to Egypt? What does the presence of veristic portrait art of the Romans say about Roman culture? Why does the art under Constantine begin to move away from the verism of the High Empire? 40 .